The Buffalo Bisons and eastward..

The border crossing at Niagara Falls was a bit more serious than when I crossed into Windsor. Everyone on the train had to deboard, with all our luggage and stand in a line while a diligent German Shepherd and his handler sniffed our bags and shoes! Then we filed in, were asked questions and had our passports inspected. Finally we could get back on the train. We arrived at the Buffalo Exchange Street station about 20 minutes later. Sahlen Field was right across the street.

The public bus system in Buffalo was a bit quirky and I was tired. I took an Uber to my AirBnB, which ended up being the cutest little loft apartment I’d ever seen. Brick walls, a tiny but fully equipped kitchen and a cupola outfitted as a cozy reading nook.

I had a snack, a nap, read for a while and then headed down to Sahlen Field for the Bison’s Game. Oddly enough, it was the Bisons that gave me the idea for this whole trip. I’d had a ticket for a game last September that got rained out. The subsequent email said that I could exchange the ticket for my game in April…so now, here I was!

The Bisons are a farm team for the Blue Jays, so once again, both National Anthems were sung. There wasn’t much of a crowd, but people were pretty enthusiastic. I got an excellent brown ale no it was $2.00 hot dog night! I was initially seated in the sun, on the third base line. Which was fine…until the sun set. At which point, the temperature dropped and the wind picked up and I started to feel like an icicle. I made it until the 7th inning.

I got back to my cozy nook and made myself a cup of hot tea. Then I doubled checked my bus for the next day. My friend was picking me up in Rochester and I wanted to be sure I had the time correct. I had planned it so I’d get in a little after noon. I checked my ticket…

Notice anything? 🙄 Yeah…I’d booked my ticket for PM instead of AM, and the bus would get in after midnight. Not noon. (This is why I’m a huge fan of 24-hour time. If it had said “22:45” I wouldn’t have made such a bone-headed mistake.) Luckily I caught it in time. Trailways wanted $20 to change the ticket, which was more than the actual ticket cost! So I ate that ticket and booked a train. And now I’m at the station, ready to choo-choo my way to Rochester and towards home!

I’ll go home and get my panties
You go home and get your scanties
And away we’ll go
Ooh ooh ooh!
Off we’re gonna shuffle
Shuffle off to Buffalo

Crossing the border and the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Via Rail from Windsor to Toronto was exceedingly comfortable and I slept almost the entire way. We arrived at the magnificent (and huge) Union Station at about 6:00pm. It was sunny and not too cold outside, so I decided to walk to my hotel, about a mile away.

My hotel was called the “Cambridge Suites” and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my room was a bona-fide suite with a separate living room and dining area. (Sometimes, it’s just a couch shoved in the corner!) I took advantage of the laundry in the hotel and ordered Chinese food (which was pretty terrible, but at least it was hot.)

The next day was Easter Sunday and I decided to go to church. I picked a Presbyterian Church right near the stadium. I wanted something familiar and something with great music…for me, music IS worship. I was not disappointed. They had a brass quartet, a proper organ and a small but excellent choir. The sermon was short but meaningful and we sang the requisite Easter hymns.

They had the names of the brass players listed in the bulletin and the trombonist was named James Chilton! Of course, I had to go meet him afterward. We decided that we must be related, somehow!

The organist played Widor’s Toccata from Symphony Number 5 for the postlude…one of my favorite pieces. And they brought the brass into it, too. Quite spectacular!

After church, I headed over to the game. I had come prepared for the cold, because I wasn’t sure if the dome would be closed. But it was and so I was quite comfortable. I got there early enough to watch them prepare the grounds…I love how they rake the dirt and even out the grass. It’s a nice stadium. Originally it was called the “Sky Dome” and some fans still call it that! I had a great seat, up to behind home plate. It was fun to hear both national anthems. Good crowd, but the Blue Jays lost to the Mariners 8-3.

The next day was cold, wet and rainy, but I still wanted to see some of Toronto. so I took the open-top bus tour. I only lasted in the open for a few minutes! Some weird-ass sculptures, interesting architecture and I made one stop to get some food and visit the Shoe Museum! Yes, a whole museum dedicated to the history of shoes. It was actually pretty interesting.

I had some thoughts about going out later that evening to find some music, but by the end of the tour, I was chilled to the bone. I went to a nearby convenience mart to supply myself with food, wine and chocolate, took a hot shower (my enormous bathroom had both a tub AND a shower!) put my cozy things on and watched mindless TV. And knit. The perfect end to the day.

The next morning, I’d be on my way to Buffalo!

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Tigers at Comerica Park and crossing over the border!

