Las Vegas

So many people either went by road or flew to Las Vegas to get an extra day partying. We did think about it briefly but so glad we didn't, the train run was amazing and we also got in a day earlier than expected once again. So much nothingness dotted with old deserted mining equipment, the occasional small town with motels from films long ago and a tire swing in the middle of nowhere!



So in Las Vegas there are certain things most people do. Number one is gambling and I'm happy to say none of my money went that way. I am surprised the amount of slots there are here, I was expecting a higher percentage of tables. Slots are everywhere and I mean everywhere.

Drinking and partying is another common pass time and again we skipped that one. We didn't really visit any bars as it isn't really that much fun with a little one in tow. We did have a frozen hot chocolate though, and as nice as it was it is basically a thick shake in disguise.

We also managed to fit in a few shows the main one being Cirques 'O'. I enjoyed it but I think the late nights and not realising late nights are meant to be followed by a lie in, Willow was a little sleepy during it. We also saw The Mac King Magic show which was lots of fun, I think Willow probably enjoyed this more than 'O' she didn't really get the the spectacle of it all. The show that she loved the most though was Popovich Comedy Pet Theater. I knew she would love it and she was sold as soon as the first dog ran up to the mic and made the opening announcement for the show to begin.

One good thing about Las Vegas is the amount of free stuff there is to do. There was a lot of things we didn't manage to do or see but still lots we did.



We had our second visit to a M&M world only one more to go I think.

The Mirage volcano eruption was pretty good with fireworks and lit water explosions. We watched a little away from the action as Willow wasn't sure about a volcano erupting but you still got a good view.

The Eiffel Tower is meant to be built to half size, maybe I was a lot smaller when I saw the real thing as I'm sure it was more than double the Las Vegas one.



The Sirens of Treasure Island may have been better if you where closer to the action but it wasn't that great from where we saw it. Just show us the fireworks and sink the ship already!

The Fountains of Bellagio set to music were really pretty and because we watched on a windy day was also quite refreshing.



The Fall of Atlantis in Caesars palace Forum Shops looked interesting but it was a bit dark for Willow and she wasn't feeling 100% when we started watching it so we didn't see all of it. The fish tanks next to it were really nice though. The actually shopping center was really nice too, shame there were no shops of interest to us apart from the toy shop.

We were living closer to Downtown than the strip but only got over there on the last night. This is where the original Las Vegas was born and Fremont Street is the main area with the Fremont experience (a big screen of lights on the roof) which was OK but over very quickly. They also had stages with bands playing and they had tried to recreate a 60's feel to the place calling it 'Summer of 69'. I doubt it is what it was really like but it was quite a fun atmosphere and free.



The main 'great' thing about Vegas is we had friends fly over from the UK to visit. The sort of friends that within seconds of meeting it is just like you saw them yesterday even though it has been over half a year. And they were staying at a hotel with a pool which made Willow very happy.

Oh and I forgot to mention the heat, it is really really hot in Vegas even in the shade. Think hot and then some, it is in the desert after all.

So did Vegas live up to all the hype? Actually no, it just reminded me of a large scale Blackpool, glitzed up a bit. I did enjoy myself but if you take away the spectacle of the shows there really wasn't that much there for me. Recently I have been leaving cities thinking I could have spent a few more days and I'm sure it would be different if we where here on holiday with a holiday budget, but I'm more than happy to be leaving Las Vegas.

Colorado Springs

The scenery on this train run was quite different to the ones we had travelled before. The main difference was the flatness and openness. Often we travel for a while just seeing trees but this time you just saw open plains and the distance going on for what looked like forever. Willow pointed out cows and goats, because you don't see them every day do you. We had Magic with us again so managed to get off to walk him when the train stopped for a water stop, it was during one of these that we saw Tigger go past driving a freight train. And yes I mean the T. I. double grr. er. Tigger. The things you see on a train run!! So it is flat for so long and then in the distance you see mountains, big mountains. The Rocky Mountains and it all changes again.



So I have described train yards, dusty dirty places. Well Colorado Springs is the crème de le crème of train yards. Yes we are still on the parked on the grey rocks that you never seem to get use to having under foot, a total pain to walk on especially if you are rushing to get to the bus, but within a minute of stepping off the train we are a a wonderful park. Not just a strip of grass but a real park with a pond (which was called Willow pond due to the willow trees all around it) with ducklings and goslings swimming, blue herons standing on one leg, a turtle sunbathing on a rock, a children's play park with sandpit, an outdoor swimming pool, ornamental gardens, a nice river and loads of walking trails. We really don't get this on our doorstep ever so we made the most of it, even sitting by the duck pond to do school work. We spent quite a bit of time at the duck pond in the evening watching beavers play. They came right up to us on to the path. Yes I have seen beavers in zoos but to see a wild one in its own habitat so close was truly amazing and right on our door step. Even closer to our door step was a deer just wandering past the train and as I squealed at Willow it actually stopped and stared at me through the window, probably thinking 'mad human'.



