MUSIC IN MEMPHIS / ELVIS!!!!

Beale Street Memphis














Day 240

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

***
Day light saving in Perth has started. We're now 14 hours behind again! And next week, day light saving STOPS here in the US..so what does that make us - 15 hours behind????
***

The music here in Memphis is full of soul...and is deep and passionate! Last night we went back to Beale Street and ended up at a place called Kings Palace where we had BBQ chicken and steak fries...

And Jack Daniels and wine (which is crap in the bars in the US!)..

And really got rockin...

What a night!!!!




Graceland










And today..we went to GRACELAND.....It's about 15 minutes from Beale Street...(by bus) and oh, what a place that is!

It's huge..the grounds alone are just magnificant..Elivs really knew how to live. What's amazing is that he bought Graceland when he was 22 years old...in 1957 just one year after he made all the famed records...in fact, he had 100 records in the top ten..amazing hey.

No wonder he is THE KING of rock and roll.

















We learned so much about him...and Priscilla and Lisa marie by being at Graceland..and seeing his cars and airplanes..and his mansion..and his gravesite..(and that of his father, mother and his grandmother..who incidently outlived them all...!)

Graceland is awesome..

Just seeing his piano's and the way he decorated his house is incredible. It's real seventies..but so lavish and outlandish. Especially seeing it was 30 years ago that he died. Aug 16 1977.

I was trying to think if i recall that moment of his death...like when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon..but i can't! I had just turned 15..and don't recall it being a big event. Not like when John Lennon died in 1980. I remember that day clearly.

I think i just always thought Elvis was alive. His music was always so alive.

Our view and respect for Elivs has increased after seeing what he achieved in his 42 years. We always knew he was a 'star'..but after learning more about him, we realise he was a genius..and one of a kind.

His aura lives on that's for sure.

Here's a pic of us with Elvis' famous pink Cadillac!














We spent five hours at Graceland!

And we met some great people. A lot of Aussie's come here to Memphis it seems...to see where the rock n roll scene all started! Imagine..BB King was here in Memphis...Johnny Cash...Jimi Hendrix...i keep having to pinch myself when i think of all the people that walked these streets, played their guitars in these bars, sand their hearts out...oh...it's awesome!

After Graceland..and catching the shuttle bus that ferries everyone around...we headed off to Sun Studio's to see the studio where the 'greats' like Jerry lee lewis, Johnny Cash, and of course Elivs Presley cut their records. We saw original recordings and the gold records....

Pic of Greg using THE ORIGINAL MICROPHONE that Elivs and Johnny Cash and all the other famous Sun performers used when recording in the Sun Studios!














And these are the original drums the performers use when recording!!!














It was just amazing. We unfortunately didn't get to the gospel service that we set out to do....Reverand Green puts on on here in Memphis....but that's ok...by the time we spent the day seeing Graceland..Sun Studios and the Soul and Blues Museum we were itching to get back to Beale Street...

And we've just gotten back.

Honestly..the blues here..is mesmerizing. We ended up buying another CD from these blues guys in the "Handy PARK" in Beale Street...who could resist them...and buying the CD's for these guys is their payment for performing...




Blues City Cafe!








Had BBQ Ribs and Nashville Beer tonight...at the Blues City Cafe...where "ELVIS" was playing again....

What a place! If i thought Nashville was a place that seemed ficticious..then i've just awoken from a Memphis dream.

Sometimes i have to pinch myself to realise that we're in some places...place i'd only ever heard of or read about...

Imagine..here were are, in Memphis...

And tomorrow...

We're off again..

It seems so surreal!

PS I hope i can find somewhere to get a haircut soon! It hasn't been cut since Paris and it's DRIVING ME NUTZ!!!!!!!

GREYHOUND TO MEMPHIS

Half Way House, Jackson, Tennessee








Day 239

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

I felt so grumpy getting ready to go to Memphis on the Greyhound! I hated the trip to Nashville and expected the same to Memphis..and it was! Grrr...

The only hightlight was getting out at Jackson (remember the song that Johnny Cash sang about getting the train to Jackson......) and having a cheese burger! I was so hungry.....

What a highlight! AND..i overcooked it in the microwave that was on the counter there at the Half Way House.

