When Travel Bug and “Love Bug” Meet

You know by now that we suffer from the travel bug.
I also have a “Love Bug” – the Volkswagen type. . .a Herbie, VW Bug.

Herbie, is my loved Bug. So when I travel I am always on the lookout for ‘cousins’ and on this Travel Photo Thursday I thought I’d show you where I found them and what they were up to:



This travelin' Herbie was heading out into the southwest desert after getting filled up at a station in Tonopah, Nevada.



Another hard-working Herbie was spotted in Las Vegas, Nevada’s Town Square Shopping Center.  As the dill pickle on top reads, “We Dill iver”.



This precious purple Herbie was parked on a street near a pile of garbage in Trabzon, Turkey.



Hellenic Herbie came zipping into the parking area to await a ferry on the island of Poros, Greece.



Cousin cool dude Herbie was in the Fashion Show Mall on The Vegas Strip, doing nothing more than being admired by shoppers.



Herbie, the Hawaiian, was sitting in the shade in Haleiwa on O’ahu’s North Shore.



This Baja Bug of a Herbie was in Cabo San Lucas,  Mexico last week.


For those of you who’ve not yet met my Herbie. . . here he is: a 69 VW Bug (stick shift, automatic) that my dad bought used in 1972 to serve as my college car. This photo was taken two years ago; four decades, two engines and nearly 200,000 miles later.

How about you?  Any Herbie’s in your life? Any icons that you seek out when you travel?

Don’t forget to hop in the driver’s seat and head on over to Budget Traveler’s Sandbox for more travel photos.

TP Thursday: Winter in Venice. . .er, . . .Vegas

It’s a city that has Paris’s Eiffel Tower and Rome’s Trevi Fountain, (or close replicas anyway), so it seemed normal for this adult Disneyland-of-a-city to also have “Winter in Venice” last week at, where else? The Venetian Resort and Casino.



The event which was winding down the first week of January drew crowds to the Christmas tree, especially for the nighttime light shows.



And of course, you can’t have Venice without gondoliers singing and steering their boats past the ice rink. (Make that fake ice, but hey, it worked and we are talking Vegas. . .)



It was a Carnivale type atmosphere with skaters twirling to Christmas tunes and street performers posing for photos.



Snowflakes on the building  helped remind us that this was a ‘winter fest’ – temperatures were in the high 60’s F -  an unseasonably warm week, the weatherman said. (Last year it was in the 30’s for daytime temperatures and it snowed during our early January visit).



Note:  It is TP Thursday so head on over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos from around the world.

‘EXPLOSIVES DETECTED’ . . . sadly, on me!

And as soon as those two words in bold black letters on a bright orange background showed up on the screen, the TSA agent at SeaTac said, “Afraid you are going to have to come with me, ma’am.”

And thus began our 2012 travels . . .

We were on our way to Las Vegas yesterday, our annual trip to watch college football games on big screen televisions in Sports Books found in nearly every casino in town when it all began. I wrote about our similar trip last year and had planned not to even mention this trip That was until Lady Luck – or Lady Un-luck – struck before I’d even left Seattle.

“Why is it always you?” I heard Joel ask from behind me.

I’ve thought about that since yesterday and here’s my answer:  it is because I am generally a happy traveler (I smiled at the guy) and short (5-feet tall) and blonde (although chemically-induced blonde, I could have the traits of a real blonde) and I am over 50; all of which I think adds up to: I am an easy mark.

Back to my tale .  . .

We were in the line snaking its way to the TSA bag, body and document screening when I smiled at the agent, he smiled back and said, “Ma’am I need you to step over here – I am doing a random swab of hands.”  He swiped, put the cotton pads in the machine and I joked (yes, up until yesterday, I still chatted with these folks) about detecting the type of hand lotion I used.

EXPLOSIVES DETECTED flashed on the screen and that was the end of that conversation. . .

On the bright side, he led us right to the front of the line (hopefully people thought we were celebrities or something) and helped put all of our stuff through the screening. After we both cleared the body x-ray (now standard screening at SeaTac) Joel went off to wait for me while I was led to more screening. 