Looking out the other side of the train is the most amazing view of the Rocky Mountains. It truly is spectacular to see snow peaked mountains so close, practically living in its shadow. I will be doing something and see them out the corner of my eye and remember they are there and just stop and take the sight in. I wonder if people who live here ever get bored of looking at them.



On the other side of the river we could walk down town, and what a lovely walk it was. It was an OK down town though nothing too exciting. Some old book stores, toy store, a couple of comic stores, some hippy shops, and loads of climbing, bike and walking stores. Colorado Springs seems to have a very large running/biking community which was very noticeable along the river trails in the evening.

We didn't manage to get right into the Rocky's and visit Pikes Peak but we did go to The Garden of the Gods which was pretty amazing. Tweedy also managed to take in some amazing views while white water rafting. Quite a large group went and it looked like they had a brilliant time.



With Willow not having to go into school this week, due to the lack of a teacher we only actually went into the building twice this week. Once of the first day and again on the last. It was quite pretty at the building being even closer to the Rocky's than at the train, but it was so peaceful and pretty by the train even the lure of Target didn't drag me in.



Again we leave a City to soon, I would have loved to have spent longer here but the next stop is Las Vegas which is exciting so makes leaving a little easier.

Omaha

This is one of the long train runs, three days. So we planned an escape to tunnel out to the public cars. We were running ahead of schedule so our plans went a bit squiff and it wasn't to be. It was still a good train run though but then most are, its a great part of the week. Our train master Mike is great as he managed to get a three day train run down to a two and a half which meant we had a full day extra in Omaha (thanks to all those that helped make it possible too). It's quite exciting when you expect to arriving at night but you actually get there in the morning. It was also exciting to go around the horseshoe curve and see the front of the train right in front of you.



The train yard was pretty nice as far as train yards go, it had grass! It was still very dusty and then dirty when it rained but its pretty much part of the course. Willow was able to play out there and we had a barbecue or a grill out for those on this side of the pond. It was also the second week in a row that the train yard and the arena where in different states. The Arena is in Omaha, Nebraska but we are actually living in Council Bluffs, Iowa. We were also close enough to be able to walk to the cinema so went and watched 'UP' which is a great little movie which we all loved and Willow was quite please to be able to see before its UK release date.



Before arriving in Omar I sent off for a visitors guide and it arrived just in time the week before. Flicking through it Omaha looked great but then I'm guessing most local guides will paint this picture of their town. Omaha lived up to the guide, its a shame we where not here longer as it was a short week due to the long train run.

Willow went on her first school trip in Omaha which also coincided with her teachers last day. There was Miss Johnson, me and eight children and I will freely admit I was dreading it. I will also freely admit a good time was had by all, including me. We also went and watch a 3D film 'Under the Sea' at the Imax cinema and we all received a kiss from a sea lion. We went in the worlds largest indoor rainforest, were amazed to see common old magpies in the desert (?) and got split into two groups in the nocturnal exhibit because we couldn't see. I'm not sure when we will get a new teacher so we are attempting the home school thing on our own, and so far so good, I'll go as far as saying it is working out not too bad.

While we were in town it was also The Omaha Food festival with a carnival and stalls and free music and stuff. It was right next to the arena in Gene Leachy Pedestrian Mall which was great for going out to play but I think it effected business quite a bit. The show was the quietest that it had been. We went over there a few times, even taking Tweedy once as he had an early finish on Sunday. Willow bounced in castles and I tried to keep to the diet, which is pretty hard at a food festival. Also close by was The Old Market area of Omaha which had some 'real' shops, you know the independently owned ones that aren't the same in every Mall in every city you go to and located in actual real streets and these ones were cobbled. I think those who go out and party a bit also liked Omaha!!




On Sunday when we had Tweedy with us we went to Bobs Bridge (or to give it, its proper name Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge) and wandered across. Stepping from Nebraska to Iowa mid water over the Missouri River. You can even feel it sway when you are in the middle, which I thought might freak Willow out a little as she was 60 foot above the river but she actually liked it.



The weather was odd while we were here, the sun was so hot Willow left with a lot more freckles than she arrived with but we also had some amazing thunder and lightning storms that I just love watching. Sitting in your home as it hurtles (OK hurtle may not be the correct word) across the American landscape watching the rain pelt down and the lighting streak across the sky truly is a great experience.

