VivaHHHHHHHHH!!! Las Vegas

We are a bit stumped now - what to say.
Do we like Vegas? No - not really. A very loud, rude and noisy city whose only aim appears to be to take as much money from you as possible.
We managed a couple of walks down The Strip; saw a bit of the free "entertainment"; visited a couple of the big hotel / casinos; and saw an hysterical Vegas show with topless dancers! (of both sexes). Very entertaining with great costumes and sets; good dancing; fab legs and boobs; but a bit 70s kitsch meets Gershwin Jive Bunny.

Not one of my photos, they took my camera from me at the door.

This photo is copyright Ballys Hotel.

Las Vegas 2 - Red Rock Canyon

Day Two saw us on another day trip escape from Vegas with a slightly lower temperature!

We only needed to drive 20 miles west of Vegas to get to scenery that competed with Lake Mead (Rachel - equal footing; Gordon - it is more fantastic).

The red is the sand dunes intermingled with a huge variety of geological events and formations. The donkeys are wild Burros. We also saw a pair of eagles and a lizard, but, despite the sign, no tortoises thought to pose for us.

Las Vegas 1 - Lake Mead

Well we got here a bit hot and bothered. It seems like miles from hotel check in to our room, but it is a large and comfy one. More details of the city in a later blog.

On our first day we drove out to Lake Mead. This is a large lake with the Colorado River entering from The Grand Canyon on one side and heading to Mexico on the other. It is here that the Hoover Dam was built to make a large reservoir for the area.

We went on a paddle boat trip and all we can say is WOW. This has to be one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. Our only concern is that the photos do not do it justice. Enjoy.

 The line on the rocks is the high water mark. The white part is the calcium deposits from where the water usually sits. Not enough snow the last few years so the level is down.

 The Hoover Dam and the extra road bridge built later.

 Our "ride" for the trip.

 Views further round the lake.

Barstow and Calico

We drove directly from Santa Barbara to Barstow via the highways skirting LA and the temperature rose again. The first two pictures show the heat and then  a rain storm which began with big streaks of lightening.

Barstow itself was a rather uninspiring place but it is the cross roads of highways and commercial trains in the middle of the desert so you can't expect much! We went to see the outdoor exhibits of the railway museum which was lovely as we are rather fond of trains.

We stayed in a basic Travelodge - but for £28 it had ALL mod cons and breakfast! The next day we hit 113 degrees (phew). We spent the first part of the day visiting Calico Ghost Town. It is the remains of a mining town where they used to mine silver and borax and quarry for the sandstone. It was very interesting though we did wilt a bit!

 This is the school house for the town.

 

Above - the inside and outside of a miner's hut.

 Miner's living quarters actually IN the Maggie Mine.