Vegas Baby

The date of the visit is March 19th through April 2nd. We extended our visit because of the weather. In other words it was nice where we were and not as nice where we were going. Plus we were really busy the last 4 weeks. This isn't a vacation after all. This is our lifestyle. No sense killing ourselves. You need to take some time off, and just sit and enjoy the day.

In a nut shell Vegas was fun, expensive, and exciting all at the same time. What we discovered however is that there is a lot to do outside of the strip itself. But before I get to that here are some of our favorite pictures of the strip itself.

Lynn trying to have a "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" moment. 

Balliagio

New York, New York

So much for our diet.

Luxor Pyramid

Paris

Ferris Wheel, great view at night!

Old Vegas.

A side trip to Venice.

The last days of the Riviera. It will be torn down in a month. 

Then of course there are the must do side trips. 

A container mall. Made of cargo containers of course. 

If you have ever watched the show Tanked then you may recognize this fish tank. 

Of course we are fans. Of course they weren't there. 

This store is next door to the pawn shop and I found it more fascinating. Some great old collectibles. 

Don't ask. I had a craving. 

For those of you who don't want to spend every moment drinking, dancing, and gambling there are some fabulous things to do away from the strip. As you know by now Lynn and I like hiking at National/State parks. There are two in the Vegas area that are must see destinations. Here are the pictures from one of them, Hoover Dam.

The iconic winged figures of the Republic. Classic art deco. 

You can see how low the water is  in Lake Mead. 

A picture from the US 93 Bypass. You can still drive over the dam but not as part of the highway. 

Another good view of how low the water is. 

One of several generator rooms. All told they have 19 turbines. 

Lake mead is another great recreation area. We however decided to kayak downriver. Not as busy and quieter. 

Another great destination is The Red Rock Canyon, West of Vegas. It is part of the Mojave Desert and was once, long ago, at the bottom of a deep ocean. One of the highlights is Calico Hills which is made up of Aztec sandstone.

 Desert, canyons, and mountains as far as the eye could see.

A desert Tortoise

And of course we took a hike. 

 After spending the last 4 months in the southwest we are looking forward to see some green landscape. So it's off to the Sierras and Yosemite National Park. Our only fear is that we are moving north a little early. Right now it is the end of March. But the one good thing is we will beat the crowds. Fingers crossed

See you down the road.