Travel

Clickity-clack, clickity-clack, we roll along the track beside the Hudson River to worship with our brothers and sisters in Poughkeepsie. Ever since we sold our little car in 2005, we’ve been adventuring on public transportation. And what a fun ride it’s been!

Last evening, we pushed through the Asian street vendors and pedestrians in Flushing to the Long Island Railroad train station. We’d picked a destination on the map where we could walk to a restaurant, and then set off to explore. The thirty minute train ride took us across Little Neck Bay and past the English-looking homes of Douglaston. We rode to the last stop at Port Washington, and then walked the wrong way for a while. However, we did discover the Japanese restaurants on Main where we may someday want to return to dine. We walked through residential neighborhoods until we reached a hole-in-the-wall barbecue place. After ordering, we took one of the four tables. The decor consisted of peach walls, dusty iron cowboy statues, beer signs, a chiminea, and metal roosters like I’d recently seen for sale in the markets of Nogales, Mexico. I assume this is a village like so many others on Long Island where the wealthy and the Mexicans who work for them (and are getting wealthy too) live. After a delicious meal, we had a sunset train ride home.

Today it’s the Metro North train that is taking us to Poughkeepsie. We had a bit of a time getting into Grand Central because of Fifth Avenue being blocked for the Half Marathon runners. (I enjoyed discussing this with two of our farmer’s market customers who will be in the race.) The grand Grand Central Station is one of my favorite places in the city. Even though it was early, people were coming and going, cafes served coffee, and a bridal couple posed for wedding pictures.

I forgot to write about the boisterous St. Patrick Day revelers on the train last evening. Most of them piled off at the same station and the car quieted.

The sun shines on the river and glimmers off the hills. We passed Westpoint, the island of the sisters who wrote, “Jesus Loves Me,” and now a Breakneck Ridge stop for the hikers. We’re not hiking today; we’re running a race. Our goal is Heaven. Have a blessed day! Berniece