Polar Express
Greetings to all.
Today is the first day of Christmas Break for Xavier. Several weeks ago, Rebecca planned a train ride to Santa's Village, and today was that day (not-so-coincidentally planned).
The train left from the Sante Fe Station in Canyon City and went half way through the Royal Gorge. They served lunch, hot chocolate, cookies—and you could dress in your pajamas.
One of Xavier's Christmas presents this year is a robe and slippers (he always complains about being cold in the mornings). We let him open this gift early so he would have them to wear on the train.
The drive down took two hours, but we arrived on time. We picked up our tickets from the will-call box and boarded the Narrow Gauge.
We paid a little more a ticket to get the Club Car as we thought it would afford us better views.
Xavier was excited to be on the train: it was his first train trip. He kept asking as we sat waiting on the train, "When is it starting, Daddy?"
After the train left the station, it moved at a languid pace. Xavier's question turned to "When is it going to move faster, Daddy?"
Though we had a poor view of the Arkansas River, we were well seated to see Santa's Village. Even so, we left the Club Car and found an open-air car to view the Village from.
The train stopped at the Village and Santa boarded the train. Once more under way, Santa visited each car, bringing gifts.
Those gifts were sleigh bells from the harnesses of his reindeer sleigh team. Xavier got one of Cupid's bells.
These bells must be the genuine article, they were slightly tarnished and real brass.
Xavier jingled his bell as the car sang Jingle Bells. He played several games with other children on the car. Then an elf came through and ushered us to where Santa was sitting.
Xavier sat on Santa's lap and provided him with his Christmas wish. Not surprisingly, it was consistent with the request he gave the Ace Santa two weeks ago.
Xavier asked for a "really big present."
After, Rebecca and I posed with Xavier and Santa. Gotta say, Santa is a short person and I had little room, even to squat down.