Everything I had, plastic baggie, coat, shoes, purse and contents were individually wiped down and tested. They all passed with flying colors. . .No explosives!

Then two female TSA agents arrived and took me into a room and closed the door for my ‘pat down’.  Now I can’t say I was real happy at that point, BUT I do need to say the exam was explained to me in advance: and done in an extremely professional manner.

 (“I will be using a backhand pat down everywhere but the inner thigh and there I will need to used the front of my hands to pat down,” she said.) 

They checked my hair (“I am trying not to mess it up,” she explained) and then did the pat down. 

The second woman took the gloves she had been wearing and tested them for residue.

Again, I passed with flying colors. . .I was free to go.  And on the bright side, we didn’t have to wait long at all to board our flight.

As I left I told them I was a white-knuckle flier and I really did appreciate the security efforts. (They told me most people react much differently.)

The afterward of this tale is that we are in Las Vegas, the sun is out, we are barefoot in our sandals, the two teams we wanted to win games did so yesterday we were upgraded to a room with sweeping views over the valley and mountains and all is again well in our travel world. 

However, we might just allow ourselves a little extra time at the airport prior to our return flight -  just in case Lady Luck strikes again!

Vegas: Gambling, Glitz and . . .Groceries

We’re ‘at home’ just a half block off the Las Vegas Strip, that  sexy sounding multi-lane asphalt path that visitors follow from one glitzy, glamorous casino to another. 

The Villas at Polo Towers is where we’ve been ‘playing house’ in a timeshare unit that feels much like a regular condo. Our views out over the mountain ranges to the south, gives no indication that we are anywhere near the Strip’s  glitz and glamour.

However our location puts us an easy walk from many casino – the  MGM Grand to the left, City Center to the front and Planet Hollywood, Bellagio and Paris to the right.
And heading south on The Strip - just a short ride on the public transit – there’s . . .the grocery store.

Some of you might balk at the thought of grocery shopping and cooking on vacation, but when that is the only household duty  required, it really does take on the feel of an adventure – not a chore.

And grocery stores always provide a ‘local’ flavor, like the honey we purchased: Local Desert Honey, a produce of Mojave Desert plants. 

The maid arrives each afternoon to change towels and remove the garbage and does a thorough cleaning mid-week, giving us plenty of pool or reading time.

Four years ago we entered the timeshare world and have found we like the ‘home away from home’ comforts of these temporary digs.  One of the nicest parts of our timeshare lifestyle allows the flexibility to trade our time and place for others around the world.  We can also take advantage of owner getaways and perks. . .like this one. 

Did I tell you this week’s stay is free as part of a promotion through the timeshare exchange  company, Interval International?  Because we booked that week back in February at The Jockey Club here in Vegas, we earned a free week’s stay to use at any number of places. We chose to return to Vegas – the only thing we paid was a  $139 booking fee.

Note:  These units can be rented through sites such as Expedia, or Diamond Resorts - you don’t need to own a timeshare to stay here..

Vegas: A Desert Storm

The High Plains Drifters are settling into their home away from home only footsteps off The Strip in Las Vegas. We came seeking sun and warmth. We got the warmth - today's predicted high temperature is 90.
As for the sun. . .that seems to be a continuing quest.

The Strip is known for its late night bright lights and thunderous music. This afternoon The Strip was lit with bright light when lightening filled the skies, and thunder rattled the windows and then. . .no joke, the rain came pouring down in Seattle-like buckets.  Weather forecasters said Sunday it would be the first winter storm of the season. Sigh.

Our one-bedroom, one-bath condo at The Villas at Polo Towers, that I wrote about last week exceeded our expectations with one exception, the internet connection -- they say it is there, my computer says it isn't.  So this post is being written on one of those communal computers in the lobby where fellow guests wait a impatiently for their turn at emails and Facebook. 

I have tales and photos and some Strip Tips to share but it's going to be a few days before those are posted. Now, I am heading upstairs to dig out those Seattle umbrellas that I never travel without.

