This was a continuation of our Cabo San Lucas trip. So we will continue are story from Los Angeles airport. (LAX)
Tuesday 29th January
Arrived at LAX. Vast queues of people trying to get in. Seemed really quite disorganised having to pass through four different sets of people to get out. There was a sniffer dog looking for food. While we waited in one queue we found him discover someone’s bread rolls. Walked to the next terminal, and found it easy to get a flight. In fact, we ended up getting an earlier flight. Had a Starbucks coffee. Caught the American West plane, we were in the Emergency Exit row. Here they made a big deal of this and we had to give the flight attendant our verbal agreement that we would help open the door in an emergency. On the other row, he made someone move because he could not speak English.
As we landed at Las Vegas, we saw many of the hotels. Long walk through the airport building, passing loads of slot machines. Found the Grayline ticket office, picked up our tickets and took the bus to the hotel Circus Circus. One of the Elevon organising Americans thought we had made a naff choice. I think we probably had.
Arrived and checked in to room 20743. Massive hike across the gaming floors. Took us two goes to get the correct lift to our floor. Room was large, with double beds and a view of the Stratosphere and Sahara hotel. Quite cold in the room, and into bed by 23.30.
Wednesday 30th January – The Strip
Alarm clock, set by the previous occupant, woke as at 6.30. Tried calling Selina, but found we were not allowed to make non-local calls. Down for our free breakfast at the buffet. Ate a massive amount of food, which was a mistake because Steve felt ill after then.
After breakfast, we went straight out and walked down the strip towards the main end. We stopped off at a tourist booth and got ourselves a map. Everyone was wearing gloves. It was pretty cold with a strong wind. Apparently, it was unusually cold.
We walked all day, first calling in at Caesars Palace to pick up tonight’s tickets for Caesars Magical Empire. The place was huge. It took us a while walking across the gaming floors to find the ticket office, and then a while trying to get out. We had a look at the shops while we were there.
We saw the white tigers at the Mirage, see the pictures above. Unfortunately the Secret Gardens where closed that day. Inside the Mirage there were some beautiful tropical gardens by the gaming tables.
At the MGM we saw the lions and were able to walk under them. There were always keepers in with the lions keeping them company.
AT the Bellagio there was a fantastic glass ceiling in the reception, fantastic gardens and a shop selling the most incredible handbags.
The Venetian had a shopping mall based on the Canal at Venis with Gondoliers, and a blue painted sky with fluff clouds. Here we bought John and Carol a Venetian glass fridge magnet from a very expensive glass sculpture shop.
We stopped off at the M&M shop and watched a short 3D film called Red and Yellow lose an M in Las Vegas. This was good, with shaking seats and air blasts.
Had G&Ts in an expensive bar. Shortly afterwards Steve was sick in the toilets at the Aladdin, while Rosemary watched a man demonstrate the three rings trick and flying credit cards.
Then we went back to Caesars to watch the show. We cancelled the dinner because Steve was not up to this. We entered this cavern which was a lift and we were gently taken down 30 feet (on second thoughts when we exited at the end of the show, we actually stayed still and the walls had been raised). Here we entered a huge gothic type cavern with flames and waterfalls and a couple of bars. For a while, we were entertained to tricks of the sleight of hand variety while we were drinking at the bars. They were very good.
Soon we were ushered into a theatre where we had front row seats. Here we were entertained by a magician to card tricks. Being the front row we had to choose cards and try and remember what we had chosen. When this was finished we were ushered out into the main cavern to be entertained with fire and flames.
A second show was held in a larger theatre by the main magician Joseph Gabriel who did lots of disappearing and changing allusions. These were excellent. Before he started we had been entertained by the sultan again very amusing.
After this, we walked back up the strip and watched an outdoor show at Treasure Island. This consisted of two galleons. A British and American having a navel fight. The British ship actually moved, there were cannon fire and large explosions with men falling into the cold water. Eventually, the British ship was sunk with the captain on board. Very good 10 minutes of entertainment despite the British accents.
Finally back to out hotel for an early night at 9.30.
Thursday 31st January – Grand Canyon
We were picked up at 6.00 am in a Ford Excursion. Another Scottish (Mary and Iain) couple were staying in our hotel and doing the same tour. The guide was Frank Acosta and Baron a learner guide from a company called Adventure Photo Tours. We went to the Sahara to collect another two Brits., Isabel and Matthew from Glasgow. We stopped off at Boulder and had a coffee, and then went on to the Hoover Dam and took some photos.