Detroit is a gray city, with a dubious reputation. The Amtrak Station is a tiny, utilitarian building in a somewhat sketchy-looking part of town. I had thought about trying to take a bus to my hotel, but opted for an Uber. My driver was friendly and knowledgeable about the city, which he assured me was “improving.” He got me safely to my hotel and told me to have a great time at the game.

The Hotel Indigo has been newly refurbished and my room was spacious and comfortable. I unpacked, took a hot shower and a much-needed nap. Then I headed to the ballpark.

Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, is literally right in the middle of the city. It was only a few blocks from my hotel and an easy walk.

This is a fun, quirky kind of ballpark. They have an amusement park inside the stadium and Tiger-themed statues and merchandise. During the game, the music includes songs featuring tigers, including “The Tiger Rag”, “Eye of the Tiger” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen.

(I’m a shooting star, leaping through the sky
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity)

The evening was warm (real baseball weather at last!) and there was a good crowd.

I got myself the requisite beer and found my seat…which turned out to be next to an amiable young man from Toledo named Anthony. We had a great chat about the Tigers and the Mud Hens (Toledo’s minor league team) before I moved down for a better view.

It was a good game…Tigers won 7-3 against the Royals, although the Royals had a good chance of tying it up in the top of the ninth. The Tigers first closer loaded the bases and then walked in a run, so they took him out and replaced him with a different closer, who finally did the job. And they had fireworks after the game!

Detroit has a lot of history; baseball and more. The Tigers are one of the original 16 major league teams and Ty Cobb is their most famous players. There is also history of American westward expansion. I found this plaque about the “Chicago Road” outside my hotel and looked down Michigan Avenue, imagining how many feet and wagons had passed down the way.

The next morning, I had to get myself over the border into Windsor, Ontario. There are several ways to do this, and the easiest seemed to be the “Tunnel Bus” which makes a loop between downtown Detroit and the Windsor International Transit Station. (Which is not, oddly, where I would board my train to Toronto.)

However, the information about how and where to get this bus was…a little confusing and even contradictory on line. No worries, I thought. Surely the staff at the hotel would have the most up-to-date info for me! This turned out to be an erroneous assumption, although two of the desk clerks tried mightily to find out for me from Google. Which was my source as well. They finally admitted that they actually had no idea about the “tunnel bus” because most people just drove.

I decided to go on the best info I had, which was a time table listing stops and approximate times. One stop was a few blocks down from the hotel, so, giving myself plenty of extra time, I headed for the location. And was happy to see the sign…”Tunnel Bus.” Understated, to be sure, but it said the right thing. And sure enough, the tunnel bus arrived! Yay!

The driver was very friendly and told me he’d drop me off where I could get the cross-town bus to the Via Rail Station. Getting through customs was no problem, finding the local bus was easy, and I was soon at the station, with plenty of time to spare.

The Via Rail station was sparse and bare, with very few outlets and not even a vending machine. However, it was clean and dry. I could have stopped at the Tim Horton’s I passed, right across the street, but it was a wet day and I just wanted to get out of the rain. I sat and knit and chatted to the other passengers who were waiting.

And now, I’m on the train headed up to Toronto. I’ve been told that a trolley comes through with food and drink, so I should be all sorted.

It’s carbon and monoxide
The Ole Detroit perfume
And it hangs on the highways
In the morning
And it lays you down by noon

The Windy City and the hapless White Sox.

I love the city of Chicago, but I didn’t see much of it this trip. The main event, of course, was the White Sox game at “Guaranteed Rate Field.” This field replaced the old Comiskey Park, where Shoeless Joe Jackson played and the scene of the infamous “Black Sox” scandal.

Although Charles Comiskey was a cheapskate and a tyrant (one of the reasons for the players’ ill-fated decision to throw the 1919 World Series) the stadium bearing his name had an elegant charm and was an imposing structure. The new field resembles nothing more than a big mixing bowl, plunked down in the middle of some grass.

Last year, the White Sox broke the record for most losses in a single season, previously held by the 1962 NY Mets. They lost 121 games…and lost in every conceivable fashion. (A regular season only has 162 games. You can do the math.) Sadly, they seem to be on track to surpass that dubious milestone this year. Their fan base has dwindled, although there are still the faithful who hang on, game after game. This game had so few attendees that they closed the upper decks and I had my pick of seats in the 100s. The play was haphazard and lacked any real energy, although I have to say that their right fielder, Michael A. Taylor made some excellent catches and showed a bit of pizazz. Alas, one player does not make a team and the White Sox went down in flames, 8-0.

A baseball game is always fun, though. I enjoyed watching the families with little kids running up and down the stairs, the Dads holding their babies for a picture of their “first game” and the kids (and adults) who’d brought their baseball gloves in hopes of catching a foul ball. Most fans seemed resigned to their team sucking once again this year. Of course, it’s only April and in baseball, ya never know!