High Plains Drifters Kick Off ‘Sun-Seeking Season’

The High Plains Drifters (that’s us) will soon be celebrating ‘Sun Seeking Season'. That’s the time of year when our Pacific Northwest days begin and end with the same gray, dreary weather. . . and we start seeking sunny destinations.

We kick off this year’s Sun Seeking Season in Las Vegas at The Villas at Polo Towers on The Strip (3745 Las Vegas Blvd. S.). 

Polo Towers, just a block or so from the better-known Paris Resort (photo above), will be our base for a week. Our one-bedroom, one-bath condo -- with full kitchen, living and dining areas -- will be one of our sun-seeker  ‘homes’.  We plan to bask in the sun at poolside, read some books, do some cooking ‘at home’ and, of course, explore all that we can.

Then we’ll aim our rental car south, so that we can spend a few days in Scottsdale, watching those magnificent sunrises at the same place we stayed last spring, The Scottsdale Links Resort (16858 N. Perimeter Drive).

Both of these  ‘homes-away-from-home’ are ‘time share’ resorts. We don’t own at either place, but our timeshare ownership at other properties allows us to participate in the exchange management company, Interval International’s  ‘Getaways’ program that offer accommodations at greatly reduced rates, literally, at a fraction on of a cost of a hotel stay.

Although we were reluctant to enter the timeshare world a few years ago, now that we’ve taken the plunge, we are sold on the concept.  It is much like having a second-home, but without the responsibilities of full ownership. The other nice thing is that our ‘home’ can be anywhere in the world . . .where the sun is shining!

Travel Photo Thursday: New Angle on ‘Paris’

Travel Photo Thursday made me think about how we all can influence a photo by the angle we use to cut out people, signs, graffiti, garbage cans that might otherwise distract from the scene. Sometimes a snippet of the full scene is all it takes to bring back good memories.

Joel and I were celebrating my summer birthday, sitting on the patio at a Parisian café when I looked up and decided this photo would capture that moment:



I should add, we were dining at  Restaurant Mon Ami Gaby ~ right in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, but you wouldn’t know it from the photo, would you?

Travel Photo Thursday was started by Budget Travelers Sandbox, so just click this link to see photos from other travel blogs.  Click the photo above to enlarge it.

A Celebrity Feast: To Pay or Not To Pay?

That is the question!

Celebrity, like most of the larger cruise lines, have ratcheted up the quality of cuisine in recent years with the introduction of on-board specialty dining restaurants. The bigger the ship, the more restaurants will likely be there to tempt you.

And that focus on cuisine has come with a price: you pay extra to dine in the elegant digs where the service and the cuisine, well, simply, is haute.

I’ve written in early posts that our dining on the Solstice transatlantic cruise might have been the best – at least right up there in the top two – we’ve had on a cruise.  And that was in all the restaurants; inclusive, as well as those requiring an extra fee.





Although our dining room’s food was excellent,( note that plate above!) and  included in the price of the cruise, we also dined at Murano and the Tuscan Grille, two of the ship’s three specialty restaurants.
 


We were guests of Celebrity at Murano so the $35 per person charge was waived and our cost was $20 for a bottle of wine, plus tip.  Both of our meals were culinary works of art; my fish is pictured above.


We paid $137 in Tuscan Grille, $70 of which was for food. Here, as with Murano, so many courses were offered that we had no room for dessert (which was good for our D2G, Diet to Go effort).  This is my heirloom tomato salad, large enough to be a meal in itself, but was served  between the antipasti platter and the filet mignon.



This week the blogosphere's cruise writers and readers went nuts with Celebrity's announcement that beginning September 1, 2011 the  price of those alternative dining venues would increase from $35 to $40. ($30 to $40 at the Lawn Club on the newest ship, Silhouette.)

“Enough,” cried cruise passengers, “we’ve had enough fee increases!”  And their point is well taken.  But. . .

In Las Vegas we've noted fine dining menus offering a filet mignon for $45 - $50 and then adding $11 - $12 for the potato that accompanies it and another $11 - $12 for the asparagus, not to mention the cost of appetisers, salads and desserts.  Tasting menus, those multi-course offerings created by the chef,begin at $59 and head into the three-digits.

