Technology, Books and Other Neat Stuff

It seems to be a tradition among LJ users of my aquaintance that when in the south west of the US, one must visit the Grand Canyon. In order to make sure that I kept up the tradition, I spent this afternoon in a helicopter, travelling over the desert from Las Vegas to the southern end of the canyon, and had one of the best experiences of my life...

I'd never flown in a helicopter before, and was more than a little apprehensive. But, as the ground fell away beneath me, and we rushed headlong over desert, mountain, cliff and canyon, I found myself enjoying myself more than I've done for a long, long time...

Like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon is one of those places that more than lives up to the hype. The sight of the huge walls of stone looking over the river leaves you in awe of the power of nature, and of the aeons that unfold in the strata. The bleakness of the desert and the beauty of the colours of the rock and sand are something that will remain with me for many years.

Pictures can't do the day justice, but I filled the card in my digital camera, and flattened the battery on the video camera...

I've quickly edited a sample of the pictures from today, and so ( you'll find them behind the cut... )

Keeping with yesterday's champagne theme (first, brunch, then the helicopter ride), yesterday evening started with a kir royale...

We'd walked down The Strip to the Bellagio, another of the theme resorts, where we'd booked a table at its Picasso restaurant. Like many of jonhoneyball's dining suggestions over the years, this one was another hit. A subtle and tasteful place (yes, in Vegas!), Picasso sits by the Bellagio's lake. While you eat, the lake's dancing fountains leave bright patterns in the night sky, a new constellation of water and light. The restaurant walls are lined with original Picassos, from sketches and ceramics, to huge canvases.

We ate from the chef's tasting menu, a selection of dishes and wines...

( Gastroporn inside! )

Walking back we watched the volcano erupt outside the Mirage. A surreal end to the day...

...the unmarked 737s that fly from Vegas to Groom Lake every day...

I need my fix of Area 51 conspiracy theories!