Today was going to be one of A's highlights! A visit to the Hoover Dam! The dam is the one major reason why man has been able to establish such a presence in the middle of the Mohave Desert which spreads across 5 states! The Colorado River winds it's way through the desert and it is amazing that such a major river still exists in such inhospitable conditions! The majority of the water stems from the mountains that dominate this region of the states. The snow melt from the winter provides much of the water and even during the dry season it still powers its way through the dry, dusty lands,
Although a spring had been discovered in Las Vegas in the 1800's by explorers trying to get a route to the west coast. Las Vegas means 'The Meadow' and the water supply had been kept secret he Native Americans. However, this discovery opened the area to human exploration! Although the water supply was not enough to allow the numbers of people who live in the area now it was enough to establish a settlement.
As time went on it became more and more important for a solution to be found to allow industry, people and towns and farmers to harness a supply of water to mean they could exist in the area despite the over powering heat experienced there all year! Thus, in the 1920s during the Great Depression, a plan was hatched to harness the power of the Colorado River instead of it controlling the people! President Hoover gave he go ahead for plans to be made to Sam the river at the best point possible! After a great deal of surveying the perfect place was found. A huge dam would be built across a deep gorge and a vast man made lake would spread back into the valley covering hundreds of square miles. The lake, Lake Mead, has over 500 miles of coast!
Before work could commence a settlement had to be built! Boulder City started to spring up and a railway line was built! Boulder City was built to ensure the workforce of over 3500, working on the dam alone, was kept away from them temptations of Vegas and the gambling and loose women that even existed then! Nevada was one of the few states at that time to have legalised gambling!
They were picked up at 7.45am at the bus drop off point. They were going in one of the 'Pink Jeep Tour' SUV's and there would only be 10 people on the tour! John picked us up and we were soon strapped in the plane style seats and heading off into the desert. John gave a running commentary and told them all about the rise of Vegas, the plans for the dam and how it changed the area for ever. Even at 8am it was already extremely hot. As the bus neared the dam we could see some of the lake stretching in to the distance.
We left the freeway and headed up the lad to the dam and soon we were looking across at the huge new bridge that has been built across the mountains that surround the dam and then the dam below. Again the first time you see it your breath is taken away. The structure is amazing and considering it was constructed over 5 years in the 1930's you can see why it is recognised as one of the most amazing engineering projects since the pyramids were built in Egypt thousands of years ago.
We are stopped by homeland security - which amounts to two guys looking in the back of the truck. Just as well they Did of look under the seats!! We're cleared to proceed and we make our way across the dam in the jeep following the original road that was located on the dam. We park at the far side and get out! The view is amazing. The first sight is of the overspill area where water would go if the lake was to rise beyond its limits. Runnng out of this is a 400foot tunnel which is 50 feet in diameter which would take the water to the bottom of the dam to be released in the river. A similar overspill area is located on the other side also. However, only twice since 1930 has the lake been full to its maximum level! This can be seen by the discolouration of the rocks round the lake side. The water has chemicals in it that bleaches the rock and so you can see a distinct line round the rocky sides of the lake where the water has risen too. They had thought of everything!
We now make it on to the dam and walk round the curved structure in searing heat. The lake is used for recreational purposes and boats sail on it, water skiers use it and people fish in it! At the lower side of the dam groups raft down the river on trips through the gorge. 21 of the bus tour company were doing that today and they would see the dam from the bottom of the vast wall. At both sides buoys mark the points where users of the lake or river cannot pass due to safety issues and because of security. Anyone getting closer would soon be picked up by homeland security officials and questioned. This is a prime terrorist target and even before getting in to the centre we go through airport style security.
Before the dam could be built the river had to be diverted to allow the workers to dig down to Thebes rock of the valley hundreds of feel below. Two tunnels were drilled through the mountains to divert the water and this took two years before they could actually start work on the dam.
Stretching out of the water on the dam side of the water were four huge columns. These are the columns where thousands and thousands of gallons daily are sucked into the power station turbines to create electricity before the water is released once more on its way down the river. The dam not only provides water for much of the surrounding towns and cities round the neighbouring states it supplies vast amount of electricity into the national grid. Very little of this goes to Vegas and over half of it goes to LA to help powers the vast metropolis there.
They take photos as John shares stories and information about the dam and I get a few photos take . I must admit I was not overly happy about being perched on the top of a 700 foot high concrete dam to get my photo taken! One puff of wind and that was it - chow!
A'the other side of the dam we saw the various memorials that have been erected over the years since its opening! Of the many deaths that happened during the construction the first and last was a father and son! The father had died while surveying the area in the planning stages and his son died at the end of the construction period which is an amazing story.
