"Trainspotting" to Aurora

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Pardon the pun. I am not referring to the movie/novel Trainspotting. I just happened to travel all the way to the suburb, Aurora, solely through train!!

My college professor (and friend) invited me to visit her in Aurora for the long weekend (Labor Day weekend). Aurora is a suburb 40 miles west of Chicago. Such translates to an hour's drive from Downtown Chicago. But I don't live in Downtown Chicago. I live in Evanston which is 20 miles north of Chicago. I don't own a car so my only cheap option is to take the Metra.

Yesterday, which was a Sunday, I took the 8:02am train from Evanston Main Street to Ogilvie in Downtown Chicago. I was just in time for the 9:00am mass at St. Peters. At 10:30am, I walked back to the front of Ogilvie which is the Union Station, for the 10:30am BNSF Route to Aurora.

Scurried like a rat being chased by a cat!

I still remember how I scurried like a rat inside the Union Station. See, I pass by the Union Station to work everyday but I never realized how big it was. I thought it was just like Ogilvie which had 7 or 8 train tracks. Alas! When I got inside the Union Station, I was actually entering from the farthest end of the station and I had to walk fast to get to the other end, only to know that I was at the wrong side of the building! I asked around and I was told to walk to the opposite side of the building to take the BNSF Route. I was about to fall in line for another train lobby when I started to doubt, so I asked the man in front of me. Gaaah! I'm standing on the wrong line! With my overnight backpack and semi-high heels, I scampered till I find signs that gave directions to BNSF. All the more I got worried when I found a luggage carousel in the building! Am I in an airport?!?! I looked around and saw Amtrak Trains. Whoah! Union Station is indeed major! Then I saw a few more sliding doors and train monitors till I saw the BNSF! I have 2 minutes left so I ran till I ran short of breath. Geeez! I got in the train alive! Yessss! If I missed that, I would need to wait for another 2 hours for the next train. Imagine that horror!

We are ON the road!

Maybe I have gotten so used to the North Line Pacific Route that I take everyday, that I thought all Metra trains are elevated. But with the BNSF, we were actually ON the road! Cars had to stop to give way for the Metra trains. But I find it a bit weird... err, I find it a bit dangerous, actually. I think all trains should be elevated. I think cars and trains should not share the same route!

Anyhow, I enjoyed observing the people with me in the train. The Labor Day Weekend signals the end of the Summer season so people try to make the most out of the last few sunny weekends. We passed by the Brookfield Zoo where a family or two took of from the train. There were groups of people with picnic baskets and folding chairs -- prepared for some outdoor concert. Others even have bottles beer in hand. Really feels like a weekend!

surburbs = shopping

So what's to see in Aurora? Outlet Malls! They brought me to Naperville which had even more shopping malls. I think this area is famous for its Chicago Premium Outlet. Here in the suburbs, one can't survive without a car. There's just so much space... err more space for more malls? Hehe! But the houses are all big and roomy. No wonder the trend is usually for single people to live in the city, then move to the suburbs when raising a family. Makes sense, actually.

After spending time chatting away and catching up with my friend, her husband, and her two cute kids, I had to leave and go back to the city. She drove me to the train station where she picked me up yesterday and I spent another 2 hours in the trains that took me home.

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