Change of Plan

The view from our window at the Paris Hotel, looking past the Eiffel Tower towards the fountains at the Bellagio.


After 4 sunny days in Zion the forecast turned cold and rainy for both Bryce and the Grand Canyon. In fact, the day we were supposed to drive over to Grand Canyon Village we saw in the newspaper that the coldest place in the continental US that day was ... Grand Canyon Village at +3 degrees. Much as we wanted to see the place we figured it probably wasn't going anywhere and that we could wait until it warmed up a bit later in the year. So we decided to go looking for the sun again which brought us back to Las Vegas for the last 4 nights of the trip. After surfing around for a place to stay we found that it would cost as much to stay at the Paris Hotel on the strip as it would have to stay at a Comfort Inn or Residence Inn located further out. So...we're staying at one of our favorite hotels and, as an added bonus, the weather has turned sunny and warm again.

Our time in Zion was great, but we did experience a wide range of changeable conditions that punctuated the generally sunny (but chilly) conditions in the park. In rapid fire succession we awoke to passing rain showers, a hail storm that lasted about a half hour and covered the ground, a snow storm that lasted all thru breakfast, and blustery winds that kept trying to blow the car off the road. Interesting Spring weather.





And here's the daytime view from the window

Been doing some exploring around town - away from the Strip at any rate. We've talked about possibly using Vegas as a "Wintering Over" base for 3 or 4 months per year and wanted to check out some neighborhoods. Actually, we've considered making a move from Vancouver and just establishing residency here (it's tax free for retirees too), but am not sure we're quite ready to take that plunge. Still, the area has a lot going for it what with its close proximity to the National Parks in Utah and Colorado (California too for that matter). The problem would be the heat of the summer, although I suppose we could just schedule our travel around the hottest months...sort of like what we're doing now in Vancouver but in reverse. Lots of considerations to be weighed at any rate.

One of our day trips was out to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area just west of the city. Really a pretty place as you can see from the photos, with lots of red sandstone formations. Did one short but rather arduous hike up to a remote mountain pond that had a sweeping view of the Las Vegas Valley with the city off in the distance.


Along the walk...before the rock-hopping began.



The goal of the hike was this nice little pond about a mile and a half up the trail.



And about 10 minutes further on was this perch overlooking the valley, with the city of Las Vegas off in the distance...maybe 30 miles away.




We continued the drive up to Mount Charleston - a popular winter sports area - where we drove up into the last of the Spring snow at about the 7,000 ft. level. There are some great hiking trails in the area but they were still buried beneath the snow at this time of year. Should be open in about a month if the current rate of snow melt continues.

We're here for a couple more nights...flying back into the rains of Vancouver on the 29th.

Spring Trip

Looking down on Palm Desert in Southern California from our hike in the hills.

We've found the sun! Seems it spends the winter months in Nevada and Southern California - Who Knew?

Arrived in Las Vegas on the 15th and spent a few days in the city just thawing out, soaking up the sunshine, and generally enjoying the place again. Didn't do any gambling but walked around the strip taking in the sights. Had booked one show - the Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian Hotel, so stopped there to collect our tickets at the Will Call window before we returned for the show the next evening...which was terrific. We really enjoyed the night out. I even wore a coat and tie for the first time in 4 years for the occasion. Had pre and post show drinks at a bistro in the hotel that looked out over the lagoon where the gondolas were paddling up and down. Much nicer (and warmer) than our trip to the real Venice a few years ago when we nearly froze to death on a blustery early Spring day. The Gondoleers were in much better voice too. Good thing we left early - it was St. Patrick's Day and traffic was creeping up the strip thanks to all the party-goers out and about. Just what Vegas needed...one more reason for people to get hammered.

After 3 nights we headed south to Palm Desert in Southern California to visit Frank and Maureen Davis - Frank's an old friend from high school. They split time between their nice little place on a golf course in the desert and their house in Cerritos - a suburb of Los Angeles not far from the Downey/South Gate area where we both grew up and went to school. Enjoyed hanging out with them for a couple of days, and even getting in a short hike up into the foothills, before driving up to Zion National Park where we are now.



Springtime in the desert


A good look at the trail thru the hills. Really was a nice hike - wouldn't want to try it in July or August however



We even found the Palms of Palm Desert at this little oasis along the trail.


Drove back thru Joshua Tree National Monument...lots of these guys as far as the eye could see.



Arrived in Zion just in time for an afternoon hailstorm - it actually covered the ground and turned everything white for about half an hour before it all melted away. Nice this morning though - scattered sun and temps in the mid 50's - perfect hiking weather. As you can see from these two photos there's still snow at the top of the canyon so we stayed low. Found a flat hike just outside the park that worked its way up along a pretty little mountain stream coming out of the hills. The Cottonwoods were just greening up along the riverbanks, and the desert flowers were in bloom which made for an enjoyable day.





Lots of interesting rock formations with the evidence of the years, millennia ago, when the area was an inland sea.

The weather is supposed to be cooperative for the next few days before turning showery for our departure day on Friday. It's forecast to be cold and snowy in Bryce so we're going to skip it and drive around to the Grand Canyon instead. Still supposed to be a bit chilly, but at least the forecast is a bit more promising than Bryce Canyon.

Searching for the Sun

After being home from the Mexico trip for 3 weeks - and having it rain virtually every day - we've decided to give up on Vancouver and go looking for the sun. Will be flying to Las Vegas later today for a brief two week trip that will include short stays at Zion and Bryce Canyon NP's in southern Utah, and a side trip down to Palm Desert in California to visit some old friends from High School. Hoping for lots of good weather and the forecast looks promising.

Will be nice to actually have to use sunscreen again anyway...

San Miguel Part Cuatro

We cut the trip to San Miguel a little short due to the construction noise coming from the house next door. Too bad, because we really enjoyed the town... and this area of Mexico in general, but the racket got to be a bit too much after a while.

Must confess that my previous image of Mexico was formed from visits when I was younger to the border towns of Mexicali, Tijuana, Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros and Juarez. We both found San Miguel to be a world away from all that. Safe, secure, beautiful, clean and friendly to visitors - it was just a pleasure to be here. We enjoyed it so much, in fact, that we spent part of our final week looking at other places to stay in the town for a more extended trip next winter. Guess we've really become snow birds now, because we found a beautiful, old, "hacienda" type property not far from the Centro area around the Parroquia, and booked it for two months next December and January. It's in its own little compound, with the home wrapped around a pretty little garden with a fountain.


A view of the back of the house looking up from the garden area



The Estancia...essentially a covered patio at the rear of the home that looks out over the garden. The photo really doesn't do it justice.


The dining room just off the Estancia with the garden in the background.



A view from the upper terrace looking towards the fountain in the garden. It really is a pretty little place.


We were sorry to leave Mexico, especially considering the weather that was waiting for us in Vancouver the day we departed. We left behind endless summer days and 85 degree temperatures for the endless rain and 36 degree temperatures that met us on our return. Talk about a shock to the system. Took a few days to get re-acclimated to winter weather and the general idea of not being able to go outside anymore, not to mention trading summer shirt sleeves for winter woolies again.

We didn't expect to enjoy San Miguel as much as we did, but the little town really worked its magic on us, and we're looking forward to a much longer stay in the beautiful house we've booked for next year.