Day 1—October 20, 2008
I am writing this from the inside of a pyramid. That’s right…we’re staying tonight at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas…the one shaped like a pyramid. Crazy!
I am writing this from the inside of a pyramid. That’s right…we’re staying tonight at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas…the one shaped like a pyramid. Crazy!
For those of you who haven’t heard, we are on a long awaited trip out west right now. We have begun in Las Vegas (only for one night) and then are going to make our way towards Albuquerque, New Mexico for a Christian Educator’s Conference. This trip is basically my graduation present from our parents and my grandma and a rare big vacation for us. I thought I’d write a bit about it when we have access to internet.
Today we flew into Las Vegas and also got to visit Hoover Dam.
Got to see a bit of the Grand Canyon from plane and could see the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead really well. The mountains here, at least out this far, just jut up from the ground sharp and dusty. They seem abrupt…beautiful…absolutely beautiful…but bare. I felt glad to witness the stark beauty of this landscape, but even more grateful for the mountains I know that are green (with bursts of red and yellow and orange right now) and rounded…full of life, though scarred from centuries of human impact. They seem wise to me, our beautiful blue ridge mountains.
Hoover Dam was very cool...and very huge! We got to go on the tour and see some of the inside workings of the electrical plant and go up to see the top of the dam. Wow. It’s even more amazing to think they built it in the 30’s without the benefit of modern technology and machinery!
Then, to Las Vegas. Oh my. It is amazing in many ways. I am very impressed with the way they just decided to have a crazy vacation city in the middle of the desert only about 100 years ago and then just made it happen. The lights, architecture, and various attractions along the strip (like mock Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, New York roller coaster, pirate ship show fully equipped fireworks effects) are astounding and sometimes breathtaking. We walked down to the Bellagio Hotel to watch the fountains dance to music and that was cool! I can’t help but feel like I’ve walked onto that island with Pinocchio and keep looking around at different things that are happening and think “this can’t be right.” (I almost never think myself conservative in nearly any way…but tonight…man oh man! I felt like the church lady or something! There are lines that ought not be crossed…it turns out I think there are some lines. Oh my.)
I’m really glad we got to include Las Vegas as a little stop on our out west adventures, but I am not sure I could manage much more time. There’s just so much going on all the time and everywhere you look…my brain is exhausted. As my mother would say if she were here: “Auditory overload!” However, I think I would get overloaded in just about every way if I stayed here for long!
I’m excited that tomorrow we head out for Zion National Park. It’s supposed to be beautiful.
Also, this trip includes a car with push button start. Seriously, you just put your foot on the break and push a button…then the car starts. It’s still freaking me out! A little too Back to the Future for me…I just want to southwest travel…not time travel just yet!
Today we flew into Las Vegas and also got to visit Hoover Dam.
Got to see a bit of the Grand Canyon from plane and could see the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead really well. The mountains here, at least out this far, just jut up from the ground sharp and dusty. They seem abrupt…beautiful…absolutely beautiful…but bare. I felt glad to witness the stark beauty of this landscape, but even more grateful for the mountains I know that are green (with bursts of red and yellow and orange right now) and rounded…full of life, though scarred from centuries of human impact. They seem wise to me, our beautiful blue ridge mountains.
Hoover Dam was very cool...and very huge! We got to go on the tour and see some of the inside workings of the electrical plant and go up to see the top of the dam. Wow. It’s even more amazing to think they built it in the 30’s without the benefit of modern technology and machinery!
Then, to Las Vegas. Oh my. It is amazing in many ways. I am very impressed with the way they just decided to have a crazy vacation city in the middle of the desert only about 100 years ago and then just made it happen. The lights, architecture, and various attractions along the strip (like mock Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, New York roller coaster, pirate ship show fully equipped fireworks effects) are astounding and sometimes breathtaking. We walked down to the Bellagio Hotel to watch the fountains dance to music and that was cool! I can’t help but feel like I’ve walked onto that island with Pinocchio and keep looking around at different things that are happening and think “this can’t be right.” (I almost never think myself conservative in nearly any way…but tonight…man oh man! I felt like the church lady or something! There are lines that ought not be crossed…it turns out I think there are some lines. Oh my.)
I’m really glad we got to include Las Vegas as a little stop on our out west adventures, but I am not sure I could manage much more time. There’s just so much going on all the time and everywhere you look…my brain is exhausted. As my mother would say if she were here: “Auditory overload!” However, I think I would get overloaded in just about every way if I stayed here for long!
I’m excited that tomorrow we head out for Zion National Park. It’s supposed to be beautiful.
Also, this trip includes a car with push button start. Seriously, you just put your foot on the break and push a button…then the car starts. It’s still freaking me out! A little too Back to the Future for me…I just want to southwest travel…not time travel just yet!
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