It took four hours..a bit like the trip from Perth to Gero...only the bus (if you can imagine) was 10 times worse! Crikey........what are we doing travelling like this?????

Anyway..we survived and when we arrived in Memphis we decided to catch a taxi (cab) to our hotel, then realised it was only about 200 metres down the road...so it cost us $7 for a hop, skip and a jump.

I've had a few comments about being a 'strong woman' when people see me carrying my front and back pack. Women comment that they wouldn't do it..and men comment to Greg that they're going to get their women to do this!!!

It's so funny. America doesn't seem to find it acceptable for a woman to be carrying gear like this......(At times..i find it pretty unacceptable as well!!! And after being on a grotty bus was one of those times i just wish i was in a five star hotel with a porter!!!!)

I almost feel unfeminine when the woman look me up and down.....like they're thinking i'm some poor thing with a husband who is demanding i carry this heavy load or something! (Greg says, "Hey, mine's heavy too!!!" haha

Anyway, getting a taxi saved us trying to work out how to get to the hotel and going the wrong way (which is something we're good at) and it's nice here...we pre-booked the accomodation here in Memphis, because when we came by here last time (when we came from Dallas) we had a few hours to check out hotels and found they were booked out due to a convention going on.. so when we got to Nashville we booked this...

It's near Beale Street so we're in the heart of town...which is great! It's the BLUES capital of the universe here in Memphis i tell you....

AND...Elvis impersonator is on every corner!!! We saw them on the way here in the cab..then when we went for a walk after booking in, they were singing their hearts out in the bars Beale Street!!!

Such a great place...

And we only have two nights here now.......

KISSED BY A KING IN NASHVILLE!

(Elvis Impersonator!)






Day 238

Nashville music scene is so alive and full on..we love it. Anything goes from Blues, to Rockabilly, to jazz to country...it's all fantastic!

On Thursday night..I GOT KISSED BY THE KING!!!!

At a concert just out of Nashville by an Elvis impersonator called John Beardsley..it was cold, sweaty and rather ewww..but it was fun!

I guess it's 'almost' the next best thing to seeing Elvis..he was pretty good but who could ever have that charisma, charm and sex appeal that ELVIS does!!!!

Was funny going to an Elvis impersonator for the night that's for sure...we really got into the swing of things listening to all the songs..and he got into the pelvising.......hilarious night!



Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame!







On Friday we spent the day at the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame and mixed with all the big names...and even sang a the Ryman Auditorium where all the country greats peform! Apparently this auditorium has the best acoustics in the US next to the Morman Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.

We sang a great solo there!!

It was so low noone could hear us...hehe

Hmm...

The atmosphere at the Hall of Fame was very nostalgic...we heard stories from Dolly Parton, Jimi Hendrix, Berry Cordy, Garth Brooks, Paul McCartney, Chet Williams....and of course Elvis, Johnny Cash and oh, so many others...

We heard some gossip about Keith Urban...he's in Nashville celebrating his 40th birthday..and he and Nicole like to have dinner at Emma's....which we went passed. We did wonder if we should go there for dinner too!!! Oh, we're such groupies! He is playing here on the 29th Nov..and i was wishing we were going to be here..but apparently he's the hot new star in Nashville..and all his concerts are a sellout along with Hannah Montana who is Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter!! Ok..enough of that..

Oh wait!...At one stage we THOUGHT we saw Willy Nelson..and if it wasn't him..it was someone that looked like him! Who knows who you'd see though..it's NASHVILLE!

We also went on a tour of Nashville to find out more about what's here...

Nashville is such an 'alive place'. Not just the music, but the general buzz of the place!

Some of the stories our driver told us was funny...he said in Nashville..there are over 1700 bars! There are something like over 600 churches as well...! He said they have to have so many churches so the people can repent!!!

He also said there are HEAPS of doctors..because there is a large teaching hospital here...so if anyone has a heart attack there will be a doctor on every street corner to help...and if we die....there will be a songwriter to write about it!!!

Such a sense of humour!

He also said Nashville was changing..cos he was seeing more sushi bars and men with purses and the original Nashvillites, like him, don't accept change that well!

He was so funny!

