Beltane Waning Dyan Moon
Metropolitan Lounge, Chicago, Illinois
Once again in this pleasant wood lined lounge with comfortable chairs and internet access. Here they check baggage until your train boards, have treats and drinks. They also guide us out to the train by a back route before the boarding of coach passengers. It is a civilized addition to train travel. It is superior to the Acela Lounge in D.C. on the criteria of friendliness, user services and comfort.
Kate and I ate lunch up in the food court. I had my necessary Italian beef with hot peppers and extra juice. In Indiana I also had three pieces of sugar cream pie, an indulgence only available commercially in the south. It’s on my list of things I can cook, but I don’t make it often.
After lunch we went out on the plaza and watched traffic on the Chicago River, one of the least appealing water ways in the US. Straight across the river from Union Station the Sears Tower rises 104 stories. Once the tallest building in the world it has not held the record for quite some time.
Our train boards in the next 45 minutes or so. Kate seems to be a convinced rail traveler now, so we might end up seeing more of the US and Canada by train.