I had two memorable meals while in Chicago. Before I got the subway to the game, I had breakfast at a quirky diner known for being sarcastic and rude. (Sort of like “Durgin Park” from the Boston area.) They immediately popped a chef’s hat on my head and demanded my order. It was kind of silly and the food was excellent.

After the game, I found a cool little Mexican place that made killer margaritas (with a Grand Marnier “float”) and excellent shrimp fajitas.

I had this idea that I might like to go hear some jazz, but the two places that had the kind of traditional jazz I wanted were a bit of a hike to the north. And I had to be up at the crack of dawn for my train to Detroit. And it was raining. I got some chocolate, walked back to my hotel and had a cozy evening.

The next morning, I got the bus to Union Station for my train to Detroit, the “Wolverine.” (Someday, I’ll do a whole blog post on the train names.) Chicago’s Union Station is huge and magnificent, and their “grand hall” befits the name.

And now, I’m on my way to Detroit!

Chicago, Chicago, that toddling town
Chicago, Chicago, I will show you around, I love it
Bet your bottom dollar you’ll lose the blues in Chicago, Chicago
The town Billy Sunday could not shut down.

24 hours in Brew City.

The train trip to Milwaukee passed through fields, farms and little tributaries that would eventually become the mighty Mississippi. Here, however, they were merely trickles.

Milwaukee’s train station is not an elegant structure. And it’s called the “Intermodal Station.” But it is spacious and easy to navigate.

I had chosen my hotel based on its proximity to the station…it looked to be about a half mile and I thought my legs could use a stretch. However, the map did not indicate that this was mostly uphill. It was windy and chilly and I was glad I had leggings on under my skirt, which was blowing every which way. I was happy to see the hotel appear…the Doubletree Downtown.

The Doubletree is part of the Hilton chain and I had booked with my membership card. I was thanked for my loyalty, given a warm chocolate chip cookie and an upgrade…which meant my room had a couch, apparently. All good! I got myself sorted and decided to have dinner in the hotel restaurant…a real meal for a change. With wine. It was delicious.

After sleeping in a hostel and then a train, I was happy to have an actual bed. I slept soundly and long. The game the next day was at 12 noon. I bundled up against the predicted cold and after a decent breakfast (again at the hotel!) grabbed an Uber. (There is apparently public transportation to the stadium, but it is a bit convoluted and involves a change. So I went the easier route.)

My driver seemed a bit confused about where the drop-off was, so I ended up on the back side of the stadium. But I figured it out. I didn’t realize that American Family Field has a dome! It was a little weird, seeing baseball inside. But I was happy not to be freezing.

This is the “home run slide” and the mascot takes a ride down it and waves a team flag if there is a home run…which happened twice! I was told that first-time visitors to the park could go down it during the 7th inning stretch. I decided to pass.

They honored a 105-year-old veteran of Pearl Harbor. He stood and saluted during the National Anthem, which was played quite nicely by a local high school band.

It was a fun game and the Brewers won, 5-1 against the Tigers. (I’ll be in Detroit in a couple of days and rooting for the Tigers in their home field.)

On the way back, I grabbed one of the free shuttles from the local pubs. I walked back to my hotel and was able to see a bit of downtown Milwaukee. And I got some excellent Pho at a local place on the way.

Rather than hang around my hotel, I was able to change my train to an earlier time. This is the new Amtrak route called “The Borealis.” It was crowded and a bit chaotic, but it put me in Chicago before 7:30pm. And then the White Sox the next day!

Well, I’m a gonna get on that ol’ turnpike and I’m gonna ride
I’m a gonna leave this town till you decide
Which one you want the most them Opry stars or me
Milwaukee here I come from Nashville, Tennessee.

Sleeper train to St. Paul and freezing my ass off at the ball game!

I got myself to the King Street Station in Seattle in plenty of time, only to find out that my train was (predictably) delayed. Apparently it had arrived late from Chicago…and they had to get it ready for the trip back east. Fortunately the delay was under an hour, and since I was going to be on the train for two days, this wasn’t a big deal.

The King Street Station is quite elegant, with chandeliers, marble columns and a very elegant vibe. Unfortunately, no bar or restaurant. I got some pretzels from the vending machine.

The train finally rolled in and I was soon ensconced in my little “roomette.” I love the train…it’s relaxing and comfortable and you are not required to do anything. Meals are included when you get a sleeper and the food is pretty good. And they have wine and beer, if you so choose! I had my knitting and my Kindle and a pillow.

This route passes through Glacier National Park and although it was cloudy and a bit foggy, there were some beautiful views.

We made a couple of stops where you were invited to get out and stretch your legs. This is the bustling town of Shelby, Montana. Population 3,169.

