The Honor Rail System

I had a day off coming, so today Janelle and I enjoyed a foray into Portland. We'd never ridden the MAX before, so that was a welcomed new experience. But I really don't get it. We bought our passes and got on the train. There was no turnstyle to go through, no one checking our tickets; we just paid our fares, slipped the tickets in my pocket, and we rode all day. It basically amounted to the honor system. The last place we rode mass transit was the METRO in Washington, D.C., where there is no honor... wait a minute; did that come out right?

Anyway, we had a great day. We walked a few blocks from the MAX line to Powell's Books, the greatest bookstore in the world. They have the biggest selection of theology, biblical studies, apologetics, and discipleship titles I've ever seen, in any bookstore of any kind. I think they might have some other books, too, but who has the time?

As our train was heading toward the Lloyd Center, where we were planning to have lunch, we spied a couple of our favorite food places, Romano's Macaroni Grill and Great Harvest bakery. After lunch, on the ride back, we left the train (when it was stopped) long enough to grab a loaf of Great Harvests cinnamon bread. Then it was back to Aloha.