In between learning all about the music in Nashville, we went to the Post Office and the lady there gave us some free tickets to an art exhibition, The Société Anonyme: Modernism for America which Opened at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts!

So off we went to that...and it was so interesting comparing modern American art to all the European art we've seen over the year!

Friday night we went downtown Nashville to Broadway and there was music everywhere! It was great! We ended up in a place called "Tootsies" and there was a guy called Jake Myers playing Johnny Cash and Hank Williams...and other familiar songs which we liked so much we bought his CD!



Tootsies!!!












Unfortunately our stomachs got the better of us and we had to leave to seek out food and ended up with a pizza and thinking we had to get up early to catch the silly bus to Memphis...

NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO CATCHING THAT BUS!!

In fact..felt grumpy thinking about it.................

JACK (DANIELS) LIVES HERE!

JACK!!!!











Day 237

Nashville, Tennessee

But today..we were in Lynchburg, Tennessee..the home of JACK DANIELS!

Yep! We went to see Jack Daniel Distillery today.....and it was so much FUN!!!!

It's the oldest registered distillery in the USA.

Here it is!








We got to look over the distillery..heard all about how the whiskey is made..smelt the process going on which made Greg salivate..as it's his poison of choice!!!

And then went and looked at the town..and had lunch in downtown Lynchburg, where they still claim (as it is on the Jack Daniels #7 bottle) that it has a population of 361!

We ate muffins...and coffee...

(We need to go on a diet..both of us are expanding again!!!)

Afterwards we went to his gravesite...!!!

Then to the Walking Horse museum and passed the Walking Horse farms on the way home.

A great day!!1

It's interesting that the county is a DRY county. NO alcohol sold in the Moore coounty and Lynchburg area!

The bus driver soon got us to a Jack Daniel's shop tho..where Greg, of course, indulged.....in a bottle! A green bottle of Jacks that is only sold here in the US...looks weird being a green bottle!

When in Rome....


Here's our pic at the Distillery!















Nashville is GREAT! We love it!!!

And yes..we wanna come baaaaaaack!!!!!!

BUS TO MEMPHIS and onwards..to NASHVILLE

Day 235 - 236

Nashville, Tennesee, USA

*******
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JJ!!!!! Hope you had the most perfect day..we were thinking of you and loved your text message! Love you heaps, Aunty Jen & Uncle Greg xxx
******

Hi guys!

We caught the bus to Memphis last night...and what a long trip it was!! We felt the part that's for sure...smelly, ugly and downright homeless...

Cos..we were of no fixed address and slept on the bus. It was so much cheaper....$75 to get here on the bus as opposed to $550 by plane!!!!

The bus left at 9.30pm and arrived in Memphis at 6am. We tried to sleep..and to be honest, i think i had more success than Greg cos i have a neck pillow and he insists it hurts his neck more than it allows him to sleep. Personally, i would never travel anywhere without mine! And no joke, because Greg's not using his, I'm using his as well as mine.....i just can't work out how on earth he can sleep with his head held up??

Consequently.....we arrived in Memphis...tired, even more smelly, but in one piece...we did wonder, there were some unsavouries on the bus, one that got kicked off..and one that had so much blood on his shirt and a black eye..that i wish he was kicked off the bus!

WHen we arrived..at 6am..it was still dark...and we didn't want to roam the streets to find accomodation...and just as we were trying to establish what to do...we heard the man on the loud speaker say there was a bus going to Nashville...

And since we were going there anyway..we thought we may as well head on there..and then come back to Memphis! So...we got a round trip and here we are! Nashville!!

And it's so cool.

This is the place where all the country music originated....and it feels like it too...musical and hip hoppy. We're going to check more out with the music scene later tonight...and over the next couple of days we'll go to the Country Music Hall of Fame..

Artists like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, (remember the movie "Walk The Line"), Paul McCartney, Willy Nelson and of course Elvis performed here...

But! Best of all..and real Tennessee stuff....Tomorrow! We're off to Jack Daniels country............Greg's favourite friend of all time!!! We'll have a whiskey for all those "Jacks" lovers out there!

