Neon Vegas

The tour guides do a good job of walking through the development of technology over time. The progression from bulbs, to channeled bulbs, to simple neon and complex multi-colored and fantastic design follows the path through the site.

I’m a big fan of the original CSI TV show. It was quite a treat to compare the glitz and sharp edge of the city portrayed on TV with the dusty and seedy reality. North on Russell is the covered boulevard, with street performers and buffets and a million lights overhead. The main section of Boulevard, with casinos like the MGM Grand and Bellagio, lights up with LED fixtures now.

Old Vegas

Casinos line Las Vegas Boulevard. Tourists walk the sidewalk and browse the shops. Cars roar and crawl in traffic. The hotels and casinos have larger and more elaborate signs than ever before. But it all started with millions of flashing bulbs in thin metal signs. Old casinos were swept away for larger and more luxurious high rises. These signs remain.

Family Gathering

Many relations from across Texas and Oklahoma arrived at the country estate in west Texas. Parents and grandparents from both sides mingled. From my point of view, the stars of the show were Anna and John’s five girls, several of whom took part in the ceremony. I marveled at the young women Holly and Martha have become.

Dinner

Our hosts included dinner and dancing after the ceremony took place under a large tent. The sun broke free of the clouds as it neared the horizon, allowing some wonderful directional light with which to create artful photographs.

Canadian River Walk

After an easy passport control check, we went straight to Skylon Tower for the best view of the falls. Two ferries take passengers into the mists of the falls, one from the American side and a sister from the Canadian side. We walked along the riverside after riding up the tower, and spent the evening touring the city looking for dinner.

Niagara Falls, New York

The American side of the falls feels like a tourist trap. The main attraction consists of a large state park and the concrete jungle of junk shops that abut it. The roar of the falls amazes bystanders, and visitors get very close on the American side.

Posing next to the statue of my hero, Nicola Tesla, made one of the highlights of my park visit.

Night Lights

We tarried on the Canadian side of the falls in expectation of the show. As night fell, giant spotlights blazed forth across the river. The ever-changing red, white and blue colors made for a very patriotic display, for an American at least.

Oranges

Florida grows oranges. The village displays a citrus packing house with sorters, juicers, and smudge pots that were used in the fields. Our helpful guide informed us that many of the orange groves have moved farther south over the years, so that there are few working orange groves left in Osceola County.

A Big Party

The size of the festivities surprised me. I couldn’t count the number of cars arrayed in the open field. The scene appeared more like tailgating outside an NFL game than the modest and slightly geeky gathering I expected. There were film crews and safety crews and TV crews rows of food trucks selling barbeque and beer. Everyone seemed in excellent spirits, especially the men seated on a couch perched high above the bed of their truck.

Living on the Lawn

It is considered a great honor to be nominated to live in one of the rooms on the lawn. I walk along the colonnade often on my way across Grounds. One rainy night after a meeting I caught the twilight sky and artificial lights shining from the wet bricks.

Trail in the Woods

Almost 5 miles of trail around the reservoir, and most of it is well maintained and a good hike. This day the trail was a bit muddy due to the recent rains.

The Dam

I took a series of photos here on the dam and created a Photosynth panorama of the reservoir.

Sailing

The resort offered an hour of water sports equipment each day gratis. I’ve always wanted to sail a boat. So I signed up for one and got it launched. The two assistants joked that it was my first time sailing, but I think I did alright. I went out past the swimming area and up the coast a thousand yards then turned around. Perhaps next time I will hire a guide.

Joy and I took a two person kayak out near the wreck.

On the Beach

The beach at Bahia Principe slants down to the sea. In June it gets hot so the many palm frond umbrellas make prime spots for lounging. June is the off season so there weren’t too many guests.

Going to Dinner

Bahia Principe is an all inclusive resort, so food and drinks are included. Each morning we would go to the buffet and most days we had a snack just off the pool. In the evenings we dressed up to try the different restaurants.