July 2, 2018 - Las Vegas, Flight Home

We departed Springdale the next morning, got on I-15 and headed for Las Vegas. It was a nice, easy drive.

We were soon out of red rock country and into the desert.

A big freight train with four engines. This is the first time I've seen double-decker containers on a train. I guess this train doesn't go through any tunnels!

We had some time to kill before our flight. I wanted to see the original downtown Las Vegas. I had heard they closed the street to cars and put a roof over it. And so they have. Here is the famous Vegas Vic sign.

Close encounters with a Wookie!

We walked a couple of blocks and that was enough. I don't know what it was in its prime, but this area now seems old, rundown, with a bunch of crummy people hanging aaround.

But when we walked through the Golden Nugget hotel to get to our car in the parking garage, it was a different story. In the center of the hotel is an amazing pool, featuring a 200,000 gallon shark acquarium, surrounded by a waterfall and circular pool, further surrounded by a beach where you could hang out in beach chairs, drinking an alcoholic beverage!

Driving south to check out the Las Vegas strip, we passed Circus Circus casino hotel.

Heading into the heart of the Strip.

We walked through the Flamingo casino. The Flamingo opened in 1946 and was the first luxury hotel on the Strip.

We were headed for Margaritaville!

And here we are, at Margaritaville for a lunch and Bloody Marys. I loved the Grumman Albatross replica hanging overhead. We watched Jimmy Buffett on big flat screen TVs. The volcano did not blow.

Jimmy Buffet is a pilot and used to own a Grumman Albatross. I saw it at Sun 'N Fun a long time ago.

Caesars Palace architecture is just impressive.

On our flight home, I had a window seat and was able to get some good pics. Here is Lake Powell.

In this picture you can see the Colorado River emptying into Lake Powell, where brown turns to blue-green.

And in a fitting end to our trip, the Grand Canyon comes into view.

It truly is big.

Looking down at the Colorado River. I don't know if we rafted that portion of it or not. It looks a lot different from the air than it did from the river!

Another, closer look.

Later on, I see some clouds for the first time in two weeks!

I don't know what this was: big fire, building cumulous cloud, tactical nuke? Who knows? Regardless, our vacation was over.

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