See you if we're still in one piece after we get back from Lynchburg! haha

:-*

NB It's weird how the rest rooms have directions written in English and Spanish..we're thinking there must be a HUGE Spanish population in the US...one thing is for sure..we find it hard to understand a lot of the "American" (African American) we hear here...and are left, for the most part, quite like feeling we're in Timbuktu sometimes!!!

DOWNTOWN DALLAS

Day 235

Dallas Texas USA

After sorting out all the stuff we DON'T need and stuff we want but had to post...we got downtown...to the post office...

And we got there by shuttle bus. No kidding...first we took the hotel shuttle, then a bus to Terminal C..then a bus to Terminal E..then a train to the main street of Dallas!!!

It took us an hour and a half..which is not bad (and it was all free?)..but so strange that it's all airport based. The airport is MASSIVE!!!!













The first thing we did downtown was go to JFK's memorial, which was in the centre of the town..see the pic above.

It's a great big white four walled building with a plaque in the centre..and feels quite peaceful when you enter it...

We decided to go to the museum that the tourist centre said was a good tribute to John Fitzgerald Kennedy...

And it was.....

Very revealing to us as well. I was one when JFK was shot, and Greg was 7. So we don't remember the event..but at the museum, called the Sixth Floor Museum JFK's whole life was shown. We were there for over two hours.

The video footage of his campaigns, his life, his family..and all the photos and newspaper articles and witness accounts of 22n November 1963, the day he was assasinated by Lee Harvey Oswald was on show as well.

There were photos and videos of Lee Harvey Oswald being shot by Jack Ruby as well.

Very compelling..and poignant...it was very evident he was loved by everyone.

We took pics of the spot on the road..which is marked by a huge white cross.

And after....we felt still..and reflective. It's always a reminder of our own mortality to see this type of thing...

This is the 6th Floor Museum which is where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the fatal shot. See 6th floor to the right corner window of pic..















Dallas...is a funny place.

Full of African Americans..(who are so friendly) but it's deserted...we wonder where everyone is.....the streets are big..the expanses of land are large...but it's dead. The city seems neglected somehow.

There are a few space age looking skyrise buildings in the main street..but the focus of the town is JFK's memorial and museum....

JR Ewing has a house people visit but that's way out of town...and too far when you don't have a car..and public transport is practically non existant!

Anyway....talking about public transport..we're off to Memphis..on the bus..overnight! YUK

Will let you know if we survive it!

Okies....now, before we go, we're going to look over this huge library...8 floors..and full of people NOT READING..but USING THE INTERNET!

haha

xxx

DALLAS, TEXAS

Day 234

Dallas, Texas USA

*******
FIRES in California! I wonder if that wind we felt in Vegas was the same one doing all the damage in San Diego...we're glad we didn't go there now! We were thinking about going to California..but we'd both been there and decided to see places neither of us have...but...it's serious. 500,000 people have been evacuated and people have lost their lives. News of FIRES in California is dominating all news!
*******

We left Las Vegas early..and felt a bit relieved actually...it was so exhausting being CASINO WORKERS!!! We won a bit...then lost what we earned...but we did have fun!
'
Arrived in Dallas about 4.30pm..and checked into a hotel that advertised on the board at the Dallas / Fort Worth airport (Motel 6!) and that was that...the shuttle picked us up..and we got to our hostel and panicked!

It was actually 30 miles out of town....

AND! There was nothing there! No internet access which we needed to pay bills (We're in the Dallas Library at the moment!) and to book future accomodation..but worst, there was no transport anywhere other than cabs (which was going to cost $50 to downtown!)

Food was also order in, or nothing.

Dallas seems so deserted!

I kept thinking..Dallas, the BIG TEXAN STATE..home of JR Ewing! (From the show, 'Dallas'!)and also home of the spot where JFK was killed.

We ordered pizza and seven up..and wondered what to do.

We orginally planned to stay two nights..but changed that after thinking it'd cost us a fortune to get downtown and back each day..and besides, how do we get to Memphis!??? Bus, car, plane, superman??

We made a few enquiries and found it was going to cost $75 by bus from downtown..and $450 to fly..

So...we decided to get out of Motel 6..and go downtown..and catch a bus to Memphis...

We slept on that....or tried to, I couldn't sleep AGAIN...(sorry about those 'sleepless in Dallas' texts haha!)...

