1. The SCBG which typically runs between the Redwoods and the Beach Boardwalk has a limited special “Holiday” Lights Train this time of year.
2. Each year our church reserves the train one night for the Christmas Lights Train…I took my folks and my sister for a bit of festive family time.
3. Passenger ages seem to run from birth to twelve… and from twenty-something to very senior citizen. Apparently my teenagers are not the only ones in their age group who consider the Christmas Lights Train with distain.4. There were three enclosed railcars…which have really soft velvet seats and way cool decorations.
5. The six open air railcars have bench seating…lots of fun lights…and you can hang out and wave.6. Part of the route is right through town…people are walking and driving…and some come out of their homes as we go by. About 77% of the people you pass wave back. Some even flash their lights and honk.
7. It is really fun to cause cars to stop on city streets. I have been in one of those stopped cars…I always wave back.
8. Santa was on board…besieged by his true believers.9. I soooo need to read the book on how to use my camera in the dark. Or start saving up for a better camera. It wasn’t raining…or snowing....just a bit of the coastal marine layer (aka fog.)
10. The train passes slowly thru the Mission Hills Tunnel which is 927 feet long and built in the 1880’s. It runs beneath the Holy Cross elementary school. (the English translation of Santa Cruz is Holy Cross). The wooden sides of the tunnel are within reach from the train. My Mama actually told me to be careful and not lean out so far. I’m forty-eight years old…apparently still a tad immature….cause my response was to lean out farther…..smile
11. We had roving musicians singing Christmas Carols. I love singing with crowds cause no one can hear that I can’t actually sing.12. Afterwards we went to one of our favorite restaurants for a night cap. We also shared onion rings, crème brulee, and berry cobbler with ice cream.
13. I think I’m going to make this a new Christmas tradition for the willing adults in the family…
23 comments:
Really shares your world with us. The train is a great concept.
I love the fact that you leaned out even further when told not to!
I enjoyed your observation that people wave back and most honk a greeting.
Says so, so much about the spirit of humanity, really.
onion rings, crème brulee, and berry cobbler with ice cream and booze
yup...my kind of eating
What a cool train...
keep your hands inside the ride at all times missy
wonderful time!!
smiles, bee
Your blog is such a feast for the soul and eyes!
Great list...love the pics!! Happy TT and thanks for stopping by my friend. Its always nice to see you:)
That looks like a great thing to do. The kids might have given you the "ah mom" routine now but I'll bet they remember it years from now as a great memory.
And keep you body in the train next time ya brat! (smiling)
I think I'd have been the one telling my mom not to lean out so far... Ah well, what's the fun of life if you have to always be the grown-up?
Great TT. Next year I'll give you a ride in The Space Shuttle that Santa's bringing me.
Yup..there comes a time when you just let the kids do their own thing.
Hey that looks like a blast of fun! We have something like that here but it is on a much smaller scale and the ride is over in three minutes. Great photos Katherine!!
TRAIN! TRAIN!!!
Gosh....what a grand tradition.
And what a totally awesome thing to get to be a part of!
*happy sigh*
Lucky mom and dad....
david: honking, waving, and teasing my Mama...that's me.
Vin: Yup and Yum of course you caught that!
Miz Bee: it was!
Thanks Mimi.
Lori: and you too...I love reading your blog.
Jeff: they are pretty good at humoring me...this was a bit last minute and I didn't have time to twist arms.
marilyn: if I ever won 100 million dollars I would ride the shuttle.
Julie: I taught them to be independent.
roger: trains are fun...even for three minutes.
mel: I LOVE TRAINS.
This looks fabulous. If I were there, I'd certainly want to join in with you.
Oh, and I'd wave back if I were in the cars, too.
Sweeeet. Whats not to like about combining Choo-Choos and Christmas Light? Cheers Kat!!
I want to ride that train! That looks like so much fun. Thanks for sharing.
This is SO awesome! I would love to see this in person.
What a neat idea. All we have are lame little boats with a 3 hour wait.
Now this would really put me in the Christmas spirit!
That's awesome, it looks like lots of fun.
And, I might ad, there's nothing quite like onion rings and creme brulee.
~Oswegan
Oh, wow! That just seems like a wonderful time!! Thanks for sharing a sample of your holiday festivities with us! :D
I would so be on board for that kind of holiday tradition. It sounds like a fun time.
And did you say creme broulee???
Yum-OH!
That sounds like a wonderful tradition to start..with your family...! Thanks for sharing that!
Peace
you guys have such a ball in the States
we have NOTHING like that over here!
:-)
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