Jade and I

This week my granddaughter Jade is staying with us. She is 10 years old and a very smart, beautiful, and loved child. Her idea of a quest is somewhat different than mine, but I thought I would share our recent adventures.

Inside the Excalibur hotel is a arcade called Fun Dungeon and Jade loves to go there. It  has  the usual games such as ski ball, basketball, laser tag, horse racing, claw machines, pole fishing, ring toss, etc. We predetermine what she is able to spend, and she shops around for the games where she thinks she will be able to garner the most tickets. The tickets are the focus of her activities. If she is successful at a game, she stays and plays a few more times.  If the tickets aren’t coming, she moves on to something new.

Of course, the prizes purchased with these tickets are not commensurate with the amount of money it requires to earn them. Adults and children are somewhat disappointed by the selection of Items they can “afford”. But jade is a good sport and cashes in her 166 tickets for some “Big Eyes Girl” hair accessories, a bracelet, and a wand. She also won a stuffed bear at the pole fishing booth, and a plastic “highlight yellow” cup at laser tag. She had her picture taken next to Sponge Bob with all her prizes, then next to the two games where she won the most tickets.

Another place we visited was the Chinese restaurant near our house. It is quaint and quiet and the food is tasty. The staff is friendly and Jade and I had a leisurely lunch. We enjoyed doing what has become a favorite hobby of ours, money origami. We each folded currency into pants, a shirt, a butterfly, and a heart that has a flower in the middle. The ladies at the restaurant loved our dollar origami, and Jade and I shared a special and lovely afternoon together!

The Bellagio Conservatory

When Chuck wants to do something nice for me, he takes me to my favorite free attraction on the Las Vegas Strip, the Bellagio. To me it is a free glimpse into the world of the cultured and affluent.

First, the parking is graciously convenient, allowing you to park within yards of the conservatory. When you walk into the building, you are greeted with marble floors, and the unmistakable fragrance of flowers. You view the conservatory almost immediately   upon entering, with bursts of color, pattern, and movement. Beneath a 55 foot tall glass ceiling this atrium provides a feast for the eyes with sculptures and tableaus created with flowers, petals, seeds, plants, trees, water, fish, fountains, and much more. The presentation changes four times a year, with "shows" such as penguins or polar bears in the winter, butterflies and carousels in the spring, multihued leaves and wooden bridges in the fall, and lemonade stands and ladybugs in the summer. With each scene there is a magical quality that draws visitors from around the world. I love to watch the expressions of the guests, marveling at the splendor of the scene before them. People take their pictures in front of the blossoms, or the scenes with such delight it makes me smile. The sense of awe is pervasive.

Then, to make a great trip even more marvelous, we head outside to watch the fountains of Bellagio. Most people have seen the fountains on television, an impressive display of water and music. But like anything worthwhile, it is best seen in person.  It is difficult to describe the exhilaration you experience when you witness the perfect synchronization of music and sprays, jets, fountains, and mists of water, punctuated with lights and soothed with fog.

I average a visit to the Bellagio conservatory and fountains four to five times a year, welcoming each season with a trip to the hotel where the well-heeled stay. But as my mother likes to remind me, “even a cat can look at a king”.

To see a video of the changing of the “shows” visit http://www.vegas.com/attractions/on_the_strip/bellagioconservatory.html

Camping on our Honeymoon

This winter I will celebrate my 33^rd year of marriage. When I think back to our very first vacation as husband and wife, the memories that come to mind include a clear, cool, spring fed mountain tributary, aptly named the Frio River. This waterway has 10 acres of riverfront winding through a 1,420 acre recreational area named Garner State Park. This is where we spent our honeymoon.

The park is located in the Texas Hill Country, in a unique natural sub-region called the Balcones Canyonlands. The canyons consist of limestone, shale, marl, and siltstone uplifted to an elevation of 2,000 feet, creating a spectacular view of the landscape, the river, and the wildlife. We walked the  rugged terrain bursting with juniper, oak, cypress, mountain laurel, and cactus. We spotted the both the axis and white tailed deer, squirrels, lizards, and countless birds.  Chuck and I fished on the embankment, where we could see the brim swimming among the tree roots and vegetation. We tossed our hooks baited with worms, chunks of compressed white bread, fish roe, and diced hot dogs in their direction.  The fish, however, were hesitant to dine on this paltry fare.

Although we were not totally isolated from our humankind, the park was in it’s off season due to the cooler weather. We met a few like-minded visitors, who relished the brisk outdoors. We were sensible enough to rent the more substantial lodgings (compared to tent sites).  Our rustic cabin had a kitchen, living room with a wood burning fireplace, bedroom, and bathroom. The gas wall heater barely warmed the rooms, and we bundled up in layers of blankets, socks and mittens at night to ward off the chill.

This was our first of many forays into the world of camping. Since that first trip, we have slept in sleeping bags under nothing but stars, camped in tents in the woods, dozed off in on a mattress in the back of a pickup truck, and “roughed it” in RV’s at campsites. Garner State Park was the start of many years of exploring nature.

feeding the fish

Las Vegas has a plethora of diversions to offer visitors, and I enjoy the sites on the strip and Fremont Street as much as any tourist. But when my husband and I want to spend our time with a more leisurely amusement, we head out to Lake Mead, approximately 30 miles Southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada.  When we drive over the crest and first glimpse the lake in the distance, the sapphire blue water sits like a jewel amid the distinctive desert landscape and red canyon walls. The rust colored rock walls surrounding the lake are highlighted with a white “bathtub ring” which is a clear indication of the 130 foot drop in the water level resulting from the 11 year drought.

