Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Vegas, Baby, Vegas

Part Two of our holiday was a two-day excursion to Las Vegas, where Ash and I both have some family. My cousin took us out into the desert to Red Rock Canyon, just outside the city. It was a side of Las Vegas I did not know existed. (The "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" commercials do not cover this for some odd reason.)


Having just watched the Desert segment of BBC's Planet Earth, I knew that a keen eye can observe a surprising diversity of plants and little critters among the parched sand and rock of most of the world's deserts. I was not disappointed. In addition to the bright rock that gives the canyon its name, we saw bushes, flowers, cacti, grasses, crickets, lizards, and webs of some sort that I refused to approach because they may have contained spiders.


We stopped for a picnic lunch at midday and enjoyed the stunning views on all sides.

We did make the obligatory visit to the Las Vegas strip as well. We saw the fountain show in front of the Bellaggio Hotel, which was admittedly very impressive. (Ash asked me whether I would like to have the job of making the fountains perform to music. Yes, I think I would. How does one get into fountain choreography?) Then we cruised through the lobby of the hotel for a look at their indoor flower garden and the bazillion dollar ceiling of Chihuly glass sculptures.




6 comments:

montague said...

oh how gorgeous! i've never been to that part of the world but it looks stunning! and when you become a fountain choreographer can i be your assistant?

limonana said...

ahhhh...love these photos put together, well done! there is something so pure and mysterious about deserts...i've always secretly wanted to be a modern day bedouin because of it. :)

Elizabeth said...

Amy - For sure I will need an assistant with my fountain choreography.
Limonana - I hear you about the modern day bedouin--I would love to know the desert better.

Sabrina said...

amazing photos...

Chilli said...

This ceiling was probably one of the few things that I loved seeing in the city of Vegas. I'd hoped to be very thrilled about being there....I love lights!! But there was an underlying something to most of the spectacle that ruined it for me....I can't exactly place the feeling, something akin to a lack of class in the middle of the overwhelming opulence?? I don't know.
The ceiling is superb though!!

Facing Sunrise said...

Is this the photo used for one of the google chrome backgrounds??

I was searching for desert photography and came across your website. . . I'm just getting back into photography and am finding my sea legs, so I might visit your blog now and then for inspiration if that's okay with you. :)

~jennifer