B at the Grand Canyon

Well, Betsy *and* some tourists, but she felt like they added some verisimilitude to the scene.

Contents of Betsy's Pocketby

The morning we left for the Grand Canyon, Betsy decided it was time to "clean out her pocketbook". I estimate about half the volume of the purse was emptied into the trash bin.

This photo is presented without comment.

The Grand Canyon

This was the view from the Canyon floor. It's an impressive sight, but by 10am, the light is sufficiently harsh that it isn't going to be winning any prizes for landscape photography.

Hoover Dam

Hoover is really my favorite dam -- I've seen it in person, and it's equally cool from above.

It's a Chopper, Baby!

While we were in Vegas, it was revealed Betsy had never seen the grand canyon. We didn't want to spend the time driving there and back, so I had an alternate suggestion (something I'd done some years ago): Helicopter tour of the grand canyon!

Off we went in a helicopter, departing out of the nearby town of Boulder.

Party at the Golden Steer

A few years back, my friend Cory recommended this steakhouse to me in Vegas. Despite being a vegetarian [1] [2], he somehow knew about one of the awesomest steakhouses in Vegas. Along with amazing prime rib, the place is straight out of the 50s -- red leather seats, guys in suits & tuxes serving you, and kick-in-the-head martinis.

Along with all this, they have these crazy sparkler-style birthday candles -- in the dim light of that place, they explode -- and the light is very unlike anything outside the fourth of July.


[1] I was once quoted as saying: "Asking a vegetarian for restaurant recommendations is a little like asking a quadriplegic for jogging trails". [3]

[2] Cory has since repented, and now eats chicken & bacon.

[3] Yes, I am a monster.

The Golden Nugget

The Golden Nugget, where we stayed, is also home to the world's largest gold nugget. They have it on display, and people come to gawk. :)

Swimming with Sharks

In Vegas, we rented a room at the Golden Nugget, a hotel where I've always wanted to stay. Think: resplendent squalor, or shabby chic -- and the centerpiece of the hotel is a gigantic golden nugget on display.

Perhaps the best part of the hotel is the pool area, which is vast and has a tank of fish and sharks swimming around for people to see as they slide through a transparent tube.

Liked this in B&W, but B liked it better in a Kodachrome-y blue.