Within the Lake Meade Recreational area, Hemenway Harbor is located off Hwy 93. It docks houseboats which are rented to families and groups to serve as their temporary living quarters while they float along the lake’s surface and fish, camp, sun, and party.  A long dock made of interlocking platforms that float above the water, roll and shift as we walk these prefab planks. At the end of the dock is the harbor, where you rent the boats and a little store where you can buy supplies.  My husband and I like to go there to feed the brownish-gray carp which congregate at the dock to gulp down the popcorn, bread, chips, and other treats the humans offer. These fish were introduced in the 1880’s and have become a nuisance for some, but a delight to others. They congregate in the hundreds at the edge of the docks and open their salmon colored mouths reminiscent of baby birds begging for their meals. People delight in tossing them bits of food and watching them edge out their neighbor to snap up the treats. They are so thick in some places that they look like one solid carpet of grey scales and gaping mouths. The local ducks venture as close as they dare, hoping for some scraps missed by the greedy fish. But I seek out the birds in addition to the carp to make sure they get a morsel to eat. If you have never seen this spectacle, I highly recommend it. Chuck and I usually bring our own loaf (or loaves) of bread, but if you forget, they stock popcorn at the store for the tourists who enjoy this delightful commotion.

http://www.nps.gov/lake/index.htm  Map and Information http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/oct/02/carp-entertain-visitors-do-little-else-lake-mead/ photos of the carp

familiar roads

Although the ocean is my favorite natural environment, I do appreciate nature’s diversity and the varied environs which earth and water has to offer. I like tranquil country creeks, rushing rivers,  grand lakes, serene inlets, and  woody swamps. I like forests, meadows, hills, mountains, and deserts. Yes, deserts. In fact, I truly enjoy my excursions from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Pomona, California driving to see my mother.

I enjoy the clear vistas of sand in hues of cream and tan, dotted with Joshua trees, crackly tumbleweed, delicate wild flowers and scraggly mesquite bushes.  I find the sand dunes calming in their timeless patterns of rising and shifting sand. The sturdy mountains in their muted shades of buff, sepia, moss green, lavender and gray encircle me. The open space and long road that stretches before me summons me to unwind, decompress, relax, and be still. Of course, not too still, as the responsibility of driving forces you to be aware.  

The dry ephemeral lake beds in the distance give the impression of water when the sun reflects off the salty crust of the earth. They look like a mirage and I like the way that they trick the eye. The presence of water in this desert centuries ago is evidenced by the alluvial fans formed at the base of the mountains.

Yes, I truly enjoy the trip from Las Vegas to Pomona, and am always on the lookout for something novel to appreciate.

Lasting memories

Imagine the double pleasure of going to the beach and an amusement park at the same time. That is what we did when I met my sister who lives in Pittsburg at my parent’s house in Pomona California. Mom and Dad had planned a trip for us to Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, in Santa Monica California. The park was lively with families, young couples, and more seasoned travelers. There was a roller coaster which seemed to circle the entire park and a nine story Ferris wheel which gave us an expansive view of the beach and the park. We ate the typical carnival food, including hamburgers, funnel cakes, and ice cream.

The park sits atop wood planks and stilts, above the sand and the surf. As we ambled among the boardwalk games watching patrons try to win stuffed animals, the smell of the ocean and the cotton candy added to the charm. I could hear the ocean waves and the screams of the delighted children and teenagers as they rode the roller coaster. We enjoyed the park, but the best part we saved for last.

We walked down to the sand, took off our shoes and socks, and made our way to the shoreline. My father was not particularly fond of walking barefoot, especially in the sand, and it was a difficult trek for him. The cold water was not something he relished, but he did all this along with the rest of us because he knew that this was making a memory. He knew that standing in the waves with his wife and two of his daughters, was somehow a gift that he was giving us by which we could remember him. We took pictures of each other, facing the camera, with the blue expanse of ocean behind us and the sun radiant on the water beneath a brilliant sky. I will always remember that selfless gesture from my dad. We all knew that he was ill, but had no idea that within a few months, he would go to be with his heavenly father.  I marvel at how things change in our lives, and how important the simple things are, like walking barefoot in the sand.

Sharing Favorite Travel Spots

Everyone has a reason for traveling and a favorite spot they have visited. Perhaps you travel to get away, to find yourself, or to experience adventure. You may stay within your home town, or travel across continents and oceans. You may travel alone or with your family. You may stay for a half an hour, a day, a week or longer. Whether you travel light or check in extra luggage, traveling gives you a reason to look for simple treasures, both tangible and intangible. Travel provides an opportunity to explore the world we live in and discover ourselves.

I enjoy travel of any sort, and look forward to the surprises and subtleties that new destinations have to offer. I find that the trips I have taken with family are the most memorable. One of my favorite memories is my trip to Atlantic Beach in North Carolina during the winter months. The shore was almost exclusively ours, as only the hearty souls would weather the cold spray and biting wind. But my husband and I bundled up and walked on the sand, looking for shells, listening to the surf, and feeding the gulls. We watched the sunsets and talked and drank hot chocolate on the balcony of our rented hotel room.

The beach is totally different during the summer, with tourists and the traffic and the noise of the city. I like the beach any time of year. In fact, we had a family reunion at Atlantic Beach the next summer, and I smiled as the grandkids flew kites in the strong breeze, and delighted in seeing the children playing in the waves. We had hamburgers grilled outdoors where we could eat in deck chairs and watch the tide roll in. The whole clan would walk along the pier and watch the fishermen haul in fish and baby sharks and stingray caught with shrimp or cut bait. Young men would throw Frisbees to their dogs and children would build sandcastles. I cherish that vacation, as well as the November my husband and I had the whole ocean to ourselves as we sat wrapped in blankets watching the water and the sky meld into each other as the sun went down.

Do you have a favorite place to visit, and a favorite travel memory?