July 4, 2010 – Day 2

The pictures are:
1. Guards at the White House – 55lb of equipment, 500 rounds of ammunition each.
2. The Korean War Monument – very thought provoking.
3. Entry to the Presidential Box at the Kennedy Center
4. The Washington National Cathedral

We awoke to a beautiful clear day and walked the ¾ of a mile to the White House for our 9am tour. What fun. We had to go through a lot of security and checks and double-checks but it was worth it. We basically saw all of the White House except the second and third floors. You couldn’t bring a camera into the White House, so there are not pictures inside that we took.

Then it was back to the hotel to pick up our camera and we took the subway to the Lincoln Memorial and then walked to the Vietnam, Korean and WWII Memorials. We were having a great tour of the WWII Memorial when a young girl in the group fainted. So the tour guide had to help her.

We hoped a cab then and went to the Kennedy Center – what a place. There are six theaters in the Center from very large to very small. We had a very nice guide who showed us the entire place including the different Presidential boxes at the different performing halls.

We ate in the Kennedy Center and then took the subway and a cab to the Washington National Cathedral, the second largest Cathedral in the United States, behind St. John, which we saw last year in New York. We spent at least an hour there being a tour by a delightful guide. A massive choir and orchestra were practicing for a concert and the performance was wonderful

We then took the subway about ½ hour to the Easter Market which is the largest outdoor arts & craft market plus a really large food market. We got there just as they were closing so we will probably go back early tomorrow morning.

Then we went to Georgetown and to the Apple store to switch out Barb’s iPhone because hers broke. The store was wonderful and we got the new phone and with their recommendation, went up the street in a great Italian restaurant. Barb had a huge crab cake and Ed had a sirloin salad - a really wonderful meal.

We took a shuttle back to DuPont Circle, walked around and then walked the couple of blocks to the hotel.

Time for bed for tomorrow is the 4th.

Love to all -

July 4, 2010 – Day 1

Our first day in Washington

The pictures are:
1. Checking in a Rep. Tim Johnson’s office.
2. Our tour guide – Tyler
3. Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery
4. Our new friend from Paris

Well we woke up at 4:30am and it is not 10pm and we are gong to crash as soon as I finish this blog.

The AirTran flights were right on time and we arrived at Ronald Regan Airport at noon.

A quick cab ride and we were in the hotel. They upgraded us to an Executive Suite and it is just perfect. We are right on Embassy Row so it is really neat looking out the windows.

We walked a couple of blocks to the subway and rode it to the Capital and went to the office of Rep. Tim Johnson where we were met by and Intern, Tyler. Tyler then took us on a 3 hour tour of the Capital, including the House of Representatives. It was a lot of fun.

After the tour, we found a neat pub and a chicken wrap. Then it was back to the subway and out to Arlington Cemetery, where we took an open-air tour bus around the cemetery. We timed it just right as we saw the last changing of the guard at 7pm – very special.

Back to the subway, we rode it to DuPont Circle and then walked towards the hotel. On the way, we found a huge organic market where we went in and got some soup and a salad. While we were sitting outside in their seating area, we met a lady from Paris who was traveling in the US. She sat with us and we talked for some time about a lot of subjects.

Then back to the hotel and sleep will come soon.

Tomorrow at 9am - the White House tour, again arranged by Rep. Tim Johnson.

July 4th in Washington D.C.

July 4 weekend - 2010

Continuing with our tradition to visit as many neat places with fireworks, we are visiting our nation’s capital this year.

We leave on AirTran at 6:40am on Friday, July 2 and arrive in Washington DC at Noon.

We are staying at the Courtyard by Marriott, Embassy Row and will go there immediately from the plane because we have to check in and go to Representative Tim Johnson’s office for a 2:40pm tour of the United States Capitol.

On Saturday, July 3, Representative Johnson’s office has arranged for us to go on a tour of the White House what a special tour this will be for us.

Both of us have been to Washington DC in our past lives, but not together so this should be a great time.

The fireworks should be fantastic and we are looking forward to them as well as seeing everything we can in a very short period of time.

As this had been a hectic last couple of weeks, with the Bloomington Gold show, Barb’s job on the airplane is to catch up on her sleep and then pick out the places that she wants to visit and away we will run.

We leave Washington on Monday at 2:59pm and arrive back in Bloomington at 6:17pm.

Las Vegas – Day 4

The pictures are: - The Venetian Hotel
1. The view from our room
2. The new City Center
3. The buffet at the Flamingo

As we have every day, we got up late and were out of the room by 10:30am. We then headed down the strip to see some of the new developments.

Plant Hollywood has a new hotel casino and is it ever spectacular. Of all the casinos on the strip, it was probably the prettiest to us. But, we really, really do like the Venetian.

We ate a not so good lunch on the street and then went into the new City Center property. This just opened property is the largest privately financed development in the world. It consists of several hotels, one huge casino and a number of condominiums and office buildings. As you can see from the picture, some of the buildings are even built on an angle.

Then we worked our way back up the strip, stopping at the Beliago and Caesar’s Palace.

At Caesar’s we sat in their huge sports book and watched the last period of the US vs Canada hockey meet. What an event to see on their big screens and when the US tied the game, the crowd in the sports book went wild. Then we had to leave to go across the street to see an afternoon show at the Flamingo. Before the show, we were able to watch the finals when Canada won.

We saw a magician by the name of Nathan Burton in a very fast-paced magic act. We had front row seats and it was a really good performance. Then it was on to their buffet as we had purchased a package that included the show and dinner.

After that it was back to the Venetian where Ed had absolutely the best run that he has ever had. Barb had just arrived when the steak started so she got to cheer and it was almost unbelievable. There were three of us at the table and everything went right for a really long streak for all of us. As best we can figure, Ed won 18 out of 20 hands, and then lost twice and he stopped playing to protect the winnings for the best run ever.