Oh yeah, everything IS big in Texas. Even the streets are six lane highways!!! (The pizza is not as big as New York tho!) ha!

Tomorrow..we go exploring downtown..

Las VEGAS is such fun!

Day 231 - 233

********
Happy birthday to our GORGEOUS nephew and 6 year old ETHAN!!!!

And to our beautiful 11 year old nephew ...JUSTIN!!!!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i wish i were there to celebrate your birthdays.....and to give you a BIG HUG and a BIG KISS for your birthday's!

*********

Las Vegas is COOL!

We've lost all our money...BUT...we've enjoyed concerts at the Excalibur (Tournament of Kings) and at Caesars Palace (Elton John which was INCREDIBLE....and touch with a heap of nostalgia..and i must tell you, the most incredible video clips....blimen heck....they'd never be shown in Perth..they were so GRAPHIC!!!!) and we've been to EVERY CASINO IN TOWN!!!

And don't we know it...

WE WALKED@!

Or were blown!

If we weren't BLOWN to the casino's (last night the winds blew us to smithereens! ... I'd say 100 mile winds..which caused fires in LA!) we walked..or caught the 'Deuce' which is the bus!

To the Bellagio..Caesor....then to Casino Royale, to Paris, to MGM, to Luxor, to every spot on earth.......

What a place! The lights..the atmosphere..the people...the fun..oh OH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

It's brilliant!!!!

The food..is beyond words - even the 'freebie dinner' that the Timeshare Experience gave us..a $50 dollar voucher at the Steak House at the Luxor was fun (although i'm sure i saw people looking at my SHOES!)...and...the fact that even though we had a voucher for $50, and only ordered a salmon (Me) and a steak (Greg) it STILL cost us a hundred buckaroo's..............(I bought a NZ chardonnay as they didn't know what a Chenin Blanc was (?) and Greg bought an Aussie wine...for ahem, $15!)

Not quite like our neighbours here..THE best restaurant in town, where we have been the quintessential regulars...giving a 25% tip each time....the "Ellis Island Restaurant", where we can buy a steak (exquisite), a salad, chips or baked potato and green beans and a beer for US$6.99!! (which tastes wonderful!)

What else else have we done in this incredibly wonderful, indulgent, BIG, Fat, HUGE, MASSIVE and exciting town (it is!!!) ..

We caught a bus and went to the Liberace Museum...saw his piano's and CARS (encrusted with rhinestones!) and all his wonderful costumes....they are quite something...

And..oh yeah, we went to Freemont Street, where it all started..and saw the canopy light show..it's like nothing else on earth!! We were there at 6.30pm and all of a sudden....you look up, and the canopy overhead starts singing at you....and everyone in the street starts dancing! Including us..(yeah, we're real dero's!). It's SO much fuN!

It's great! We love all the activity, the excitement, the atomosphere, the energy, the whole sordid, touching compassionate, sexy thing..about Vegas..!!!!

And we need another week..

THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE HERE!!

But of course..we're on our way again..tomorrow!

See you in Dallas!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS LAS VEGAS is not a place to make money...THEY make money outta you...just look at the LIGHTS here....!!!!!

PPS The take-away 'boxes' here (doggie bags!) are SO big! And everyone seems to fill them with their left over food..from steaks, to 'biscuits' (like a scone that they have here) to desserts! We're wondering why they have left overs..because we never do..but then, we never order anything other than the main meal...and we're usually pretty hungry by the time we have it so we don't have 'leftovers'!

To Be Completed

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH!

Day 230

LAS VEGAS NEVADA

Ever heard that saying, "There's no such thing as a free lunch?"

Well.....

We were offered a free lunch, two tickets to see the jousting tournament at the Excalibur for $10 only, a dinner voucher for two...AND...a 2 day cruise....IF we attended the presentation they had in store for us.

Who could refuse a free lunch..just for looking at a presentation..and all the goodies...ohhh...

NOT US.

We're curious people..who don't get conned...so we made a time to see the presentation. 10am at the Excalibur.

We walked briskly all the way there...to get there by ten..and we arrived at quarter to ten..to see there were many other couples waiting. We checked in...with our names and answered a few questions...like, "Do you earn over $50,000?" We replied, not at the moment....she said, "Tick the box anyway!" So we did. (How gullible is that..should that have been a sign?)

