http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas This is actually a compilation of pictures and places from various trips to Las Vegas over the last few years. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/4 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/4-Hoover-Dam-from-On-High What trip to Vegas would be complete without a side-journey to the Hoover Dam... in a helicopter! http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/41 wineries http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/41-Pahrump-Winery The second part of the helicopter tour went the other direction out to the Parhrump Winery. There we had a short wine-tasting lesson followed by dinner. I ordered the steak, medium rare, and they brought it pretty much still mooing. I sent it back, and 10 minutes later it came back still way blue. Sent it back again, this time it came back a couple of minutes later, quite well done, tough and obviously microwaved. By this time most of the other people in our group were finishing their meals, and I wasn't paying for it, so I didn't bother complaining, although I should have. The flight back was interesting - helicopter rides through the mountains in the dark are kind of scary. Flying down the Las Vegas strip at night was pretty cool though. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/20 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/20-Grand-Canyon-by-Helicopter Really, it's the only way to do the Grand Canyon out of Las Vegas without taking days. The map location I set for this entry is very approximate, because, well, I really had no idea where the hell we were. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/18 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/18-New-Years-Eve-in-Vegas Las Vegas on New Year's Eve is a sight to behold. The crowd was so thick we couldn't even cross the street. At midnight all the big hotels launched a simultaneous fireworks display from their roofs. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/10 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/10-White-Tiger-at-The-Mirage Is this the tiger that got Roy? Could be... http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/9 hotels fountains http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/9-Bellaggio-Fountains-at-Night-and-Day These fountains are, in a word, spectaculicious. Huuuuge jets of water squirting in time to music. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/8 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/8-Shopping-in-the-Aladdin They've pretty much perfected putting the look of the outside, inside. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/7 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/7-Jess-at-the-Rio What can I say. A look only a huge frickin' margarita can create. A tip: when going to the Rio for the buffet, don't order the 52oz margarita. You won't be able to drink a quarter of it you'll be so full. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/5 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/5-Mmmm-Schraffts-Ice-Cream For some reason I really liked this wall-sculpture in front of Schraffts Ice Cream. I can't quite remember, but I believe it's located in New York New York. http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/3 http://www.tripdiary.com/ian/vegas/3-Valley-of-Fire Valley of Fire is just outside of Las Vegas, about a half hour by car. It features spectacular rock formations and colors. These photos are a bit grainy because they were taken with my old film camera using film that was too high-speed for the bright desert light. The deep blue sky in the first photo is courtesy of a polarizing filter.