Tiny Trip Tuesday

Waiting for the train in Fort Lauderdale is probably like waiting for the train in almost Anytown. A few interesting panhandlers, all of whom commented on my fishing pole. Lots of normal people taking the city trains to work, a few going longer distances. Like the woman I talked to while who was from Japan. 

Inter-city train

She hadn't lived in Japan for a long time, and now lives in North Carolina, where she takes care of her mother. She met her husband, an American, at a museum in Japan. They married and spent 3 years in Greece ('we had to check under our cars every morning for bombs, the terrorism was bad then - but most of the time it was good and we lived by the water. It was beautiful'). Three years in Germany were also good. But back in the states, they divorced, her mother moved over from Japan and she raised her son. For his graduation present six years ago, the mother gave them tickets to Japan, so he could see where he came from. That was good.

And then she had to move up to the part of the train where overnight travelers were seated. Getting aboard, the conductor asked if I had any fish with me. How do you forget you are carrying a fishing pole? I said no and he said better luck next time.

I sat in the short hop section, next to a large woman who spoke Spanish and was wrapped up in her magazine. We read and dozed and read some more. 

Across the aisle was a dapperly dressed man who was on the phone, talking animatedly (translate loudly) in what I could only guess was Haitian patois. For two hours. Until he put on homemade videos of a church choir, singing joyfully, if not melodically. Without headphones. The guy could not sit still; I dubbed him Restless Phone Soul Syndrome Man. It doesn't exactly slip off the tongue but it was better entertaining myself like that rather than letting slip off the tongue what I felt like saying.

And then we were in Sebring where I was picked up and taken to the Turtle. I did pretty much everything wrong, only asking if I was all set up to go. When I got the yes, I just drove away. Check the water and other fluids? Nope. Drive, she said. And I did. Luckily, all was well.

Rest stop in Canaan Land! I reached!

And here I am, waiting to recoup travel funds which are residing under the Turtle in a shiny new gas tank. Fair trade.

After a shower - it's hot here! - a walk to the lake was in order. At first, seeing a clump of white birds far down by the water, I thought I finally was seeing white pelicans Exciting! It was white ibis' instead. Funny birds. Along with a blue heron and a great white. Afternoon entertainment at Lake Panasoffkee. 

Not all of them are white

This beauty flew in to see what was what

Statue still observer

Push? What's this mean, push?

Exit? What's this mean, exit?

Aren't I beautiful?

Ibis don't get disturbed easily

Blue comes in for a look

Confrontation kerfuffle

A bit of display and blue don't care

You go your way and I'll go mine

Ibis at the Bug Buffet

And then everyone took off (yes, my fault)

Except for these guys, who might still be there.

It is very hot. I'm slowly cutting off my hair. Hopefully I won't be bald when I see you next.

Have a take to the treetops Tuesday. Do something testing.

Train Spotting

photo credit: Jim Epler

I was sent an application for Amtrak's Writer's residency program from someone who knew I'd be interested in applying. I mean, who wouldn't? Ride a train. Watch parts of the mainland US pass by that you cannot see any other way except hiking (personal translation = cannot see any other way period). Get a sleeper to hang out in. Write about it. What can go wrong?

Well, ironically, when this opportunity was 'rolled out' in the current parlance, it was just about the same time that 250 passengers were "stranded without functioning bathrooms and power for more than four hours when their train broke down unexpectedly in Connecticut Tuesday afternoon." according to an article in the Boston Globe.

Hey, this sort of thing happens. Everything breaks. No one died. I'm sure there was discomfort, but four hours? Maybe the word 'stranded' was a bit strong. Did you know that the word stranded originally related to being beached, aground or ashore? Despite popular accepted usage, they weren't exactly in the middle of nowhere. Hey, I could have written about it. Where's your resident now, Amtrak?

Or maybe it's living on islands that makes four hours seem like an annoyance rather than a life changer. Unless, of course, you do die, in which case you don't have a good story to tell later on.

No trains for this trip. It was the first Culebra/Fajardo trip for these sailors. The ferry was full. The accumulated rain on the roof poured out on us as we got underway through its handy drainage hole. The entertainment never ends. (by the way, if you didn't get on the ferry to get over here, I'm really sorry...I saw the lines and they are insane - it's not my fault, obviously, but I still feel really bad for these people...we're barely into the first week without the private ferries and already back to chaos)

Okay, I just got seriously off track (prepare for many train referenced puns. Not really). I meant to write about the fact that to enter this scramble for free train travel, you have to be on Twitter. I've resisted. Until now. And I'd not been 'on Twitter' for more than five seconds when I had a follower. Then another. STOP IT!!!! I only joined because it was required! I'll train twitter if I get in but I won't be twittering. I can't even write that with a serious face. To do that requires a level of sanity or insanity I don't possess. There. Fair warning.

Or maybe you'd rather see a beautiful apple. The veggie guy not only brings us fruit and veg to add to our pantries, we get art as well.

Or a beautiful rooster. This fellow was waiting for me to leave so he could continue to court my egg bearers.

I can barely photo caption in twitter speak! I'm thinking I'll be buying my own train tickets. But I'll keep my twitter self around until I know that I am not one of the the Amtrak poster riders, observing the minutiae and visual largesse being passed through. Does it pass by my window or would my window pass by it? I'm betting on the latter, being the movable object.

Maybe we just need a train on Culebra. Think of the potential! Get rid of half the rental beasts...or more (Bermuda doesn't even allow rental cars. BERMUDA!) and those way too big for Culebra taxis. Take people at a lovely leisurely pace to some key spots on the island that they can return to later on their own. The train will always be breaking down, ensuring a steady employment for many fixers, but no one will be stranded because people can either walk back to where they are staying or someone will come by and give them a ride. Think about it. Thank you, Amtrak, for the inspiration.

In the meantime, we can hold contests guessing on which day the yearly hillside fire will occur. A lottery of sorts. As long as it is only this hillside, por favor. Thanks as ever to our wonderful Bomberos for taking care of business. To the uninitiated, this fire might have looked out of control,  but it wasn't.

From a wisp to a whisper to yes, it's on fire.

Even with only a bare breath of wind, the ashes covered the town and boat decks. A good rain would be very helpful about now. Rain dance, por favor!

Not a good photo, but you can see the backfires that stopped advancement of the flames.

There. I think I've managed to be slightly offensive to Amtrak, the rental car people, the taxi owners and the ferry overseers, a misnomer obviously, but I can't think of a nice word and as George knows way better than I, nice is good. In my own skewed way, I'm trying.

Have a thankful to be tensionless Thursday. Do something tranquil.