Yosemite - 'It's tree-y'.

A quote from my sister there. As we drove the 8 hours to Yosemite from Vegas, the landscape changed from desert...

 

to, as Emily said, definitely more 'tree-y'...

The next day, we got out into the park itself.

El Capitan:

Tree Hugger. Had to be done.

Yosemite Village - this must be the most rustic Post Office in America!

Apparently the Native Americans lived in Yosemite before the explorers came along!
I doubt this is an original teepee.

Half Dome:

Bridalveil Falls - pretty much just a trickle in August!

We had a picnic on Sentinel Beach at sunset, right in the middle of Yosemite!

And although my iPhone camera wasn't quite powerful enough to be able to see, the darkness below is from our night spent stargazing - without light, we could see millions of them, including the North Star Polaris.

Even for someone not really outdoorsy, Yosemite was just beautiful!

Fremont Street: The Real Vegas

So a bit north of the Strip is the old downtown area, Fremont Street. Before the Strip swallowed it up, this was the place to be!

The Golden Nugget, the first casino in Las Vegas!

A personal favourite, the Heart Attack Grill - if you weigh over 350 pounds, you eat for free!

And here are the scales outside to prove it.

I've got a bit of a way to go.

We ate at this great seafood place, Mickie Finnz...

...they even had a lobster grab machine!

Over the street, they have a great light display, with music and everything!

Very patriotic.

All in all, Vegas has been a very strange but fun experience - I'll definitely be returning when I hit 21!

  

VIVA LAS VEGAS.

So here's the thing about Vegas...it's pretty much a playground for adults. Adults being over 21 that is. With not being able to drink, gamble or go to clubs, I'm sure most of Vegas is lost on me.

So what's left is the sightseeing, the shows, the pools, the buffets and shopping! Still not bad in my book.

And everything is just so convenient. In a single day, you can jump between Venice and New York, a Medieval castle or a Pirate Ship, and that's just the hotels! It takes a while to realise that the attractions ARE the hotels.

Here are some of my snaps from the Strip!

Obviously the classiest hotel on the Strip.

We're in Venice! (not really)...



And New York, New York, It's A Wonderful Town!

Monster Sandwich.

I think I know a few people who will appreciate this - they stole our joke!

The 'Sirens' - Waterworld it was not!

Dessert Buffet at T.I


We also got tickets to the Cirque Du Soleil at Treasure Island, which was intriguing and weird in equal parts. Everything from stiltwalkers and trapeze artists to adult babies and at one point a giant snail. It's all part of Vegas!

Hitting Vegas Baby!

After a 5-hour drive through the desert...

...tumbleweed...

...we eventually hit Vegas!

We're staying at the Luxor, which is an Egyptian-themed resort.

Dizzying views inside.

We arrived pretty late, so we went straight for dinner...in Paris.
Not the real Paris of course. The fake Las Vegas kind!


The fake Eiffel Tower...

The Fake Arc De Triomphe...

 

And even fake sky!

Escargots! (if you don't know, google)

La Famille in Paris.

Tomorrow we're exploring The Strip!