My fiance and I recently celebrated our engagement by heading to Napa and doing Napa things – eating good food, tasting fancy wines, and seeing the sites. We were new to the area, so we decided to take a ride on the wine train our first day there. A friend of ours had suggested it as a way of seeing the sweeping vineyards while enjoying a delicious meal and getting pointers on places to visit. So, after booking tickets, checking in, and waiting until the last minute for an upgrade, we found ourselves in the fanciest car.
This car had velvety seats, fancy table cloths, seat-to-ceiling windows, and a freshly picked orchid on the table. Wide-eyed, we looked around at the finery and vaguely made settling-in motions. I took out my camera and laid in next to my cell on the table. We put our backpack on one seat, then another, then hid it under the fancy tablecloth. We grinned as our eyes darted around the fancy interior. We didn’t even notice that there were other people on the train until the ladies sitting across the isle from us offered to take our picture. I guess we made it pretty clear that this was a special occasion for us. One of the ladies took our picture and then told us she would take another when our complementary glass of champagne came. We thanked her and went back to acting totally normal.
The waiter came with our free champagne and we took another picture in which my fiance had his eyes mostly closed. The waiter asked if we were celebrating something, so we told him we were, and he gave us each a second complementary glass. Vineyards went by outside of the large windows and the food came, each course outdoing the one before it. About half way into the trip, we finally realized we should return the across-the-isle ladies’ favor, so I offered to take their picture. They were grateful and moved into postition. They sat close together and smiled in a complementary way that made it feel like they’d done this many times before. It only took one shot for them to take a great picture together and, impressed, I handed the camera back. I sat back down at our table and took pictures out the window.
Dessert comes as we head back, and we try to quickly savor the decadent flavors while also trying to have enough time to look around the rest of the train. The across-the-isle ladies have already left their table to explore, and after ordering some tea for when we get back, we get up to do the same. We walk the length of the train as it rocks its way back to Napa proper, sticking our heads out windows and watching the tracks appear behind the train as it leaves them behind. When we start to recognize the view, we dash back to our car and our table to pack up before we have to leave. We find there really isn’t much to pack, so we sit and drink our tea. I notice the across-the-isle ladies are back from their train exploring adventure, so I make some small talk with them. As we pull into the station, I ask them if they’re celebrating anything.
“We’re getting married tomorrow,” they say. “After 24 years – finally!”