We handed over our credit card (another sign of stupidity) and then registered to catch the shuttle to go to this grand new hotel that was being built in Las Vegas!

By this time..we knew it was a timeshare. But we thought...it'll be interesting to see the hotel...why not. WHY NOT INDEED!

About 20 minutes later, the full bus approached a parking area...that looked like a small suburban shopping centre parking area. Shops surrounding the parking lot.

There was a sign of the hotel we were to go and see..on an office door. No hotel, just a sign.

We hop off the bus...after giving each other the 'we're not getting hooked look' and joined the rest of the 40 people and got ushered into a training room. Soon about 3 other busses appeared.

The chairs were positioned back to back..like we were going to play musical chairs or something. We felt like the only one's that were just going to 'look and don't touch'. The atmosphere was buzzing and all of the approximately 200 people in the room seemed keen.

Then we got called personally...by a guy that collected us and took us into another large room that was set up with about 50 tables. Coffee and biscuits were displayed on the side bench. The bickies looked appetizing...afterall, we hadn't had breakfast...thinking we'd save that for the 'free lunch'!

Our man....who was to tell us all about this great new hotel was HUGE. And jovial. We took to him. He was keen to know about Australia..and we got into a conversation about the US...and Las Vegas and Australia...then walked over, feeling quite happy and relaxed at this time, to the side bench, got our coffee and home made large chocolate chip biscuit and shuffled our way back to our table to devour our delicacy.

Other tables had personal attendance as well. But their man..or woman..had files, books, pens and animated faces that looked to me to be plastered with the 'sell look'. Our guy didn't look like that. He wanted to know about Australia!! I guess he was a keen traveller, given he was selling Time Units to travellers!

He was a good source of information. Told us Las Vegas has no shire or state tax....pay a low federal tax...cars are cheap (by our Aust standards) and cost of accomodation is expensive...which of course we knew. We've been paying good money for accomodation for the last seven and a half months.

After about an hour of relaxation......we had more coffee..and more biscuits.

Then it was down to business. You could tell he didn't really wanted to get onto that..he said it was more fun talking about other things..But i thinking..just GET ON WITH IT.

He did the maths. Which appealed to Greg.

If we had annual holidays....at a five star hotel (they seem like something in the past..but something that seemed very appealing for future holidays!) for the next 30 years, that we plan to be travelling it was going to work out in the hundreds of thousands!!

Realistically.....if we went away for a month...every year for 30 years...at say $200 a night for accomodation. Yes it would add up.

That won Greg over.

I was quietly thinking...this is FAMILIAR. I had one of these things....that Terry and i bought in Bali.... many years ago. I ended up with it in my settlement and never paid management fees because i never wanted it in the first place. I'd forgotten about it, until now. It was all coming back.

More facts. Greg's face was glowing.

It as all adding up in his brain to be the best thing since sliced bread!

Another fact got thrown at us.

Payment is easy.

We could just pay the deposit with our credit card and arrange finance when we get home.

Easy peasy, puddin pie.

I wasn't convinced. I wanted answers to quesitons regarding this other 'timeshare' i had participated in investing in years before...so i asked the question, "A good friend of mine had one of these and never paid management fees, what happens?" (What am i? Chicken? Didn't want to disclose that i'd already DONE THIS BEFORE..but had never taken advantage of it!)

Big boss comes over to answer all my 'difficult' questions. Another being, "Can we manage this online?" Which is impportant to us, being that we're travelling.

Pressure from big boss..me feelin like i wanted to disappear at this point..and ask for my freebies and get out of there.

ANOTHER BIG BOSS arrives..a lady.

More convincing.

THEN...the form comes out. Just sign here.

Not me. You're not getting me to sign anything...

So....big guns come out. HANDS APPEAR TO BE SHAKEN TO CLINCH THE DEAL.

Greg's hand firmly grips those of the big man boss....and that was that.

Deal clinched in his mind.

But not mine.

"Can we have a few words?"

So..they all disappear and leave Greg and i to discuss matters.

I tell him..I HAVE ONE...let's ressurect that.