While dining at a Seattle waterfront restaurant this week, I noted that a fish filet dinner (halibut or salmon) was in the high $20’s – salad and dessert, extra. 

So the question cruisers must ask themselves is, “To Pay or not To Pay?" And, thankfully, the cruise lines still allow them to make the choice.

Free and Easy Vegas-style

No matter what end of  The Strip we stay on, a visit to the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd., is a must.  And, it is just one of the many free and easy things to do while in Las Vegas.  Since it's at the top of our favorite freebies list, let's start there and then set out:

1. Inside the Bellagio: Gifted artists, florists and engineers create seasonal displays that always seems to be a bit better than the last. There’s a very Americana summer theme featuring a 40-foot Ferris wheel and an 11-foot carousel underneath a canopy of hot-air balloons right now (through Sept. 11)..


2. Outside the Bellagio: The fountain show takes place daily every half hour from 3 – 7 pm weekdays and from noon- 7 weekends; then every 15 minutes in the evenings until midnight. (It is spectacular at night with the fountains soaring as high as 460 feet).

3. The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd, S, (just across the street from the Bellagio) is a 15-acre habitat with birds, fish, pheasants, ducks, koi and of course, flamingos! The habitat is open 24 hours a day.  You’ll find this quiet, green oasis  tucked away from the street to the back of the Flamingo.

4. The Forum Shops Fountains, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd., S, is the shopping center connected to Caesar's. The fountain show runs every hour, beginning at 10 am.  Take time to visit the Atlantis Aquarium that is to the back of the fountain. There’s a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium offered weekdays at 3:15 pm.

5. Free shows at The Mirage and its next-door-neighbor, Treasure Island take place each evening and sidewalks along those two casinos fill early for the free shows.
Off The Strip:
6.  Freemont Street Experience takes place each night between Main Street and Las Vegas Blvd. Light shows on a four-block-long display system begin at dusk and then play on the hour until midnight. The screen is some 90 feet above a pedestrian mall lined with shops, restaurants, bars, casinos so there’s plenty to keep your attention.

Note: Times were current as of summer 2011, but are always subject to change. 

A Sizzling Summer in the City - Vegas

So who in their right minds would go to Vegas in the middle of July?  We would!

And did. . .along with thousands of others, young and old, it appears.  The shopping malls, the casinos, the restaurants and poolside are packed, simply jam-packed, with sun worshippers such as ourselves.

It’s midday and the temperatures are climbing to 104F outside, as I write this post from our room at Wynn Resort. Skies are blue – sun is bright. We are happy.

In all honesty, this isn’t one of those bargain trips where we nabbed great room rates, summer isn’t the cheapest time to travel even to brain-burning-hot destinations; but sometimes you bite the bullet and go. It was finally time to take this off my ‘birthday’ wish list and make it reality. (I figured I’d either love it or hate it. . .but at least I’d know).

But where else could I celebrate a birthday by dining  in an Italian piazza one night and then at the base of the Eiffel Tower the next?  Here I can window shop at designer stores from London, Paris and Milan all within footsteps of each other as I head to my favorite “ABC” store from Honolulu for my chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

And of course, there is the pool – a must visit each afternoon for a at least a short amount of time. . .it's my favorite ‘people watching’ venue; the bronze and beautiful parade their scantily-clad bodies for the benefit of the opposite sexto the beat of the latest music that reverberates off the buildings. It provides great amusement.

So did I pick the right place? I’ve already announced that this trip may have to become a birthday tradition – maybe I am suffering heat stroke or the sun's melted my brains, but being a year older here doesn’t seem so bad at all. . .in fact, I am feeling younger! Time to head to the pool. . .

Saturday’s Satchel: Bright Lights and Wine

* Las Vegas:  Ever wonder what happens to those neon lights that have helped make this place famous when they dim or die? 

