Lost Vegas

Lost Vegas sights, sounds and smells:
*two women in police uniforms that were definitely not up to code
*showgirls posed in front of hotels, dancing on bars and chatting with tourists, including a baby in a stroller
*a very affectionate couple after a purse purchase in Louis Vuitton: the Esplanade @ Wynn Hotel
*movie characters: Transformers, Batman, Spiderman, Mickey & Minnie Mouse, pirates, Minion, Roman gladiators, Alan Garner (The Hangover), Michael Myers (Halloween)
*panhandlers with eye-catching signs: "need beer" "will give shitty advice" and "family kidnapped by ninjas, need $ for kung-fu lessons to rescue them"
*a Deja Vu distributor of Dead Seas Mineral products attempted to hustle me into purchasing $80 of beauty products: 2 Nail Care Collections: "do you have a sister? you have a best friend?" and a facial scrub http://www.dejavu-cosmetics.com (scroll to the end of page)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/9545308/Raft-of-complaints-over-Dead-Sea-kiosks
*lingering smell of stale & fresh cigarette smoke in the cheaper to more expensive casinos
*tourists having photos taken in seemingly-random locations: Las Vegas strip overpass and in front of a McDonalds pointed towards the strip
*visitors in pleasant and unpleasant stages of excess
*helicopters frequently flying over our KOA: Circus, Circus
*drifting off to sleep  with sounds of sirens and street traffic (accompanied by the occasional screeching of tires)
*being woken from sleep by the whir of a helicopter that sounded like it was attempting a landing on our Skylark
*fascinating art and beautiful flora and fauna (see photos below)

Thursday, September 18, 2014

                                                    Family outing @ The Mirage
We wondered where the ducks go when the volcano lights up ("Roast Duck?").
Later, we saw two ducks napping with their heads in their plumage at a swanky outside restaurant.  Jokes, again, could be made, but I hope humans and fowl can coexist peacefully ;-D

 Fall scenes @ Bellagio hotel https://www.bellagio.com. We took a photo of an older couple who visited Nova Scotia and Nfld. "We couldn't get a hotel room in St. John's because... who was your prime minister?" As I was thinking, wondering what era they traveled, she continued "Trudeau, we had to stay an hour outside the city." Each of them was very positive about their visit to Atlantic Canada.

                                                        Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino

These next three photos are taken from:  http://www.theshopsatcrystals.com

                                                            The Concierge

                                        View from our lunch table @ Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

 These photos are from: http://www.wynnlasvegas.com

                                         These parasols moved up and down.

                                                     This flower carousel revolves.

Friday, September 19, 2014  We spent the day at Springs Preserve: http://www.springspreserve.org
We explored the botanical gardens and some of the buildings. "The entire 180-acre Springs Preserve campus is a living example of sustainable living, design and architecture. Its buildings are among the most "green" in the nation". http://www.springspreserve.org/about/sustainability.html

Springs Preserve was an oasis from the hustle &bustle of "the strip" but there was one reminder of Party Vegas.

                                                                        Joshua Tree

                                                        Grizzly Bear Prickly Pear 

                                                               Palo Verde Tree

These two photos are of the Buck-Horn Cholla.

The following two photos are from the sustainability gallery. It features interactive exhibits, children's play areas and a house that is full of sustainable appliances, fixtures and decor.  In the "living room", there was a comfy couch near a stocked bookshelf. We pored over a book about desert architecture. http://www.springspreserve.org/attractions/dlc_sustainability.html

                                                            Las Vegas Meter Maid 

The saguaro grows about a foot per decade. It develops its first arm when it is 50 to 75 years old. It can live up to 200 years old. We saw one very old saquaro that was braced on both sides by wooden supports. There was a carpet padding between the plant and the boards.

                                                                       Pomegranates!

                                         Dinner poolside. Richelle, you'll recognize the "glass"!