Death Valley - Las Vegas

  Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Thursday, July 10, 2008

10 July, from Death Valley to Las Vega$

30°C/86°F in the morning 53°C/128°F in the afternoon , sunny day

We set the alarm this morning at 05.00 so we could visit some places in Death Valley before it was getting to hot. We got our things together, checked out and drove away, continuing highway 190 to Badwater. At Furnace Creek we took the Badwater Road. Only yesterday morning we were at the highest point of America, mt Whitney, today at Badwater we find ourselves on the lowest point of this country. It is more a spring that dried out for the largest part. Because of this, its salt crystals create a strange landscape. 

Badwater

From Badwater we drove back to Furnace Creek and on the way we took a small d-tour, the one-way road through Artist Drive. This drive between hills shows rocks with a lot of different colors caused by the many sorts of minerals. Complete hills have different colors but also layers in the same hill have several colors. So one hill can exist from pink, red, orange, beige, yellow and green layers. The sun is rising from behind the hills of artist drive and it creates all kinds of weired and beautifull shadows all around us, we figured that Artist Drive will be even more beautiful by sunset. But we can see the colors very well and it is very beautiful. 

Zabriski point

Returned in Furnace Creek it was time for breakfast, so we lined up for the breakfast buffet. Without food we can still come very far, but without coffee we function less, so we took some cups of coffee before we continued to our next and last point within Death Valley, Zabriskie Point. Here you can define the view only as marvelous. Mountains, hills, colors, panoramas, it is all so very beautiful. Meanwhile it has become already very warm again so we decide to leave Death Valley and travel further to Las Vegas.

Our caffeine-level was still a little low so we made a stop at the mall in Pahrump witch of course has a Starbucks that is located in the entrance of a supermarket what we would call a type of mega mega mega XXL, Albert Hein (a large chain of supermarkets in the Netherlands), so after we had our coffee we took a walk in the grocery store. Incredibly how much different brands of the same product they offer here! So much choice.

After this experience, we drive further, to Las Vegas. At 13.00 we stand in line to check in at the Treasure Island hotel. Although it was still early, it was already possible to go to our room. Beautiful room, very nice view on the Strip direction south. We left our stuff behind and went to have lunch in the hotel. In the TV series House, we have heard House talk about the Reuben. We were not familiar with this, so Frans decided to try it. This sandwich with meat, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and dressing is indeed very tasteful! 

Boy at Mirage

After the lunch we walked to the neighbour, the Mirage and go into the Secret Garden for $15 pp. In spite of the name and the fact that the Mirage has a nude swimming pool, Secret Garden has nothing to do with this. It is a little garden, divided in two parts. In the first part a number of dolphins are swimming in several pools. Some trainers are telling things about the living en behavior of these beautiful animals. There is also a possibility to see them through a large window that is under water. The nicest dolphin is a dolphin which does not participate at the demonstration. She is playing solo in a separate swimming pool with two enormous toy balls and is very enthousiastic for playing. She throws the balls to the audience with the intention that the people throw the balls back to her, of course  this is what happens and she is getting more and more excited. Because this is spontaneous action and very nice to see, she draws the biggest crowd !

In the second part of the garden are the animals who used to perform in the Siegfried and Roy show. S&R stopped with shows some years ago (a one-time show will be given in February 2009), but they still have the garden where their own tigers and lions enjoy their pension, and S&R still has room for new animals. So at this moment they have young tigers. Five cubs, 1 boy and 4 girls. They are all together in an enormous baby room. The attendant plays with them and they have so much toys, it would make many children jealous. The cubs are playing with, but mainly biting each other, they sleep, are fed and are cuddled. They behave exactly the same way our own cats do but a bit rougher!. We love to see it!

After we left the Mirage with a delicious yogurt ice-cream, we went on to our next stop: Ceasars Palace for the forum shops! In an environment like Atlantis with several fountains and statues it is wonderfull to shop. One of the fountains has a show every half hour were the statues come alive. This is nice but maybe even more worth to see is the aquarium what lies back to back with the fountain opposite to the cheesecake factory. The aquarium is not large but the fish inside however are, and they are beautiful!

Elton John is performing in Ceasars soon. Of course he will be there when we are not! but we visit the merchandise store dedicated to him. I put a boa around Frans and like a real bitch he takes place behind the red piano and played me the Song for Guy. It won't mean anything to anyone but to us it was a really funny, memorable moment.

Meanwhile it became seven o'clock and we decided we had to have something to eat. It is diner time so the restaurants are busy with waiting lines, but in the Paris where you really can imagine yourself in the world city in Europe, we find a little, less busy occasion where you can get a good salad. After dining we get ourselves a nice cappuccino in the Bellagio and went out to hang for the Bellagio fountains. We both like this very much and so we stay and hang for a few shows in which the fountains moves beautifully on music.

Bellagio Fountains

After a few shows our feet really protest from all that walking and standing and we decide to drag ourselves back to the hotel. During this walk we enjoyed the views of the buildings on the Strip, unreal!. At eleven we returned finally at our room and conclude this day tired with of course white Zinfandel.

Distance from Death Valley to Las Vegas: 190 miles.