Last Monday started our most recent trip to Las Vegas for the annual Parker Chiropractic Seminars. Tara has gone the last two years, and Dan went two years ago, but we both went this year. The Conference is a great time to hear from some of the best professionals in the field and even a few guest celebrities. This year Suzanne Somers was at the opening ceramony. Instead of flying this year it was decided to drive with Jeff and Bobbie Jo on a 16 hour road trip to fabulous Las Vegas. Bellow are a few highlights from the trip and our drive getting there. We left Monday the 12th and drove through the night with the exception of gas/ bathroom stops. On the way we almost detoured to the Grand Canyon (one of the greatest wonders of the world) but as it was really early when we were passing and didn't think we would be able to get in we skipped the hour detour (both ways) and drove straight through. Here we are on the Las Vegas side of Hoover Dam. This was the first time vising this marvel for either Tara or Dan and we both enjoyed it.
A little higher on the Las Vegas side looking down the front of the Dam. We thought it was neat seeing where the power lines were at the edge at an angle for the lines going to the bottom.
The Arizona side looking down the back.
Some of the new construction they are doing. Working on a bridge that will bypass driving over the top of the dam. Really neat to see in this stage where they are working on the under support for the bridge that will meet up in the middle (hopefully they got their measurements right) and ultimately support the surface that will be driven on. At least that is our guess from all our bridge building expertise.
When we got to Las Vegas we decided to stretch out legs and walk around the hotels since it was early morning there and one of the rooms was not ready. Here we are inside the Bellagio in their indoor flower garden. Dan really thought that the panda's were done well. Thought how wonderful it would be to have something like them in the back yard at home, but then thought how much maintenance it would be so I decided on just taking a picture instead.
Chocolate pouring from the ceiling. Can there be anything more wonderful? Really neat to see how it was pouring from one tray to the next, and came out of a slit in the ceiling. It was running like a waterfall but smoother and creamier.
Some delectable treats that looked to die for. We got to eat some like them, just not as large, when we went to the lunch buffet on Wednesday. So many yummy things, and only so much room in the stomach. We went to the Buffet on Wednesday around 10:15 and got breakfast price. At 11 ish they started putting out lunch foods. By the time Dan and Jeff were done eating it was a little after 12. That's right, a two hour buffet and eating great foods for most of the time. Needless to say Dan didn't eat anything else until dinner when he got a burrito from Chipotle. Still the best burritos around.
Some fabulous chocolate work that was displayed in the same chocolate place. High on display a little bit over head. I'll bet it tastes even better then it looks.
More walking around and we got to M&M's World. 5 floors of M&M products and so many colors of M&M's This is just a shot of the middle. probably another 6-7 feet to the left and 3-4 feet to the right.
Movie posters in M&M Fashion. Couldn't get very many, but these two came out decently and were the one's that I liked the best.
A View of the New York, New York hotel. Some day we would love to visit and see the sky line of the real city, but for now this will work for us. Still amazed at how large these hotels are, and the detail that goes into making each one.
On Wednesday night we went to see Titanic exhibit at the Luxor. This is the only picture we could get, because they didn't allow photography inside. Some of the exhibits were amazing though. In all they had more then 800? artifacts that were on display including "the Big Piece" which is an actual section from the outside of the ship that was over 26 feet in length, 13 feet in depth, and weighed more then 15 tons. It had four whole port hole openings and half of two more. The piece will be displayed there in Las Vegas until 2018 so go see it if you get the chance. The exhibit took you through so much you actually felt you had walked on the ship buy the time you came out.
Looking out from the Bellagio toward the Paris. We watched the fountains from this location once, and it was really fun. Just a different take from watching from "The Strip". Two years ago we ate dinner at a restaurant across the strip from the fountains and were able to watch them while we ate dinner. Incredible to think how they make such a wonderful show out of water, music, and light.
Just another view that we really liked.
We stayed at Harrah's this year and it was perfect for walking at night due to it's position on the strip. Leaving the hotel and going one direction we found our favorite dinner spot Chipotle! and ended up eating there three times. We truly love their burritos and their guacamole, nothing else compares. Going in the opposite direction was a street vendor booth, and amazing talent. Great to see some people putting spray paint to an excellent use. We watched several time,s and thought about buying one, and then we watched the "Oriental" being made and knew that we loved it. This was the first the artist has made in this type of design. he told us that he was thinking about a picture he had seen on his phone on the way to the booth that evening. Most of the pieces we saw were of Las Vegas scenes and of other nature types like the black and white one at the bottom. First view of completed art when it was done and laid out for the audience to view.
Here is the same picture in out hotel room under different lighting. I can't wait to make some frames for them and get them hung up in the house.
Black and white nature print. Notice the depth of the print with the birds in the waterfal and the mountains in the top of the picture. Wish you all could see the video of how these were made, but I couldn't get it to post as part of the blog. I will keep trying an post later if available.
After getting done with the conference on Saturday evening around 6 pm (8 Central time) we got in the car and headed for home. Again we drove through the night, and made it to our house around 12:30 on Sunday afternoon (Central Time). Tara is taking a nap to make up for what she didn't get in the car last night, and I'm getting this ready for all of you. What a great week and a great time visiting Las Vegas. We are so blessed to be able to go with Jeff and Bobbie Jo to such an amazing conference. Since we didn't win the $10,000 giveway they had at the conference, we get to go to work tomarrow and start back to the real world again.
Playing fetch.
