Second stop in the desert: LAS VEGAS & GRAND CANYON

SECOND STOP IN THE DESERT: LAS VEGAS and GRAND CANYON Mandarin Oriental, 3752 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89158, USA

After just 1.5 hours flight from San Francisco, we landed in the craziest city in the world that never sleeps. No clouds in the sky and 41 degrees (so hot!): Welcome to Las Vegas! The airport is parallel and in close proximity to the Las Vegas Boulevard. Approaching the city, you already get an idea of the city in the middle of the desert. The party-loving, cool flight attendants from JetBlue, the very successful low-cost airline from NY, gave us the best Las Vegas tips. Off to the hotel with UBER-Taxi.

Checked in at my absolute favorite hotel chain: Mandarin Oriental. Despite jet lag and a beautiful room on the 15th floor overlooking the city, you just can't get tired here - let's go. One step out of the hotel and we are on the Las Vegas Boulevard - all the hotels are gigantic (you automatically get funneled through the hotels as you walk along the boulevard). The hotels have a giant casino right in the lobby and you can't walk past it without going through all the shops (open until 2:00 am!), bars, and casinos. Music at breathtaking volume constantly accompanies us - Jens feels at home :- ) And from now on, smoking is also allowed indoors, cold drink in hand and observing the "winners & losers" of the night... exciting!

The hotels outdo each other with shows, entertainment, and decoration - the Bellagio hotel with the giant fountain that "dances" to Elvis music, the Venetian hotel with a replica of an Italian city center including a shopping mall, the New York New York hotel with replicas of the most special buildings in the world (Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and so on), an incredible roller coaster around the hotel, and beautiful gardens (replicas of carousels, hot air balloons, etc.) ... typical America: BIG & GIGANTIC! And everything is spotlessly clean and very well maintained.

The looping roller coaster from the "New York New York" hotel was a MUST - Jens screamed during the entire 4-minute roller coaster ride - and afterwards: "the craziest roller coaster ride of my life" - YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed. Gain balance again. The perfect preparation for the next day: IT'S GRAND CANYON TIME!

The second day in the desert started with an early wake-up call - I didn't need it because of the excitement: The helicopter team from "Mavericks" picked us up at 8:00 am at the hotel. Checked in at the helicopter terminal and weighed briefly - and there we were sitting next to Captain Jameson M. Ault in the helicopter cockpit. A very meticulous pilot from Kentucky. Jameson has been flying for Mavericks for 8 years. Unlike in a Cessna, the helicopter first hovers parallel to the runway. The nose points downward - and suddenly up to 1.5km (3,500ft) altitude. Jameson explained a lot about flying helicopters - we flew with a column of 5 helicopters to the Grand Canyon. Past the gigantic Hoover Dam, a new dam that has just been rebuilt and dams the Colorado River. Nevada, Arizona, and California are supplied with water from Lake Mead - right on the border between Nevada and Arizona. And: This is where Carlo completed the Iron Man. We couldn't imagine doing sports in these temperatures. Incredible. The name Hoover Dam comes from the 31st US President, 1933, who had the dam support as an election promise.

Suddenly, a small artificially created city appears in the middle of the desert: Celine Dion, Mike Tyson, and other stars live here - on an artificial lake!

Finally there: GRAND CANYON: It is located 400km from Las Vegas: The 450-kilometer-long gorge in Arizona that was carved into the rock of the Colorado Plateau by the Colorado River over millions of years. The canyon is one of the great natural wonders on earth. A width of 7 - 30km and a depth of 1.5-2km. You can already see from a distance what awaits you. From now on, there was silence in the helicopter and we couldn't close our mouths. So beautiful. After a 2.5-hour flight, we took a break at "Eagle Point". A glass observation platform at an altitude of 1.5km in the middle of the Grand Canyon. If you have a fear of heights, this is not the place for you. Heart palpitations.

2-hour return flight to Vegas: By the way, Las Vegas was created when travelers took a break on their way to Los Angeles in the early 19th century. Motels and cafes were built directly along the route. Robberies and crime followed. And then there were people with money: The first casino was opened. From this "rest stop" for Los Angeles visitors, the gigantic Las Vegas has become what it is today.

We visited the origin of Las Vegas at the end of our Vegas days: Fermont Street. About 10km from the Las Vegas Boulevard / Las Vegas Strip. Here, there is a "party mile" that is mostly visited by older Americans who still remember the "good, old Vegas days". Neon signs like in the early 1950s, classic American diner restaurants, and a lot of crazy street entertainers - the entire street is covered by a huge neon screen with various patterns. Here you can "book a flight" from one end of Fremont Street to the other (about 1000m). You are tied to a rope and pulled over in no time at all - quite dangerous. And most "passengers" had a green face :- )

Today we were able to relax at the beautiful hotel by the pool and enjoy the warmth. So, now we are looking forward to PURE NATURE after lots of city, entertainment, American food, and many impressions: Canada and the bears of Vancouver Island are waiting.

NEXT STOP:
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Ellerslie Bed and Breakfast, 6470 Mystery Beach Road, Fanny Bay BC V0R1W0, CANADA www.ellersliebandb.com