He liked the gold class crown idea, the fact that the American dollar is low at the moment, owning on in Las Vegas, having lots of points so we could be more flexible and have up to six weeks (apparently) to go away 'anywhere in the world' with...

They come back.

Come and have a look at THE property!

Allan..Mr Big Fat Guy leads us out to his car, we drive to the property..and yes, it's very impressive. Has two apartments...all decked out...with the laundry service and dryer and fridge and the kitchen all hunky dory. It all looks VERY spectacular, a home away from home (which you can have at home..so why have it on holiday when you're meant to be out SIGHT SEEING!???)

Yes, it looks great. Plush. Set up. Not quite 'Travel Lodge' style.....which we've become used to!

No casino's at the hotel however..which is why you'd be in Vegas isn't it. His answer to that is...the Casiono licencee's hate timeshare's in Vegas....why we ask. Because they want you to gamble, not laze around a resort.

I'm thinking...yeah, of course, logical you wanna be in town....where the casino's are..why else would you BE in Las Vegas anyway!!!

Back to the room...where a sea of hundreds are absorbed in the people selling to them...

On our table, we sit.

With 3 of the big wigs at the other side of the table from us......(we need 3???)

Another question by big lady boss..."Why wouldn't you take advantage of this offer? Anything stopping you? If so, what?"

I quote the cost....$26,000 bucks to buy it! $590 a year maintenance! Interest! ALL THAT.....

And not an eyelid is battered. From anyone. Greg..or the man, or the Big Man Boss or the Bigger Lady Boss.

I'm outvoted.

I'm hungry..it's 4pm..and still no lunch.

They apologise and allow me to go feed my face! Turkey and Ham rolls...with orange juice...and a firm look on my face later...

I come back.

And i ask Greg..are you sure. Yes he thinks it's a good deal.

I SIGN!

Far..blimen..out!

I agreed.

Then we signed the preliminary agreement!

Nothing in concrete until they check us out and we're 'eligible'.

Then we got taken to another room..to get our credit checked out...our details sorted...our life signed away...with a confirmation that yes, we wanted this..

Everyone is rejoicing, including me..and we get a lift back to our hotel, with the Big Man, laden with our thick file..and a smile that says we're now proud owners of land and a share in a hotel in Las Vegas.

We go to eat..it's 7pm..and we're hungry again. It's been a long day. It makes you work up an apetite, this sort of things. We can't go to our jousting show...it's too late...

A two hour presentation took ALL DAY.

We go next door to our favourite steak house..are told to wait an hour.....so what to do while we're waiting?

Go on the slot machines to pay for our new acquistion!

NO LUCK.

AT ALL.

Dinner ticket is called..we eat..have wine..and another...

Then go back to the pockies..and i lose FIFTY BUCKS.

Greg can't believe my recklessness...because i was so down about this horrible thing we did. So I keep gambling..determined to win some money to compensate our complete insanity of chucking away so much money. (which is how i felt about it!) Greg doesn't see it that way. He sees in as an investment in our future vacation life.

I win back $44 and we head back 'home'. I felt a winner.

But i knew i was a loser.

And then....we have a sleepless night...

ANd woke up this morning..and i felt worse...

I knew it was wrong..

I read the thick file. Look at all the debt we'll be in. I think about the car i would like when we return. I think about the laptop computer would like.

I think about the fact that we get back home...we would have just been holidaying for a year!

Why would we want to go away AGAIN?????? (I know we will. We'll no doubt get itchy feet!)

I verbalise what i'm thinking.

Greg decides our marriage is too important to be suffering like this.

So..! Guess what...

A visit to the Las Vegas Post Office has revoked our agreement. We sent a signed notice to revoke our agreement to head office in Florida. Cost $16 by Certified mail.

We're out of the TIME SHARE!!!

The words, "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH!" is not true in our case.

We got the free lunch.

But was it worth the whole day of selling pressure and a strain on our relationship to get it!!??

And do these things ever work anyway?

GRAND CANYON - HOOVER DAM

Day 229

Grand Canyon / Hoover Dam!

LAS VEGAS NEVADA

*******************
What's going on with Ben Cousins???? We heard he has been charged - for possession of drugs?
*******************

Talk about an early morning!