Some 150 of them have been donated or rescued and are resting comfortably in the Neon Boneyard (821 Las Vegas Blvd. N., 702-387-6366), run by the Neon Museum, a non-profit organization there.

The Boneyard is a two-acre home to retired signs from casinos, restaurants and hotels that lit up the Las Vegas Valley between the  1930’s to the 90’s.

If You Go:  Boneyard Tours, from noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday and must be arranged in advance.  Tickets: $15.

Note: Some of the old signs have been brought back to life and they are on display on Fremont Street (home to the Freemont Experience lightshow); check the web link above for the history of those signs..

* Tri-Cities, Washington State: If your fall travels might take you to Central Washington State this fall, consider timing it to coincide with the Catch the Crush Wine Festival - Sat. Sept. 24 and Sun, Sept. 25. Wineries from Red Mountain, Columbia Valley and Yakima Valley will be celebrating the fall harvest and the 25th annual seasonal grape crush. Each of the participating wineries will offer celebratory events including winery tours, free-run juice, wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres . Of course there'll be wine for sale. Crush pads will be set up and winemakers will host live grape stomps at 4 p.m. on Saturday; get a team together and sign up! There'll also be live music and entertainment. Admission is free. For more information, visit http://www.visittri-cities.com/  or call 509-965-5201.

Vegas Taxis: And the Rest of the Story

As the lengendary U.S. radio broadcaster Paul Harvey used to say, "And now. . .for the rest of the story. . ."

Our recent southwest road trip got off to a bad start when we were 'taken for a ride' by a Vegas cabbie  who used the freeway to get to The Strip instead of the more direct - cheaper - route to our hotel.  Luckily for us, we'd knew of this scam and, coincidentally,  had just read an article by Chris Erskine about a similar 'ride' in Vegas that appeared in the L.A. Times only days before our trip.

Between Erskine's article and our experience, I decided it was time to speak up. So, as Joel grudgingly paid the ransom I jotted down cab number, company's phone number and details of the driver.  All of which, I provided the company's manager when I called immediately upon getting to our room.

He assured me an investigation would be undertaken and took our address to send a refund check, in the event my complaint checked out.  Apparently it did because I received a full refund (including a tip and airport fee).

A letter of apology was enclosed that read in part: 
"I am sorry that this incident occurred (per the phone conversation) and you should know that the refund that I am sending you has been paid by the driver and all appropriate disciplinary actions have already been taken."

At the end of the road trip, we returned Ol' Orange, our trusty rental car back to Strip parking garage, and caught a taxi back to the airport. Price? $11.30 as compared to the $25 we had been charged the night we arrived. We told the driver about the first night's ride and my complaint to the company.   

His response:  "Thank You! I wish more of you would do that because those people are giving us all a bad name."

I didn't name the company in this post because the problem isn't limited to one business or city.  The lesson we learned is that if you think you've been taken for a ride, you may well be right, so let the company know.

High Plains Drifters Ridin' Ol' Orange

Hula Babe and Beach Boy put away their aloha duds and are once again the High Plains Drifters for a southwest road trip which will hopefully take us from winter into spring. We flew to Las Vegas and then set out for Scottsdale -- ultimately Tucson, Arizona, -- and then will head back to Las Vegas for our return flight.

We got our rental car from a lobby kiosk at the Monte Carlo Resort, just a couple of blocks from The Jockey Club.

• Money-saving tip:   We outwitted those highway robbers, known as cabby's, by rolling our suitcases from the JC to the Bellagio Resort next door and riding the free tram from it to the Monte Carlo. (Eat your heart out cab drivers!)
• Money-saving tip #2:  We had found the best car rental rate on Hotwire where the price was a couple hundred less for a Dollar Rent-a-Car than the cheapest we had found on our trusty Expedia.  

The car, a compact Dodge something, looks like, well, lets put it this way, think of an enormous orange rolling down the road. You got it; that's us.

Ol' Orange - only one of its kind we've seen so far

Speaking of fruit, have you ever been waited on by someone with the personality of a prune? No pleasantries, limited eye contact, staccato answers. . .that's my definition of "prune personality disorder". For example:

Joel: Can my wife be added as a second driver? (Enterprise had said spouses were added without charge in Hawaii).
Prune: "Sure. $10 a day extra."

