farlands | traveling near and far

  Soon after boarding our train, we made our way to our sleeping compartment, which is set up with two seats facing one another in the 'awake' mode. These seats fold down into a bottom bunk, and the ceiling panel lowers to create an upper bunk.  It felt like camping to me - where there were lots of little hooks and cubbies in which to tuck your stuff.  It also reminded me of a ship cabin/submarine.  If you are looking for lots of room, you'll have to go to the observation car.  But first, it was time for dinner. Since we got a late start, dinner service started immediately, and because we had a sleeping car all our meals were included.  The dining car staff seats you with other riders as you enter.  Riding Amtrak brought a surprising element to our trip - the number of people from other countries that we encountered. We were fortunate to be seated with a lovely couple from Warsaw, Poland, who spoke far better English than I do Polish ...

The city of Chicago seems to have surprises around every corner.  After driving into downtown, which is always a bit of a challenge, it was time to attend my conference.  At the end of a good first day, with a head full of cost basis and ordinary income information and exercises, I stepped outside for the very first time today into a relatively cool Midwestern evening. I had learned during the session that the Taste of Chicago festival was starting, and since it was almost dinner time, I set off...in the wrong direction.  I realized my mistake, got turned back around, and wondered for a moment how on earth I might find my way through much bigger cities in the future, if I can't handle the right direction in Chicago, which I know fairly well. A nice detour Then as I wound my way down through a section of Millennium Park I had not been through yet, with rock climbing walls everywhere, Grant Park was sonically signaling as the band Weezer took the stage....