Stateside
Tom and I spent 2 weeks exploring California and Las Vegas before flying off to Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA. Our mega trip started off with a bang when we went to Granada Pavilion for a "gala" evening of dancing the night after we arrived in Los Angeles.
We visited Oxnard, The Reagan Library, Santa Barbara en route to Hearst Castle, Big Sur, Monterey and Las Vegas.
It was quite a thrill boarding Air Force One as the " First Couple "
The Reagan Library
Margaret giving her " inaugural address " to the nation ....
Tom and Margaret had a memorable day
exploring The Reagan Library in Simi
Valley, California
Hearst Castle is near San Simeon in California off the Pacific Coast Highway roughly midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The sprawling estate is more than 90,000 sq feet !!
Hearst Castle
The most visually stunning vista of the famous Hearst Castle on the Pacific Coast Highway in western California is the outdoor Neptune Pool. Photos alone do not project the grandeur of the pool with its turquoise hue, Roman architecture and ivory statues of Greek goddesses.
There is a 2nd pool at Hearst Castle - the indoor Roman Pool at the opposite end of the sprawling estate. It is the smaller of the 2 pools but it makes up for it by how ornate it is - bottom and pool and walls are tiled with inland gold!!!
Hearst Castle is a national historic landmark and was built over a quarter century from 1919 to 1947. It is far from any urban center but attracts millions of travelers every year.
Monterey
Monterey is a beautiful community about 100 miles north of Hearst Castle. It has a beautiful but rocky beach. I had my heart in my mouth as I watched with horror a couple of daredevil surfers trying to ride the waves crashing onto the jagged rocks.
I would love to have extended my vacation there instead of just passing through. It had a very scenic beach front with gorgeous trees for shade.
Las Vegas
Enjoy a sensation of coolness in the summer heat by watching the Fountain Display in front of the Bellagio Resort.
Take a 5-minute tour of Las Vegas by day and night by clicking the video below.
The Cosmopolitan is not to be missed - Be mesmerized by the stunning indulgence of the magnificent The Chandelier, a 3-tiered bar and lounge encased within $20 million worth of sparkling crystals. Patrons feel suspended inside a giant chandelier as they sip their drinks and people watch !!!
The volcanic eruption in front of The Mirage in the darkness of the night was a sight to behold. Tom and I could actually feel the heat radiating from the burst of flames shooting high into the sky !