Joel: How much grace period do we have on the return? (usually 15 minutes to a half hour).
Prune: "One minute late - one day additional charge."

When we declined their insurance, Prune said he needed to see our insurance papers (we've never been asked for those in the history of our travels)
Prune: "You must sign showing you declined coverage and that you are driving uninsured," pointing to the signature line.    Joel pointed out we weren't uninsured, Prune pointed to the line all the same. Joel signed.

We were sent off to find the car in the parking garage and did so quite easily (it is orange, and the only orange car in sight, probably the only one in all of Arizona). I noticed a significant scratch on the passenger's door but saw nothing noted on the rental form.  (Actually, I think some giant tried to peel it thinking it was an orange.)

I marched back to the lobby to report to Prune my findings and took great delight in watching another couple return their rental:
Prune:  "Did you fill the car with gas?"
Couple: "Yes we did."
Prune:  "I need to see the receipt."

I reminded myself that we are saving a couple hundred dollars, reported the scratch to Prune, and we were off. Next post from The Timeshare Trail.  But if you happen to see us drive up, stop by and say hello.

Taken for a ride in Vegas

We hate to be scammed when we travel. But we were last night.
And sometimes it happens so fast, that there isn't much you can do about it.
Or is there? 
We will see.

What's real irritating is that I had just sent an article to a friend warning about Las Vegas cab drivers that appeared in the Los Angeles Times this week.  My friend hasn't been here in years and I wanted to make sure it didn't happen to her when she comes here next month. So you can imagined how furious I was when it happened to us. . .two days after the article had appeared.

Our flight from Seattle had been delayed and had been a bit rough, so the charming English-accented taxi driver was a welcome sight. . .we told her we were going to The Jockey Club (a gem of a find, by the way) on The Strip. It is 4 miles from the airport.  So as she mumbled about heavy Saturday night traffic, mumble, sigh, mumble, sigh, she pulled onto the freeway.  Too late. . .we couldn't stop her.

The Strip when we finally reached it was normal traffic, certainly not the mess she had us picturing it was.   We'd traveled nearly 10 miles during which time she told us how bad traffic had gotten in recent years and how much she hated driving in it and had helplessly watched as the meter as it raced to $23 and then she added $1.80 for an airport fee.  The article uses the word kidnap - it is a good word.

As Joel paid the ransom and got the bags, I got the cab number and company phone number.  By now, we were very out of sorts and told the receptionist what had happened.  She shrugged, shook her head and said yes, it was too bad, "but I have heard worse."

That sent me over the top. 
I didn't even unpack bags before I had dialed the cab company (and I have no backbone, so this should tell you how furious I was).  The manager I was referred to apologized profusely and said they try not to have this happen, but they get an occasional 'rogue driver'.  Turns out I wasn't the first one to call about this. . .woman.  Yes, making me even madder was the fact that a fellow female had scammed us.  He said they would investigate my claim and took an address where he could send a refund check.

I'll let you know how it ends, but for now, our new -- and sadly, less friendly approach will be -- "We are going to the blank destination and we do not want to get there by freeway."  I encourage you to read the article - it is right on target.

Ahh, those Las Vegas bunnies!

We don't  often 'do'  traditional boxed Christmas gifts at our house. In fact, Joel still points to an elephant trek on Christmas Day through the jungles of Northern Thailand - now many long years ago - as the best gift I've ever given him.

So, it shouldn't be a surprise that this year we gave ourselves a trip to Las Vegas for the holidays. And, by holidays I mean:  Christmas, New Year and BCS "Bowl Week" with its dozens of play-off games marking the passage of  football season for another year.

Since we'd opened the college football season in Las Vegas back in September, it seemed fitting to head back to the comfort of its many casino 'sportsbooks' where we could be surrounded by frenzied fans sipping adult libations while cheering the on-field action, their heads whirling to watch sometimes multiple games being shown on as many as 50 television screens that wallpaper these areas. 

