What actor occasionally stops in for a drink or two at this Route 66 joint?
Liz and Ed: Welcome home and, hopefully, back to good health!
MARCH 30, 2008
Time to leave Williams and the Southwest and trek on to Las Vegas and California. Instead of taking the interstate all the way to the Hoover Dam, we decided to take a loop of the “Mother Road,” Route 66, from Seligman (pronounced sligmun) to Kingman. What a great decision! The old 66 is a delight………….a lonely, peaceful two-lane highway through sleepy towns trying to keep the spirit of Old Rt. 66 alive, through pastureland and also through some of those renowned Burma-Shave ads that have several signs. They were a hoot! “If daisies are…………your favorite flower……………..keep pushing up……………your miles per hour!” Lots of tumbleweeds stuck in the roadside fences and some tumbling across the road. Five hundred acres for sale for $58.000….what a bargain! Coming into rocky and arid mountains, we approached the suburbs of Kingman. When we got to Kingman, we were surprised at its size but there was NO ONE around!! Maybe everyone was home enjoying a quiet, peaceful Sunday dinner!
On to Hoover Dam! On the approach on Route 93 N, we turned down a long, windy road and ended up at a beach on Lake Mead where we stopped for lunch. At Hoover Dam we were overwhelmed by the crowds in cars and walking across the dam. It was extremely windy but a beautiful day nonetheless. We parked, walked across the dam; it was hard not to notice how seriously the level of the water had receded. The original water line is many feet below the current level. There is a new road being built which will mean that vehicles will no longer cross the dam. The bridge over the canyon will be mammoth but may relieve some of the security issues; we went through police stops both approaching and leaving the dam.
Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas, loomed ahead in the dust. It is a city of subdivision after subdivision on both sides of the highway, no trees, just brown house after brown house in brown dirt as far as the eye can see. Soon after, we arrived in Las Vegas and drove straight to the Silverton Lodge and Casino to check into our room. Great room, large with a sitting area and other amenities. We decided to chill, get room service and visit the casino that evening.
MARCH 31, 2008
This was our day to explore “The Strip!” After a late, great breakfast, we headed into Las Vegas, parked the car at the Belagio self-park log and began our tour. I was bowled over by the Belagio; we entered at the conservatory and the floral gardens, statues and live and glass flowers were something to behold. We wandered through the shops and casinos and went on to Caesar’s which was another opulent and magnificent site. The Forum Shops were unbelievable under the painted sky; the waterfalls and statues were so much like Rome. On to the Imperial Palace where Peter went to a Classic Car Museum and I went to the Venetian to see the Guggenheim/Hermitage art exhibit. There were only 35 paintings at the exhibit but they included some of my favorite Impressionist painters. After the Venetian we wandered over to Bally’s and then to Paris. I have to admit that my favorite was the Belagio but they were all incredible!
We had some R & R and a light dinner before heading out to see a show. After contemplating all of the shows that were available, we decided we wanted to see an old-fashioned Vegas review. So we went to the Tropicana to see “The Folies Bergeres” at 10 PM, the “adult” show. Our seats were so close that I was actually leaning on the stage. It was fantastic! There were lots of performers, beautiful sets and scads of “quick changes” into fabulous costumes with feathers, swinging capes, headdresses, etc. It was exactly what we’d had in mind and we left raving about everything in the performance!
Tomorrow we’re off to cross the Mojave Desert and then on to the Sextons in the California desert in Indian Wells. We’ll be taking a short hiatus from the blog; we’ll be back when we’re on our way to San Francisco on Monday, April 7.
Liz and Ed: Welcome home and, hopefully, back to good health!
MARCH 30, 2008
Time to leave Williams and the Southwest and trek on to Las Vegas and California. Instead of taking the interstate all the way to the Hoover Dam, we decided to take a loop of the “Mother Road,” Route 66, from Seligman (pronounced sligmun) to Kingman. What a great decision! The old 66 is a delight………….a lonely, peaceful two-lane highway through sleepy towns trying to keep the spirit of Old Rt. 66 alive, through pastureland and also through some of those renowned Burma-Shave ads that have several signs. They were a hoot! “If daisies are…………your favorite flower……………..keep pushing up……………your miles per hour!” Lots of tumbleweeds stuck in the roadside fences and some tumbling across the road. Five hundred acres for sale for $58.000….what a bargain! Coming into rocky and arid mountains, we approached the suburbs of Kingman. When we got to Kingman, we were surprised at its size but there was NO ONE around!! Maybe everyone was home enjoying a quiet, peaceful Sunday dinner!
On to Hoover Dam! On the approach on Route 93 N, we turned down a long, windy road and ended up at a beach on Lake Mead where we stopped for lunch. At Hoover Dam we were overwhelmed by the crowds in cars and walking across the dam. It was extremely windy but a beautiful day nonetheless. We parked, walked across the dam; it was hard not to notice how seriously the level of the water had receded. The original water line is many feet below the current level. There is a new road being built which will mean that vehicles will no longer cross the dam. The bridge over the canyon will be mammoth but may relieve some of the security issues; we went through police stops both approaching and leaving the dam.
Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas, loomed ahead in the dust. It is a city of subdivision after subdivision on both sides of the highway, no trees, just brown house after brown house in brown dirt as far as the eye can see. Soon after, we arrived in Las Vegas and drove straight to the Silverton Lodge and Casino to check into our room. Great room, large with a sitting area and other amenities. We decided to chill, get room service and visit the casino that evening.
MARCH 31, 2008
This was our day to explore “The Strip!” After a late, great breakfast, we headed into Las Vegas, parked the car at the Belagio self-park log and began our tour. I was bowled over by the Belagio; we entered at the conservatory and the floral gardens, statues and live and glass flowers were something to behold. We wandered through the shops and casinos and went on to Caesar’s which was another opulent and magnificent site. The Forum Shops were unbelievable under the painted sky; the waterfalls and statues were so much like Rome. On to the Imperial Palace where Peter went to a Classic Car Museum and I went to the Venetian to see the Guggenheim/Hermitage art exhibit. There were only 35 paintings at the exhibit but they included some of my favorite Impressionist painters. After the Venetian we wandered over to Bally’s and then to Paris. I have to admit that my favorite was the Belagio but they were all incredible!
We had some R & R and a light dinner before heading out to see a show. After contemplating all of the shows that were available, we decided we wanted to see an old-fashioned Vegas review. So we went to the Tropicana to see “The Folies Bergeres” at 10 PM, the “adult” show. Our seats were so close that I was actually leaning on the stage. It was fantastic! There were lots of performers, beautiful sets and scads of “quick changes” into fabulous costumes with feathers, swinging capes, headdresses, etc. It was exactly what we’d had in mind and we left raving about everything in the performance!
Tomorrow we’re off to cross the Mojave Desert and then on to the Sextons in the California desert in Indian Wells. We’ll be taking a short hiatus from the blog; we’ll be back when we’re on our way to San Francisco on Monday, April 7.
