Last Day of the Western Adventure

Time to pack up and head home . . . After checking out of the Mirage, we decided to hop in the car and head south and east to the Hoover Dam. On the way is a stunning view of Lake Mead, created and existing because of the effects of the Dam. I didn't know until this posting that Lake Mead was a National Park?

Imagine these houses in the foreground go for a pretty penny with this view.


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From the inside of the Venetian Hotel & Casino . . . the detail on this ceiling artwork is simply amazing! THIS is why certain Las Vegas hotels get more traffic than others . . . make them so much more aesthetically pleasing to be in. Now, the big question, does this lead to more people staying to gamble, or just moving on?


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At the Hoover Dam . . . it's 10:20 a.m. and its about 100 outside already. Soooo, we were smart to wear black, right? Ugh. Another neat and curious observation was the water line in the mountains coming out of the lake behind Shannon. Obviously, the lake is not kept at the same level as years ago . . . guess we can thank higher demand for water and electricity for that.


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Shannon standing across two states (Arizona and Nevada) at one time . . .


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Five minutes later . . . Nevada welcomes us back thankfully. It was touch and go there for a while. If we'd make this "trek" in the winter, it would have cost us an hour and five minutes. Know why???


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Two very hot patrons of the Hoover Dam area trying to show how far down this hunk of concrete goes . . . Man, it's hot out here. Let's go . . .


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Downstream from the Hoover Dam. All the power lines are there for a very obvious reason, but they do a great job of killing an otherwise impressive view.

Okay . . . unfortunately, it's time to head back to Las Vegas and the airport. We've loved the time out West.


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Day 5 -- Las Vegas, Nevada

To quote from one of my favorite movies . . . "Vegas, Baby, Vegaasssss!" If you don't know the movie . . . oh, please, move along.

Looks like we're staying somewhere in the Amazon, but it's just a mirage . . . no, sorry, The Mirage, home to Siegfried & Roy, those cool white tigers and more pumped-in oxygen to keep you awake than you could ever ask for . . . We really enjoyed our room and got a great, mid-summer, over-100 (degree, not age) rate.


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Our home, The Mirage, for two nights in Vegas. Doesn't it look like it's hotter than he!! here? Try 108 on this afternoon (but it's a dry heat!).

On Vegas: Some say that 2-3 days is about all that can be managed in Las Vegas, without completely glazing over and becoming "one" with their banks and your wallet. In other words, get out before they get you! I'd tend to agree . . .



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Treasure Island next door to the Mirage . . . this place seems to have undergone quite a transformation. I remember it looking differently. Also, the big contraption out front is part of their new "Sirens of TI" show that goes off 4-5 times a night. We tried to go see it today, but "high winds" prevented the show from happening that night. (I personally believe it was the searing heat that kept them off-duty, but who knows? I probably would have felt the exact same!)


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Shannon overlooking a nice southward view of the Strip . . . House of Celine (Caesar's Palace) in the far background.




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In Caesar's we had an absolutely awesome dinner tonight at Shannon's Food Network fave, Bobby Flay's restaurant, Mesa Grill. Darn good grub . . . very Southwestern and a cool atmosphere. I'd recommend it to anyone . . . and will have to get back there when back in Vegas in November on business!

Vegas at night . . . there is something darn cool about all the lights and action of this town.


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