It’s our last morning in Saratoga for this year. We arise early and start packing, as our taxi will be arriving to take us to the railroad station at 9 a.m. Then it’s the last of the wonderful breakfasts in Circular Manor’s dining room for this year.
As we finish our last morsel and last sip of coffee, we say goodbye to Michele and Dieter and their dog, Emma, and take the suitcases to the taxi. It’s a short ride to the Amtrak station, which is actually open this morning, unlike when we arrived last week.
Soon the southbound Ethan Allen Express arrives from its starting point in Rutland, Vermont, and we’re on our way south. It is again a beautiful ride along the Hudson River. We reach Manhattan just after 1 p.m. with time to check our bags, grab another lunch at Friday’s on Penn Station’s main concourse, and then go to the lounge to await being called to the sleeper car. As we did earlier in year for our April trip to Manhattan, we always take a sleeper car home, because it gives us a chance to relax more fully and enjoy a scotch and a cheese tray, as we pull out of the station in Philadelphia around 5 p.m.
Then we disembark in Washington as the engines are changed from electric to diesel and finish the final leg of the trip with dinner. If we’re on time, we will be back in Richmond by 9:45 p.m. A quick drive to our house, and we see if our five cats still remember us. Tomorrow morning we hang the Saratoga flag on our house and keep it there until Labor Day, when the meet at the Saratoga Race Track ends. Meanwhile we dream of our delightful visit and look forward to next year.