Note: we were't among the 230,000 New Year's Eve revelers who Vegas officials estimate headed to The Strip and Fremont Street to celebrate the arrival of 2011 despite temperatures dipping below freezing. And we left town as the estimated 120,000 attendees were arriving for the highly publicized International Consumer Electronics Show and the lesser talked about Adult Entertainment Expo.  

We opted to take the window of opportunity between NYE and the conventions when room rates drop and football games headline activities.  We spent our first couple nights at the Suncoast in Summerlin, about 15 minutes -- and light years -- from The Strip and its night life, Playboy Bunnies, glitz and glamour.

Late afternoon looking toward the Red Rock Canyon

But in this quiet Vegas suburb, a gateway to the Red Rock Canyon, there are plenty of wide open spaces as evidenced by this image taken from our room.  Out here when you say 'bunny' it means the four-legged kind; the kind that seemed to play hide-and-seek with us on New Year's morning, when bundled up Pacific-Northwest-style to brace against the 34-degree 'high'  of  the day, we took a long walk along the neighboring golf course.

Las Vegas 'Football Fest'

Labor Day Weekend.
We wanted sun.
We wanted football.
We went to Vegas.
We got both. 

The sun.

Temperatures were hovering in the low 100's when we arrived Friday afternoon and continued so through Sunday. It was so hot that we paced our sightseeing to match those wily vendors who fill wheeled suitcases or ice chests with ice-cold bottled water, then set up shop at regular intervals along The Strip selling them for a buck a bottle. . .they make money and we save money (the same bottle sells for $3.59 at the airport).

Palazzo Pool

By Labor Day the temperature dropped to the high 90's making it possible to toast ourselves at poolside and not suffer heat stroke. 

We watched football!  
Labor Day weekend marked the kickoff of the college football season.  While we love going to away games, we learned in January (when we 'went' to several Bowl Games) in Las Vegas that this town is a one-stop shop for watching many games. Even better, there's no charge for watching them in one of the many 'Sports Book's as they call the special areas dedicated to sports viewing (and betting, for those so inclined) found in larger casinos.

We spent time Saturday morning scouting out the best 'book' for our viewing needs:  comfy chairs and plenty of screens. The one we selected was at the Venetian where not only was our team, the UW Huskies, on Big screen television; but  LSU's game was on a BIGGER screen, and smaller screens gave us front-row seats to games played by San Jose State, Washington State's Coug's and four other teams. So many games, so much fun. 

The football fest continued on Labor Day when BSC contenders' the  Boise State Broncos took on Virginia Tech. We returned to the cushy chairs at the Venetian to watch the game on  the really BIG screen and 11 other screens of various sizes.  The nail-biter had fans of both teams cheering loudly as the lead bouncing back and forth. 

The Broncos completed a game winning touchdown in the final moments that put them three points ahead.

The point spread (that's the number that helps you determine who to bet on if you are in to that sport) during the weekend had varied between -2.50 and -1.50 meaning the Broncos had to win by those 3 points for those who had bet on them to win money.  It was an emotion-filled ending in that sports book - high fives and shouting and clapping was as good as being in the stadium.

We kicked off the football season and darkened our suntan a bit - time to head home.  

  Wisconsin fans were in town for UNLV game

A Bloomin' Good Time at Bellagio

Last month while on our California/Nevada roadtrip we stopped by the Bellagio Hotel Conservatory and Botanical Gardens only to find it filled with workers, heavy equipment and piles of landscaping supplies.  Bordering its perimeter were artist's renditions of what it would soon look like.

According to its website, it takes 140 horticulturalists to create and maintain the grand displays that change with the seasons at this popular spot.  Admission is free. The current season will be on display until May 9th.

Thousands of blooming plants spill out of oversized flower pots and giant butterflies hover over enormous insects and bronze cast insects are joined by other creatures such as the rose-bud snail.