We then make it to the official tour area. We descend tote entrance and John gets our tickets. We queue for a refund as the part of the tour to the power plant cannot go ahead due to technical problems. We get to see the information film of the dams history and look round the exhibit before making our way to ...you guessed it the shop! Then it was time to meet John and head back to Vegas!
The four hours of the trip had flashed past and the experience will remain with us for a long, long time. The sheer size of the dam and the construction of it in a time when there was little in the way of mechanical tools and everything was done by man really let's you see why this is such an amazing construction project. The new road that now passes above the dam to Vegas and the vast arched bridge that now spans the valley is another engineering marvel. No one that visits the dam will come away without being affect in some way! Although different to the Grand Canyon it is equally impressive in its own way.
What a great trip - a true highlight of the trip.
They make it back to Vegas by about noon. They go to the room and plan what they will do now. L soon has a list of the things they want to see! So, they are off to get tickets for a show tonight, to see the Eiffel Tower, the fountains at the Aria hotel and the flower displays and chocolate fountain at The Bellagio Hotel
The heat outside is once again stifling. As they go they dip in and out of the hotel lobbies and casinos to make use of the air conditioning to cool them down! After a short walk they make to the tickets booth at The Flamingo Hotel. This is the hotel where Donny and Marie are performing at present! They have to queue for around an hour and it is so hot A is worried that L may pass out! But eventually they make it to the head of the queue, despite many in the VIP lane getting in before them because they had paid a surcharge to get in quicker! They get tickets for 'The Legends' show which happens to be in their hotel. But they can not pay by card as they have no photo ID! If they had been told this they would have taken it with them! They could pay cash but would still need to present photo ID at the theatre before being admitted!
After this they really needed some food! They went in to the next hotel, The Paris Las Vegas, and entered another huge casino, shopping mall and a myriad of food outlets. At last they went too French, surprise surprise, cafe to get a sandwich!
After this it was off to the Aria to see the fountains. This was a bit of a disappointment and perhaps they didn't get to the right place! But again it was an amazing structure and was full of more high end designer stores. So, they move on to The Bellagio. This is perhaps one of the fanciest hotels and when you enter it you are blown away by the architecture, interior design and the flowers! The hotel is vast, surprise surprise, and it is really one of the nicest we have seen. It is stylish and spectacular and does not go for the 'knock them out with bling' approach! It is more subtle but very impressive. The flower displays are hanged around 5 times a year according to the season. The lobby is vast and the roof is covered in large glass flowers that look like something from the set of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Then through into the main part of the hotel the 'gardens' are a spectacular vision of colour with each part having its own theme or style. The flowers are used to create figures and animals and are a sight to behold. We continue into the hotel looking for the famous chocolate fountain. Apparently it is the largest chocolate fountain in the world. It is located in a very stylish chocolate shop/cafe and the chocolate pours out from the roof into a vast array of glass petals that over flow on to other ones below before disappearing under the floor no double to be pumped up again to start its journey once more! Dark, milk and white chocolate flow constantly and you want to be able to stretch your paw out and interrupt the flow to have a taste. Better not or we may be shown the door!
After all this excitement it is back to the hotel at about 4pm for a rest. It has been a long day and we still have the show to look forward to at 9.30pm. The Legends is a show featuring many of the great legends of music including Tina Turner, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Elvis! Should be good! I hope I get to go to! I can peep out of the bag and enjoy the music!
Will update with photos soon!
Ted!
Just back from 'The Legends' show! Went out for a light snack as they were not overly hungry! They went to The Venetian and found a little French cafe, note the theme today, and had a fruit salad and a cake! They then went for a wander round Venice again before heading back to 'The Harrahs' for their show! The theatre was up on the second floor and was very quaint! There were the VIP seats at the front and then booths and tables at the back of the theatre! While the audience came in a photographer went round a took photos that you could buy on the way out! Four different photos were taken - typical Facebook photos with your cheeks (face!!) pressed together and one with a kiss and one with the lady on her own! So...did they buy......did they heck as like! The helicopter photo was different but this was not quite the same!
However, it was a good show! We were not sure who would be on and it seems that the line up was slightly different to the night before! Donna Summer was on first, followed by Tom Jones (who really looked like he had been tango'd!!) and then Lady Gaga! Then The Blues Brothers made an appearance and the show was rounded off by The King! All the performances were very good and they even looked like the acts and sounded great! The accompanying band was excellent and they made all the difference! Oh....and the dancers ...they were excellent! Some very interesting costumes!
The show was over in what seemed a short time and it was just a pity that there was not a full audience there! But they enjoyed it and they can say they saw a show in Vegas!
Tomorrow is going to be a quiet day! For the first time on the holiday they, and I, will get a long lie! No early Morning calls, no early bag pick ups and no early start! It will be great!
Will update soon!
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