The train pulled into St. Paul’s Union Depot only about 30 minutes late. I made my way over to the light rail and took it two stops to my hotel. It was called “Celeste of St. Paul” and was in an old convent! They had kept many of the features and character of the place and it felt quite cozy.

Even though it was way before check-in time, my room was ready! I had considered going to a museum or something but most museums and historical places are closed on Monday. Plus, it was cold outside and I was tired. And my room was warm and comfortable, with a wonderful view. I settled in, made a cup of tea, read for a while and took a nap!

The game at Target Field started at 6:40 and the temperature was dropping. I bundled up, grabbed my down blanket and headed back to the light rail. Very convenient, with a stop right at the field. Once I got there, I got the requisite beer and found my seat. It was cold, windy and wet. But they were playing ball. The field was brightly lit, and the people very friendly. Everyone was bundled up against the cold but in high spirits, in spite of the fact that the Twins were sucking mightily. They did have great sound and video effects, however.

Even with my down blanket wrapped around my entire body, I was cold all the way through. After a few innings, I made my way to one of the enclosed “pub” spaces. No chairs, but big windows and you could see (but not hear) the game. I struck up a conversation with several other folks…all of whom were Mets fans. It seemed there were more Mets fans than Twins fans at this game. The weather did not improve and nether did the Twins playing.

By the end of the 7th, I had had enough. I said goodbye to my companions and headed back towards the light rail. (Mets won, 5-1)

As I walked the few blocks back to my hotel, I noticed that the stained glass window in the church across the street was beautifully lit.

The next morning, I was so happy to able to meet up with an old friend of mine from when I worked in London. Khrisslyn taught German at ACS when I was a music teacher there. Time was short, but we decided we could at least meet for coffee before my train and before she had to be at work. The place I had picked for breakfast was closed until 8:00am. The two places in the station itself were also closed and the coffee vending machine was broken! Determined not to be thwarted, Khrisslyn fearlessly downloaded Door Dash on her phone and had coffee delivered to us. It was her first time doing this, and she was ridiculously pleased about it. We had such a fun time reconnecting.

Union Station in St Paul is a beautiful old train station built in 1917 and recently refurbished and re-opened.

I boarded the train, put my feet up and gazed out the window as we moved on toward Milwaukee!

Cloudy
The sky is grey and white and cloudy
Sometimes I think it’s hanging down on me
And it’s hitchhike a hundred miles
I’m a ragamuffin child
Pointed finger-painted smile
I left my shadow waiting down the road for me a while

A cross-country train trip…with baseball along the way!

Sometime during the cold of last winter, I decided it would be be fun to try to see a bunch of baseball games in different parts of the country and it would additionally be fun to do it all by train. This meant I had to make sure the team schedules lined up with the train schedules and made logistical sense. After a few false starts, I finally determined a way to make it work…I would fly to Seattle and then train my way back home. I actually began on the train from Worcester to Logan Airport.

The flight to Seattle was cramped and long, but uneventful. When I got to Seattle it was (typically) raining. I took the light rail into downtown and found my hostel. The “Green Tortoise” Hostel.

As I walked the few blocks, I passed the Seattle Symphony and happened to see the program for that night posted. Dvořák’s “New World Symphony.” The box office was right there and I couldn’t pass it up. Snagged an orchestra seat for a discount. I was able to take a little nap and get some food before the concert…which was terrific. There’s nothing like a full, symphony orchestra. They also played Bartok and a newly commissioned violin concerto with the composer in attendance.

The next morning, I was still a bit jet-lagged, but did a bit of walking around. The hostel is right across from the Public Market, with the famous fish-throwing stall, live entertainment, all kinds of delicious food and drink and lots of little craft shops. And many pigs. There are also great views of the bay.

Then it was time for baseball. The Seattle Mariners vs the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park. First ball park I’ve ever been to with a retractable roof, which was open for the duration of the game. (Apparently they CAN close it during a game if it starts to rain!)

I really liked the ballpark and sat next to some season ticket holders who apprised me of the different players. Mariners won, 5 – 3! and I got there in time to get a free hat.

The next day was breezy but sunny. I walked along the water and it was warm enough to sit and knit for a while.

I walked into “Pioneer Square” which is the oldest part of Seattle and where the burly, brawny men (and some women) started their trek to Alaska and fame and fortune during the Gold Rush. Some very cool buildings.

And now…I am waiting to board the train to Minneapolis/St Paul. Got myself a snug little sleeper room and will arrive Monday morning. The Twins play Monday night!

The bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle
And the hills the greenest green in Seattle
Like a beautiful child growing up free and wild
Full of hopes and full of fears
Full of laughter full of tears
Full of dreams to last the years in Seattle