So we left Omaha a little to early for my liking but it is better that way than still being some where when you wish you could leave.

Trenton, New Jersey

This was definitely one of the quickest train runs we have done, arriving at 5am just a few hours after we left.

On our first day we went to see 'Night at the Museum II'. It was OK I guess but not worth the $55 for the cab. So we didn't do much else this week just because we are back to an impossible pedestrian area and cab prices where sky high. The train yard was also in the middle of nowhere but it was a very 'green nowhere' which is always nice, but it seemed to result in quite a lot of biting and sucking bugs, not so nice.

The train yard was actually in Pennsylvania and the building was in Trenton New Jersey so we had to go across the most bitter bridge in the world. Maybe there is a meaning behind it that I can't see but every time we crossed it, it just seemed to be shouting that it was mad with the world and so was Trenton. They even lit it up at night just so you couldn't miss it's anger.



I wasn't expecting much from Trenton, I had heard quite a lot of negative stuff about it so was actually quite surprised that it wasn't 'that' bad. But maybe that was just because I expected it to be 'so' bad. It does however seem to have been hit quite hard by the economy with even more boarded up shop windows than most places we have been to so far. We did find quite a nice little play park with a really weird static slide. Half way down you felt all the hairs on your arms go ping and you arrived at the bottom with your hair on end. The second you stepped off it was back to normal. Very weird!



That's about it really, not a lot to write home about.

Philadelphia

The train to Philly wasn't a 'long' one but it seemed like it was due to us running late. Its a bit of a pain when you think there may be a chance to get off at some point during the evening but the evening slowly turns to morning and you realise you may as well go to bed and wake up at your new destination. The train run itself wasn't that bad, though admittedly a bit rough. I helped Alice to trim Magic (well I think I helped) which is easier said than done. He is a wriggly little thing. When we were stationary at one point I tried to do my wii fit, but i just as it gets to the test 'stay as still as possible' the train lurches forward, resulting in my age not being far off retirement. We also passed some nice scenery this week, rivers and meadows and a prison. I'm really not sure what prison we past but I expect the crime rate is quite high in that area just because people want to go and stay there; baseball courts, really nice gardens and greenhouse and I'm not 100% sure but I guess the inmates have more space than most people on this train. For quite a while we ran along side the Hudson River and there where some amazing views and interesting stuff to see.



We caught the circus bus to the building on the first day here and found it was right next to the subway which was a major bonus when you are trying to work out which bus to catch and from which side of the road. We didn't do much once we got in to town, just got a feel for the city and also met up with Fanny (from La Fanfare) who just happened to be in town to see an Art exhibition. Considering she lives in Paris it was a great coincidence and great to spend time with her.

I'm so pleased we were here for more than one week and that Tweed had time off so we got to do more stuff all together. On our first day here Willow saw some of the duck tours and was adamant that she wanted to go on one of them. It was quite good fun and you got to here quite a bit about the history of Philadelphia. How did Benjamin Franklin fit everything he did into his life time? The water part of the tour on the Delaware River was more of a token gesture though, it was over very quick and we went very slow but fun all the same. Of course the favourite part of it for Willow was the duck bill whistle, called a 'wacky quacker' and quacking at everyone, we even got her a special edition bill in pink. The bills are great for the tour, but seriously a few days later (actually a few hours later) the novelty had worn off!



One of the streets the duck went down was South Street, which I suppose you would describe as the hip and happening part of town. We went there a few times, does that mean I'm hip and happening, hmm maybe not. Still it was full of great shops and bars and also one of my favourite stumble upon of all time, 'Isaiah Zagar's Magic Garden'. I'm sure lots of people don't get it but I thought it was great and Willow just kept saying amazing over and over, so I think she liked it also.




We visited China Town.
We went to Ikea, more than once.
We posed with the iconic Love sculpture.
We played with giant Monopoly and ludo pieces and sat on giant dominoes.
We said “Hi” to Rocky, Tweedy ran up the steps and did the pose at the top, I stayed at the bottom to take the picture (like I'm fit enough to run up there)
We had a Philly cheesesteak but wasn't that impressed, maybe we had a bad one.
We saw the Liberty Bell.
We splashed in fountains, Willows favourite was Logan Circle it had a turtle.
We went to a couple of parties.
We did so much.



And apart from the circus bus to the arena and the train from the arena to down town we did it all on foot, ya for a pedestrian city, thank you Philadelphia. I really liked Philly and it seemed a more livable city than New York and not just because of the cost.