I am currently at a litle house in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. It is a lovely house, just big enough, with small rooms and really, really comfortable furniture. It's the sort of furniture and style I've always noticed on pictures of houses that are being sold. But the difference is people actually live here. And it's lovely! I promise to take lots of pictures while i'm here.
Now some of you might not know why I'm here. In America today is special. It's Thanksgiving. It's Turkey-day. It's the day where all people do is eat, and eat and watch football (the american version), and then they eat some more. And they stay with their families and they tell their friends how much they love them. And it kind of reminds me of Christmas they way I'm used to it. Sort of. Except I'm in America and not in Rondane. And I don't have my family around, just my friends. But it still reminds me of Christmas.
How I got here is a very .........(insert word here) story. It started on Tuesday night. Or late afternoon to be precise. I stalled. I didn't pack my bags until the very alst moment, and I don't remember if I turned off the lights or not. But that's just me. I probably wouldn't remember that even if I had all the time in the world to get ready. My train was an hour late, but I didn't mind that. I had a book, so I was busy all the time anyway.
American trains are awesome. Kudos to Amtrak! The chairs are comfy as %\@&, and they can almost become a bed! Sweet! Well, needless to say I slept all the way from Rochester to Cleveland. I stepped onto Ohio soil at 535 in the morning. Then I waited/slept for about four hours. In daylight and a freezing wind I stepped outside and strolled the streets of downtown Cleveland. I stopped by the public library and read a Harry Potter book, before I ate lunch at a small and cosy cafè. I had a hot chocolate and a very healthy wrap. It was delicious!
Have you ever had to kill a couple of hours waiting for a train/bus/aircraft/boat? Good for you. I had to kill 21 hours. I went shopping, I spent an insane amount of time in a bookshop (me and books you know), I watched Bolt in the cinema, I played on my computer (minesweeper, free cell, solitaire, mahjong titans and more), I read two books (not counting the one in the library), I ate dinner at Hard Rock Cafè. Oh I have to tell you about my dinner.
After I watched Bolt I got hungry and decided I wanted to eat dinner. I had already decided where I would go and I that I would have both dinner and dessert. Just because I wanted to. A little treat for myself. So I found Hard Rock Cafè, I had to ask for directios, but I found it allright. I got a table in front of a "stageish" thing with tabels on it and everything. I ordered the Joe Perry's quesadilla, a diet pepsi, and to accompany my meal I ordered a non-alcoholic drink (mostly different fruit juices mixed together). I got my diet pepsi and read a little in my book. I became faintly aware that the tables around me were cleared of both people and stuff. But then my meal arrived at the table and I forgot the commotion for a little while. The food was amazing as always, and the drink was heavenly! If only I could remember what it was called. Anyhow. I was now aware that they started removing the tables around me, both on the "stageish" thing (wich now became more like a real stage) and on my level. As i finished the meal and asked for the dessert menu the last table was removed. Except mine. I decided that it was a tad uncomfortable, even though the staff was very friendly and they didn't bother me or my meal so much as the feeling of eating my dinner on a stage. A weird feeling if I may say so. Anyway, I was too full for dessert. So I asked the waiter for the bill. Another, more business-like person came back after a moment. "I'm the manager" he said. Okay. "I'm very sorry for all the commotion and you've been such a good sport" (remember being a sport is just a saying). Okay. "This meal is on the house, and I hope you'll come back another time"...AWESOME!... I stumbeled over a very heartfelt thanks and smiled my happiest smile feeling like I'd been served the world on a plate.
So that's the story of my dinner yesterday. I left out some details, but I guessed the tale would be long enough anyway. If you want me to tell it in more detail, send me an e-mail. And getting a free Hard Rock Cafè lifts your mood to insane heights. Just so you know.
After that it was more waiting. I spent an hour in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, reading my book, and then I went to the train station when that opened, and I read some more. Then at 230 in the morning my train arrived, and I slept from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. And that's where my story ends, for now. Alexis picked me up, and the we went back to sleep at her mom's house. The little, cosy house in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
Up, up and away. Stay safe and be nice.
