I do like the Fairmont Millennium Park Hotel in Chicago. The building is only 35 years old, and according to one of the waiters who I understand has been employed there for thirty years, you could see Lake Michigan before the 37 storey block was later surrounded by high-rises, some almost twice as tall. Opposite are Millennium and Grant Parks. I’m not sure where one ends and the other begins. In 1971, the whole of this area were railroad yards. Now, decades later, this vast space has been wonderfully landscaped and developed into a fabulous open air park and complex where last night, I enjoyed a concert at which I willingly would have paid handsomely for the seat…which, much to my pleasant surprise, was free! Or was it? My detailed hotel bill, nearly gave me a second heart attack. It listed all kinds of taxes which will have slithered into the coffers of Chicago City Council (or whatever the local authority is called), as well as the room rates, giving me the impression that around $1,250 had just been charged against my credit card account. At first, I begrudged these unavoidable tax extras, but after last night’s concert, no longer! Imagine free symphony concerts almost daily in Hyde Park! My travel agent did put things right immediately, and my final bill was slightly less than I had calculated.
Thus, I again had breakfast very late. Having settled my revised invoice, and tipped all those who had assisted in my enjoying my all too brief stay, there was time for one final walk around, but not quite enough to ride the C.T.A. Elevated Railway system. I promised all those who wished me a safe journey and “come back next year” that I would return, and that is my hope. But I was warned against coming back in the winter, where temperatures of -50° make life almost impossible .
I am sometimes asked what my favourite place or event has been so far since I started travelling. It’s a very fair question which until now has been difficult to decide. I have “nominated” last night’s Grant Park Festival concert, already described, as a contender for highlight of the entire tour. This, however, may well be “trounced” by the Grand Canyon the day after tomorrow. Speaking to a couple from Arizona, no camera can capture the awesomeness of actually being there, particularly for the very first time.
I left the Fairmont in good time for my train, which I nearly missed taking photographs of the magnificent interior of Chicago Union Station. I wasn’t overly wowed by the Metropolitan Lounge reserved for sleeping car passengers. This may improve as the continuing pandemic declines further.
There are two private cars attached to the rear of the train. I thought that Amtrak had discontinued the practice of allowing railworthy private vehicles being attached to their regular services. Being laden with bags, in a dark underground Station with hordes of passengers from an incoming service coming from the opposite direction, taking photographs was not high on my list of priorities. Annoyingly, my coach is at the loco end of the train and level crossings are at times, every few yards. And the train’s almost continuous whistlle does little to aid a good night’s sleep. Nevertheless, I remain thankful to have invested in a bedroom where there is space in which to spread out. The South West Chief is not quite the same as The Empire Builder. There is no schedule from which to follow the journey, and make this travel blog a little more interesting. The interior of my Bedroom is much the same but with a few detail differences. When I told the Dining Car Supervisor that I was from near Manchester, he recalled with excitement being at Old Trafford in 2009 when Manchester United drew with Arsenal. He seems to remember the date as being May 13th or 14th 2009. Maybe I’ll check this out later. I now feel a bit privileged to have grown up around 4 miles from Old Trafford!
It’s almost 9 o’clock and I’m on a train heading for Kansas City, prior to the overnight journey to Flagstaff. This is Amtrak’s South West Chief.
0849 Syracuse held for a freight service. Friday 24th June 2022
I slept much better than I thought I was going to, waking up in the State of Colorado. Kansas City the night before was a smoke stop. The Conductor announced a mere 5 minutes, but having already gone to bed, I felt we were there for much longer. I ascertained later that the two private cars at the rear were detached at Kansas City. Choosing not to have announcements relayed to my room (I don’t welcome being awakened needlessly at 6am), and not having access to a train schedule, it’s difficult to ascertain exactly where we are. But we did stop ever so briefly at Lamar Colorado at 08.46 hrs.
To be continued soon. Thanks for reading, David, on board the South West Chief as far as Flagstaff. 08.35 MT, BST-7
David's Cruise 