Sunken Japanese garden

Posted on November 21, 2015November 21, 2015 by Dusty Roads

As we left the Buckhorn Saloon and boarded our tour bus the first rain drops splashed on the bus windshield. It looked like our luck had run out and the rain was finally going to move in.

Since the rain was light and sporadic we continued on to the last stop on our tour, the Japanese Gardens sometimes called the Sunken Gardens.

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These gardens, bridges and waterfalls are situated in an old quarry. What a great way to beautify what could have been an eyesore.

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There is supposed to be a small train that runs through the grounds but the rain seemed to have sidelined it as other than catching a glimpse when we first arrived, I didn’t see it again.

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I loved the tower when you first arrive. It made me think of the mysterious Newport Tower in Rhode Island.

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Newport Tower

In spite of the rain and overcast it was easy to see how pretty this area is with bridges, Koi fish and waterfalls.

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I can imagine this would be a beautiful place to explore in more detail or to just sit quietly and appreciate the beauty of nature.

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Anticipation

Posted on August 8, 2015August 8, 2015 by Dusty Roads

In the words of Carly Simon

Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting

And that’s where I am with travel right now.

It looks like work has really slowed back to a manageable/ normal pace. I even have another weekend off! But this time I have a sick kitty so I’m sticking close to home to keep an eye on him. It’s Buddy and he woke me up this morning vomiting. Cats throw up but this is different. He’s not barfing hairballs but just clear bubbly fluid. Fingers crossed he’ll bounce back quick.

So I took the time to get my travel plans pinned down and submit my time off requests at work.

The first trip planned is late fall and it’s an Amtrak vacation. Sandy & I will fly into San Antonio for 3 days. We’ll get to experience the river walk

and see the Alamo.Then it’s onto the train for a day on the rails traveling to New Orleans.

I’m sure I’ll have a lot to say on this trip and lots of pictures to share. Something to look forward to…Like I said…Anticipation!

Gatorland

Posted on March 30, 2015March 30, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Gatorland was certainly a high point for the trip. Between you and me, my young guests said they liked it better than Animal Kingdom!

Gatorland gets you up close and personal and if you are into big lizards there are certainly enough gators and crocodiles to satisfy all.

Besides the gator wrestling show you have a chance to sit on a real gator in the ring just as if you were doing the wrestling. Of course your gator has his jaws taped shut for safely.

There’s also the feeding frenzy where handlers hand feed the big gators and even a few crocs. They send chicken carcasses on lines out over the gator pond to encourage the animals to jump for their meal.

Other gator ponds are open to feeding by the guests. You buy a package of hot dogs and break off pieces to throw into the ponds near the gators.

You try to get the hot dogs close to the gators because the birds will steal the bits right out of the gators’ mouths. They seem to have no fear.

Beautiful Bellagio

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015 by Dusty Roads

I don’t know Vegas well enough to say what is the most beautiful or the most sophisticated or the most anything. Everything we’ve seen and experienced so far in Vegas has been over the top but I did love everything about the Bellagio, from it’s dancing fountains to the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

I have a video of the fountains but so far have not been able to complete an upload so until then here is a still photo to share the experience with you.

Chihuly in the lobby

The Gardens decked out for Chinese New Year.

Time For The High Roller

Posted on March 7, 2015March 7, 2015 by Dusty Roads

We took our time over lunch at the Venetian but finally it was time to begin our trip back toward the Linq. We had show tickets and we didn’t want to miss out on riding that huge Ferris Wheel. The High Roller.

The High Roller is at the bottom of the Linq promenade which makes it fun just to get to it with all kinds of shops and fountains along the way.

We bought our tickets from the concierge at the Linq. The price changes from the daytime to nighttime rates at 5 pm. It was 4:30. We would get the day rate while enjoying a desert sunset.

From the first time I saw the High Roller all I could think of was Star Wars. The white pods just made me think of something from one of those movies. It only needed a storm trooper!

Inside wasn’t what I expected. I had heard of wedding parties renting the pods and bars set up in them but they hardly seemed big enough for a crows, especially a rowdy crowd intent on drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been on a Ferris Wheel enclosed like this.

The wheel is 550 ft high and the ride from start to finish is about 30 minutes. The pods move at about 1 ft/ sec and it never stops turning. Unlike a Ferris Wheel at a fair where it stops and starts to let passengers on and off, the passengers on the High Roller enter while the pod is slowly passing them by.