08/12 Death Valley and drive to Las Vegas

Today, due to lack of alternatives, we are going to have breakfast at the buffet again. The price-performance ratio is not right here either... but there is only this one oasis in the desert, so you can offer the hungry guests any rip-off.

We now take a walk through the well-designed 'Ranch' in daylight, which is bordering on the bizarre, as palm trees grow in the hottest place in the world, you can walk through green meadows, and even a golf course has been built. But it is also called the 'land of unlimited impossibilities'. It is already oppressively hot at 10:00 am.

After check-out, we stock up on a gallon of water as a precaution, and then we drive to the most important viewpoints in the valley. As we drive away, the thermometer shows 41°C.

In order of priority, we drive to these stations:

Artist's Palette:
Hills shimmering in multiple colors due to previous volcanic activity.

Devil's Golf Course:
This gigantic salt desert consists of bizarre formations of salt crystals, some of which are as sharp as a knife. We already have 45°C upon arrival.

Badwater Basin:
Here is the lowest point in North America (86 meters below sea level), we walk out onto the salt lake, and Sammy is nearly freaking out because of the oppressive heat. The girls go back to the car with him, while Felix and Flo still 'enjoy' the unique atmosphere. As we drive back, the thermometer shows 47°C.

Zabriskie Point:
Beautiful view of the erosion landscape that originated 5 million years ago, Dani and Flo take some photos, the kids don't even get out of the car anymore.

Dante's View:
Here, the road winds up to an altitude of 1,700 meters. From here, we enjoy the view at a pleasant 34°C, overlooking the Badwater Basin.

We are fortunate to have visited the 'Valley of Death' at relatively moderate temperatures. In July of this year, the thermometers there already showed 54°C, just below the previous world record of 56.7°C.

In the late afternoon, we drive for about 2 hours to Las Vegas, where we check into the 'Venetian Resort'. We are initially overwhelmed by the sudden extreme hustle and bustle. We first walk through the huge hotel, with slot machines, blackjack, and roulette tables everywhere. Suddenly, we find ourselves (indoors) in front of the Grand Canal with singing gondoliers and St. Mark's Square, where delicious gelato is offered. Gucci, Prada, and Versace are of course also present - only the pigeons seem to be missing.

We stop at one of the Italian restaurants (of course) and enjoy a dinner that actually tastes good, including Italian red wine.

Afterwards, we venture out onto the Las Vegas Strip (it's around 10:30 pm). It's Saturday evening, probably the best time for a trip to Las Vegas - if you are alone or with a bachelor party, but as a family with children, it's somehow stressful, even though there is a lot of fun and crazy things to see.

Here, it is evident that the Americans have the best talent for entertainment. Everywhere there are lights, huge hotels, each with a theme or special feature. We pass by 'Caesar's Palace', a hotel in Roman style, 'Paris Las Vegas' including the Eiffel Tower, and we watch the water show in front of the 'Bellagio', a huge illuminated fountain.

Samuel has long been asleep in his stroller, so he doesn't even notice the strange mix of people in the crowds. Half-naked women and men who take money for a photo, astonished tourists, advertising leaflet distributors trying to lure customers to one of the numerous strip clubs, and increasingly very drunk participants of bachelorette parties all come together in a bizarre spectacle that is really fun to watch, as long as you can withstand the hustle and bustle. It smells like marijuana on every corner.

After the rather exhausting day, we go back to our hotel room on the 14th floor shortly after midnight. We even find it right away.