After strolling through the gardens stop by the Bellagio Art Gallery (there is an admission charge for it) where you will find among its permanent collection works by Renoir, Picasso and Degas.  A new show opens May 1st, entitled "Firguratively Speaking - A Survey of the Human Form" with works from Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Design in San Diego.

"G'Day Las Vegas!"

And with that greeting we were off on a rollicking, rocking, hand-clapping, finger-snapping performance of Motown Music by an Australian group called Human Nature.   We couldn't use flash so bear with the blurred photos but for a real taste of  what we experienced, click on the name link and you can watch a clip from YouTube.  

We've seen other great shows and performances here but none have reached the bar set by these four performers, who have been at The Imperial Palace on the Las Vegas Strip since  June, 2009.  (You might recognize them from the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Australia).

Our tickets -- purchased through the discount Vegas Tix 4 Less put us at the edge of the stage for $41 a ticket - close enough to make eye contact with the performers.  I took this shot  just before he danced down our table. 

We stood and cheered when a lady from the audience was selected to go on stage and help sing "My Girl" and she said she was from Seattle.

If you've ever needed a reason to come to Las Vegas, attending a performance by Human Nature would be a good one.  We are certainly going to use it as a reason to come back!

Is it time for "Travelers' Fees"?

A few posts ago we focused on the frustrating 'hotel fees' that had appeared on Expedia when we were booking hotels for our stay in Las Vegas. We paid fees ranging from $5 a day at Suncoast in Summerlin to $15 a day at the Palazzo on The Strip for items ranging from in-room instant coffee and paper cups (at the Suncoast) to fitness center and in-room wi-fi access at the Palazzo (which almost seemed reasonable). The fees were on top of $100+ per night room rates.

What at the time seemed to be a Vegas fluke, is instead, the new world of travel. Hotels have hopped on the airlines' nickel-and-dime-you-to-death bandwagon!

A recent article appearing in the Los Angeles Times business section, warns travelers to be aware of even more hotel fees (restocking fees, baggage holding fees among them) -- many of which may be hidden away until the final bill appears. This eye-opening article should be a must read for all travelers:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase29-2010mar29,0,6502013.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fbusiness+%28L.A.+Times+-+Business%29

The article prompted my fantasy about a travelers' revolt of sorts; should we start charging similar fees? For example: I charge a $5 fee to an airline for sitting in a cramped middle seat that no one else wants? I stay at your hotel vs. your competitor for $5 a night (stay fee). For $5 a night I won't call and complain when something in the room doesn't work, another $5 for bringing my own Starbuck's VIA instant coffee. . . you get the idea. The fees potential is endless. . .and can you imagine the reactions when at checkout or boarding you present your fee list?

Admittedly, the travel industry has taken a hit in the recent economic downturn but fees --hidden or up-front -- are not the way to entice customers nor develop customer loyalty.

Just west of Las Vegas we hit the Jackpot!

Mother Nature provided this win just a few minutes drive and a world away from Las Vegas. Because we had a rental car for the road trip from Santa Barbara, we were able to get away from The Strip and see what else Vegas has to offer. It may have been the first time we visited the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area but it certainly won't be the last. And next time we'll bring our hiking boots!

Visiting the Canyon on an early Saturday morning, we paid the $5 federal entrance fee and then joined a parade of cars winding our way through the canyon on a 13-mile, one-way scenic loop. Shutterbugs like me couldn't resist stopping at each of the overlooks scattered along the route and conveniently each overlook provided ample parking - a plus for Joel, the driver.

There are some 19 hiking trails that lead off into the canyon from the overlook parking areas, ranging from easy walks to more 'strenuous' routes both in terms of distance and elevation changes. Having arrived without food or drink, we skipped the picnic area at Willow Springs about half way through the drive. It's a fabulous setting though for outside dining. And climbers around the world come here to hoist themselves up and down the sheer rock surfaces on more than 2,000 rock climbing routes. Permits are required to climb.

Managed by the Bureau of Land Management the Red Rock National Conservation Area encompasses nearly 200,000 acres. You are reminded of the expansiveness from several points along the scenic route. A new Interpretive Center has just opened and is a good place to start your visit.