Northern Arizona

On day 3 we needed to flee Vegas and find our way over to Powell Lake, a journey of several hundred miles. Along the way, the goal was to "tick the box" for several classic American experiences.

Hoover Dam: check.

Route 66: check.

The Grand Canyon: check.

Still Alive

No blog posts for the last few days since unexpected delays have had us getting into our hotels late at night. Hopefully I'll have time to catch up tomorrow.

Ten Years

June 27 was our tenth wedding anniversary, so we returned to the same Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel where we got married ten years ago. The ceremony should be viewable at the link below for three months:

https://webcams.vivalasvegasweddings.com/play/index.php?eventID=3796

After the ceremony we walked to a nearby Jack in the Box for an anniversary lunch. (An inside joke for us is that Jack in the Box counts as a romantic meal; ask one of us for the story behind it if you're interested.) Then we went up to the top of the Stratosphere since that's what we did after getting married back in 2003, but we got bored pretty quickly and decided to head back to our suite at the Bellagio for a siesta. Later that evening we attempted a stroll down the strip, but only made it a block before the crowds, heat, and noise convinced us to head back in again. When you've got access to a 1500 square foot, air-conditioned sanctuary with a full bar and a beautiful view, it's hard to justify spending much time among the addled masses.

Tonight we jump to the other end of the spectrum and are booked in a Travelodge in a small town in Arizona, so I don't think we'll have the same problem.

Time to re-enact "The Hangover"?

Our US road trip started with a late arrival in Las Vegas. To celebrate our tenth anniversary, I decided to surprise Jessica with fountain-view suite at the Bellagio. When we got there it turned out we got a free (I hope) upgrade to a penthouse fountain-view suite. The place is HUGE: a living room, a dining area, a bar (no, not a mini-bar; a bar), a separate bedroom, THREE bathrooms, and a view of the fountains and the Eiffel Tower across the Vegas strip.

An interesting note is that the bedroom has separate "his and her" bathrooms. I think the theory is that most tenants in this room are newlyweds who have not yet come to terms with the fact that their significant other has daily bodily functions. On that theme, I propose the resort should also have themed suites for the 10-year anniversary (one bathroom, broken fart fan), the 25 year anniversary (bedpans), and the 50-year anniversary (complimentary package of Depends).


P.S. A reminder for anyone reading this posting today (June 27, 2013), our Elvis ceremony should be viewable at 11:30 PST today:

https://webcams.vivalasvegasweddings.com/play/index.php?eventID=3796

Breaking Las Vegas.

Leaving for another trip next week, though only in Vegas for a day...

... and finishing in Albuquerque.