We drove on and stopped for some photos at the Joshua Tree Forest. These weird trees are 700-900 years old and have a very limited area in which they grow. (Climate and height are crucial). After this, we drove to the West Rim, where we took a flight down into the Canyon. We dropped down over 3000 feet, (I had my GPS system to check this). Once on the Canyon floor, we took a 20-minute boat trip down the Colorado and back. Then it was back up in the Helicopter and a short drive to another view point of the Canyon for lunch and pictures.
On the way back we stopped at an animal sanctuary. These animals are old circus animals, and pets which have become too large. He does not breed them but looks after them in their old age. They are intending to build a large wildlife park for the animals.
After this visit, we took a tourist bus down the strip to watch EFX. This bus for some reason took us round the back of the hotels. We arrived at the MGM Grand to see EFX. We had seats near the front, on a table of our own. Ordered some expensive beers. The show was not our scene, but was very good, with explosions and smoke effects. One girl in the audience was pulled onto the stage because she wore a 1983 Rick Springfield tour shirt. We were never quite sure if this was a put-up job.
After the show we went on to Caesars and bought Selina a T shirt.
Friday 1st February _Death Valley
Today up later and met the ATV company at 7.40 for a tour of Death Valley.
There were three others on this trip. The guide was a woman called Karen. First, we drove for two hours out a town called Beatty where the transport was refuelled and we had something to eat. Then we went to the mining ghost town of Rhyolite where an old boy told us briefly about the history standing outside a house built of bottles. One time 10,000 people lived here and there was even a swimming pool and women were allowed to use it on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Next, we left the metalled roads and headed out to Titus Canyon on a dirt track. This was a one-way road. We reached the top of the pass and stopped to take some photos. Then we went on down the road into the Canyon. If there was rain then this would be impassable because it would become a real torrent. The Titus Canyon was quite narrow and tall. More impressive than the Grand Canyon in many ways.
When we left the Canyon we joined a metalled road where we saw some Coyotes. These were on the way to Scotty’s castle.
The history of Scotty’s Castle is replete with stories of gold mines, shady deals and tall tales. It’s a story about a flamboyant Wild West trick-rider, a well respected Chicago insurance magnate and the legend they created in Death valley.
It starts in the early 1900s when Walker Scott convinced Albert Johnson to grubstake his gold mining expeditions. The gold mines never materialized, but when Johnson came to Death Valley to visit, a friendship did. Johnson fell in love with Death Valley and took a liking to the colourful Scotty. He continued to spend vacations with Scotty in Death Valley and soon his wife Bessie joined them. But Bessie suggested accommodations more comfortable than tents. So Scott’s Castle was born. With his love for a good story, Scotty quickly spread the word that he was building the two million dollar home with profits from his phantom gold mine. When the droves of reporters came, even Johnson passed himself off as Scotty’s banker.
With its luxurious appointments, this Spanish style castle became a popular tourist attraction in the late 1930s. Thousands of tourists arrived each year to see what they believed to be the dwelling of one of the worlds richest gold miners. Today the castle remains a tribute to two very different men and their lifelong friendship.
The National Park now owns it. We were shown around by a 1930s dressed park ranger. Great furnishings, heavy Spanish/Italian oak and leather with odd bits of Indian art. Lovely woven baskets. Lunch in the cafe.
We then left and stopped there and stopped at Furnace Creek where we saw Wagons and the 20 Mule Train. There was also a Borax processing plant.
Then on to Zabriskie Point to view some amazing scenery. We waited till sunset and then left to go back to Vegas, arriving back at around 7.00 in the evening.
When we got back quite late, we got ready and went out for a meal at the Peppermill, but neither of us particularly enthusiastic about food. After the meal, we walked to the Mirage and were in our seats by 9.45 without two inclusive drinks. The show (Siegfried and Roy) was very good. The tigers and lions were beautiful. Lots of illusions changing people into Tigers and back. Sawing people in half.
Afterwards we walked back, on the way we watched the volcano erupt outside the Mirage. Arrived back at the hotel at 1.00 in the morning.
Saturday 2nd February
Last day, out of the hotel by 11.00 to catch the bus back to the airport, then American West to LA, good view of the desert on way back with strange circles in the desert in one area. Long wait at LA for the plane back to England. Slept all the way back.