Fillmore and Cove Fort

On the way back to Salt Lake City we stopped at a couple historical places. We stopped at Cove Fort which was built in the 1860's and is a charming place. We stopped in Fillmore as well. It was the territorial capitol of Utah for a while. I like the basement (to the right). They have portraits of people who used to live in or around Fillmore; it was a striking place with the stone foundation walls, the pipes and the black and photographs.

Old State House - Fillmore, Utah

Hinckley family log cabin - Cove Fort, Utah

The inside of Cove Fort; twelve rooms, twelve fireplaces, toilets out back - Cove Fort, Utah

Hoover Dam and Italian Gelato

The Hoover Dam is not far from Las Vegas. We decided to drive out there and check it out. The dam was completed in 1935 and has some great Art Deco details (like the statute to the right). The dam serves for many things. It supplies electricity and water for the surrounding area. It provides space for water activities. It is a tourist attraction and it is one of the major routes from Nevada to Arizona. The traffic was backed up at least 6 miles; there is only one lane each way going across the dam. They are currently building a bridge just south of the dam. It looks like it will be a very cool bridge. They have both ends finished and have started the huge arch! It is fun to see them working on it. I'm sure it will have a great view of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and Colorado River.

The Hoover Dam

On the way back to Las Vegas the idea of a treat came into mind... GELATO! And what better place to get Gelato then Venice? In our case, being in the middle of the desert and not in Italy, we had to settle with going to the Venetian on the Strip. The price was a little high, but the selection was very good. It was so hard to choose that I ended up with three flavors. The first was a kind I had never tried, Pumpkin. It was really good and summoned memories of Thanksgiving. The other two are two of my favorite and great together, Hazel Nut and Pistachio. After being in Italy I fell in love with those two favors, but I that combination doesn't always make me think of Italy. More often it makes me think of Barcelona and a pleasant warm evening walking through the park while eating some of the best gelato ever! :)

The Venetian - Las Vegas, Nevada

Ghost Town! - Grafton, Utah

Grafton, Utah - Along the banks of the Virgin River, just outside of Zion National Park, down a long muddy dirt road, you'll find the remains of the town of Grafton Utah. It was founded in the 1860's in an attempt to grow cotton in Utah's Dixie. The town was literally washed away only a few years after it was founded. The people of Grafton moved upstream a couple miles to where the remains of town are found today. By the early 20th century the town was abandoned and became a ghost town. It is an interesting experience visiting a ghost town. It makes one think about why we build things and why we abandon things. It shows that some things last much longer than the people who build them and yet much of what we hold dear is actually very fleeting and fragile.

Reflection in Grafton, Utah - Ghost Town

Grafton, Utah - The Ghost Town
(I love the ghostly shadows and clouds in this photograph)

Happy New Years!!! 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! This year I was in Las Vegas for New Years Eve. After walking around, seeing the sites, and people watching, we stood in front of the fountains at Bellagio. This is by far my favorite place in Vegas. One of my first Spring Break trips was to Vegas and the fountains are as amazing now as they were then. The fountains are set to music and are a simple and refreshing form of entertainment. I love watching people's reactions to the fountains. Looking around at the other people was like looking into the humantity; there were people of all shapes, sizes, colors, nationalities, backgrounds, social positions, etc. There were people singing to the music, dancing, laughing, smiling, and watching with wide eyes. The song doesn't last more than a couple of minutes, but during that time life is good and humantity is happy. I hope that 2009 brings more happiness to humantity and that we can stop and see the beautiful things around us... and that we don't forget that humantity is one of the most beautiful things around us... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Fountains at Bellagio - My favorite spot in Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas Boulevard

Las Vegas, Nevada

Happy New Years! 2009!