Now some of you might not know why I'm here. In America today is special. It's Thanksgiving. It's Turkey-day. It's the day where all people do is eat, and eat and watch football (the american version), and then they eat some more. And they stay with their families and they tell their friends how much they love them. And it kind of reminds me of Christmas they way I'm used to it. Sort of. Except I'm in America and not in Rondane. And I don't have my family around, just my friends. But it still reminds me of Christmas.
How I got here is a very .........(insert word here) story. It started on Tuesday night. Or late afternoon to be precise. I stalled. I didn't pack my bags until the very alst moment, and I don't remember if I turned off the lights or not. But that's just me. I probably wouldn't remember that even if I had all the time in the world to get ready. My train was an hour late, but I didn't mind that. I had a book, so I was busy all the time anyway.
American trains are awesome. Kudos to Amtrak! The chairs are comfy as %\@&, and they can almost become a bed! Sweet! Well, needless to say I slept all the way from Rochester to Cleveland. I stepped onto Ohio soil at 535 in the morning. Then I waited/slept for about four hours. In daylight and a freezing wind I stepped outside and strolled the streets of downtown Cleveland. I stopped by the public library and read a Harry Potter book, before I ate lunch at a small and cosy cafè. I had a hot chocolate and a very healthy wrap. It was delicious!
Have you ever had to kill a couple of hours waiting for a train/bus/aircraft/boat? Good for you. I had to kill 21 hours. I went shopping, I spent an insane amount of time in a bookshop (me and books you know), I watched Bolt in the cinema, I played on my computer (minesweeper, free cell, solitaire, mahjong titans and more), I read two books (not counting the one in the library), I ate dinner at Hard Rock Cafè. Oh I have to tell you about my dinner.
After I watched Bolt I got hungry and decided I wanted to eat dinner. I had already decided where I would go and I that I would have both dinner and dessert. Just because I wanted to. A little treat for myself. So I found Hard Rock Cafè, I had to ask for directios, but I found it allright. I got a table in front of a "stageish" thing with tabels on it and everything. I ordered the Joe Perry's quesadilla, a diet pepsi, and to accompany my meal I ordered a non-alcoholic drink (mostly different fruit juices mixed together). I got my diet pepsi and read a little in my book. I became faintly aware that the tables around me were cleared of both people and stuff. But then my meal arrived at the table and I forgot the commotion for a little while. The food was amazing as always, and the drink was heavenly! If only I could remember what it was called. Anyhow. I was now aware that they started removing the tables around me, both on the "stageish" thing (wich now became more like a real stage) and on my level. As i finished the meal and asked for the dessert menu the last table was removed. Except mine. I decided that it was a tad uncomfortable, even though the staff was very friendly and they didn't bother me or my meal so much as the feeling of eating my dinner on a stage. A weird feeling if I may say so. Anyway, I was too full for dessert. So I asked the waiter for the bill. Another, more business-like person came back after a moment. "I'm the manager" he said. Okay. "I'm very sorry for all the commotion and you've been such a good sport" (remember being a sport is just a saying). Okay. "This meal is on the house, and I hope you'll come back another time"...AWESOME!... I stumbeled over a very heartfelt thanks and smiled my happiest smile feeling like I'd been served the world on a plate.
So that's the story of my dinner yesterday. I left out some details, but I guessed the tale would be long enough anyway. If you want me to tell it in more detail, send me an e-mail. And getting a free Hard Rock Cafè lifts your mood to insane heights. Just so you know.
After that it was more waiting. I spent an hour in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, reading my book, and then I went to the train station when that opened, and I read some more. Then at 230 in the morning my train arrived, and I slept from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. And that's where my story ends, for now. Alexis picked me up, and the we went back to sleep at her mom's house. The little, cosy house in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
Up, up and away. Stay safe and be nice.
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