We then took a cab downtown to see how that area had changed. It was about the same as it was in 2001 when we here before but it was fun seeing and walking in this area again – it is so totally different than the strip. We went into a number of casinos and did well.

Finally it was time to go back to the Venetian and we crashed for the day – a really long, fun day.

See every one on Tuesday. We will write about Monday if anything happens, but we plan to get up late, go to the airport and come home.

Las Vegas – Day 3

The pictures are:
1. One of the lobbies.
2. One of 8 pools.
3. The fashion show at the mall
4. Dinner in the room during the game

Well we awoke late to cloudy skies, but there is not snow and we didn’t need a jacket to walk around the strip so the weather was great in comparison to Illinois.

First we walked around the hotel complex – wow. There are 8,108 rooms. A total of 64 restaurants and bars and over 150 shops. They, whoever “they” are say that “this is the largest 5-star hotel complex in the world” and it is really big and everything is over the top, even for Las Vegas.

Our walk around, tourist trip today was to go to the big fashion mall a few blocks away from the hotel. We found out that they were going to have a fashion show on a runway in the mall, so we stayed around to watch it. Then it was pizza in a nice restaurant in the mall.

Next we went to the sports book at the hotel and placed a bet on Syracuse.

Then it was onto the casino for an afternoon session and we both lost – but we are still ahead for the trip.

After the casino, we went to see an acrobatic show in the afternoon which was fun.

We had reserved a couch in the beautiful sports book to watch the Syracuse game and eat; however, when we got there they had Tony Stewart from NASCAR and he was going to be giving a presentation and Q & A’s until 7:30pm. We had a private large TV with our couch but we couldn’t hear because of Stewart so we left and had dinner in our room and watched the game which Syracuse won.

Then it was onto the casino for our evenings play and it wasn’t a very good session for Ed. Yesterday we were up and today Barb was up and Ed was down.

We cashed in our winning Syracuse basketball ticket – should have bet more but we really don’t follow sports betting.

People watching was fun and the “kids” just streamed into the hotel going straight for the entertainment venues. There was a big deal in the front of the casino because Kim Kardashium (sp) was on the property - a red carpet and photo backdrop and lots of photographers were set up for her arrival. We didn’t wait!!

Everything was so crowed – they said it was their biggest Saturday of the last 12 months. We have walked and walked and it is very, very crowed and so it is time for bed – a fun Saturday.

Las Vegas – Day 2

The pictures are:
1. Inside Ceasars Forumn shopping area.
2. The antimated statues.
3. Pete Rose and no customers!!

What a nice day it was – the tempteture were in the middle 60’s. Just nice enough to go outside without a jacket.

We found out yesterday when we checked in that this was going to be the biggest weekend for the hotels as over 150,000 fans are expected for the NASCAR races. What fun we had today just people watching everyone arriving and walking the streets. I forgot to tell you yesterday that last night, the city blocked off the main strip street and the semis for NASCAR drove at high speed up the strip with a police escort – what a sight that was.

Ed slept late and woke up at 7 and went downstairs and had two business calls right away – but that is just fine – the iPhone is wonderful to use.

Barb slept in until 10 and then it was up and out of the hotel. This time we walked south along the strip. We headed for Caesar’s Palace and the Forum Shops. They had expanded since we were here in 2001 and we wanted to see the new shops. What a place it is with every top of the line store there is. Then we watched the two major shows that they have inside the mall - the fountains and sculptures that are animated – a fun show.

As we were leaving the shops, we walked by a sports shop and right in front was Pete Rose who was supposed to be signing autographs, but amazingly, no one was stopping to get his autograph. Barb wanted to go up to him and ask him why he shattered so many dreams, including hers. He was her hero at one time. This was a very sad sight.

Lunch was at the Cheesecake factory where we split a sandwich

After dinner it was to the theater to see Phantom of the Opera and wow, what a play. Even though this place is jammed, we were able to get great center main floor tickets from the casino host. The sets were amazing and there is no question this show is not coming to Bloomington with this set-up and with scaled down sets it just wouldn’t be the same. It had to be maybe the best musical that we have ever seen.

Then it was back to the hotel for a casino session where we did well. As a matter of fact we had the perfect session, Ed won and Barb beat him with a jackpot!! A great night.

Las Vegas – Day 1

The Pictures are:
1. The room
2. Barb waiting for Ed
3. Part of the front of the hotel
4. Street performers in St. Mark’s Square
5. Outside the restaurant where we had pizza.


It was up at 4am and to the airport by 5 and after going through security, we walked right on the plane. The plane arrived in Atlanta ½ hour early, but there was no place to park the plane so we sat on the taxiway for the ½ hour!

The flight to Las Vegas was just fine but that is a long flight – over 3 hours. We arrived at the Venetian at 12:30pm and checked into a beautiful room. Maybe one of the best we have ever had that wasn't on a beach with a balcony.

The room is 650 square feet. You walk into a hall, with a huge bathroom to the left, then the bedroom and two steps down to the living room. The bathroom has a tub and a separate shower, gold fixtures and a TV, one of three in the room.

There are also 3 phones, each with two lines and even a fax machine installed next to the desk. Then the curtains operate by a remote control! The couch in the living room could probably seat 8, at least.

We walked across the street to the Mirage to the Carnegie Deli which has been rated the best lunch on the strip. What a sandwich we shared. We also sat next to a couple who had just arrived from Australia and they had to drive 5 hours to the airport and flew for 14 hours – and we thought our flight was long.

Later it was onto the casino to check in with a host and set up our line of credit. We then went for a pizza at the indoor St. Marks square and ate in the square.

Then to the casino for a little while and it was then time for bed.

Our first day was very long and we are tired.