The Grand Canyon is not close to Las Vegas afterall. WHy did i think it was???

I thought the last time i went there..it was just a matter of getting there, eating donuts..and getting home!

But! I'll have to look at my diary when i get home...because the trip took all day..and half the night! We left at 6am and arrived home at 10pm! It was a 600 mile trip with a couple of hours there at the Grand Canyon..as well as some time at Hoover Dam.

I swear i won't be going there a third time!















Hoover Dam was spectacular.....a man made wonder of the world....and incredible to see with the water level so low. There's a huge white line where the water was last year..and to look at the low levels now is quite scary. What on earth will they do if the line gets lower and lower......?

We found out Boulder was a town that doesn't have any casino's at alL! Imagine that.

The story of the Hoover Dam (named from Boulder Dam to Hoover Dam after President Hoover) is quite fascinating..if you get the chance to see it on Fox......be sure to look.....so many people lost their lives building the dam..which was built a year an a half early and way under budget...at the incredible cost of the workers who only had 3 days off a year...(labour day, 5th July and xmas) and were tired an exhausted....and basically worked for peanuts.

The Grand Canyon was spectacular too..we went to the South Rim to look inside the Canyon....(it got quite cold in there) and heard the story of a 4 year old girl who lost her life there last week (sad) which dampened the beauty and amazement of the natural wonder of the world a little..

Lake Mead...the manmade lake from the Colarado river is huge.

We enjoyed seeing it...

The movie at the IMAX was something else...it's footage the National Geographic took..incredible.

But the bus ride was murderous.

My eyes stung..and the people on the bus kept snorting and sniffing (i hate that!)

But who can complain..it's an incredible thing to see!

When we were arriving back - and passed Boulder - and the Hoover Dam....it was even more spectacular than when we saw it in the morning! It was all lit up..and looked so amazing....

THen..as we were approaching Las Vegas....the LIGHTS just hit us!! So many!! I was thinking i'd see those lights if i was sitting on the moon. We tried to take pics..but they won't do that sight justice. I've never seen a place lit up so much~

We hit the sack BIG TIME!!!

What a long day it was going to the Grand Canyon....

But...we wouldn't have had it any other way.

It was definitely wondrous.

CASINO WORKERS!

Day 228

Las Vegas, NEVADA USA

We went next door to the restaurant that has a steak dinner and a beer included for $699. Oh yummo! They know how to make steaks just exactly right..and i haven't enjoyed a good steak since Africa!!

Today was one of those days...we thought...let's explore...and when we went outside our hotel...there was the world..all lit up..in the middle of the day!

Las Vegas is an amazing place!

So many lights..so much building going on..so much activity. I was here 12 years ago..and about the only thing i remember from then is having eggs thrown at us from the sidewalk..(they were aiming shamefully at the Japanese in front of us..and got us instead!) and going up an escalator and falling down once i got to the top, because silly me was looking back down taking photos! (A guy on our tour caught me!!)

And i remember staying at the Excalibur..and thinking...this is a weird place! IT was a castle..full of knights dressed up..and the outside looked more like a cake than a hotel!

Anyway....we went to the 'strip' today..and looked around at all the hotels..

Then..we headed off to Toastmasters!

Greg and I..for anyone that doesn't know, are mad keen Toastmasters. We were members until we came overseas and we thought seeing America is the home of Toastmasters, we'd go check out how things are done here.

SO..off we went...

To the LUXOR!!!!

A huge hotel..which looks like a pyramid! It's funny...because when i rang the club..they said..."Go to the Luxor, and when you face the big sphinx, look to the left and you'll see a big paw...that's where the room for Toastmaster's is!"

So...that's what we did...thinking it was pretty exciting going to Toastmasters in a big paw, inside a pyramid!

We snuck inside....and met the 7 members of the club..and a club coach that was conducting a coaching session for the night...and found it was a warm friendly club. Not unlike our own club. They had a Word of the Night (Wind) and Tabletopics..(Wind) and a speech (Global warming) which was all a bit naff. We realised our club, was far more stimulatin than this club..but after talking to the coach, we realised it was a club that was 'building'...so they were forgiven!

After Toastmasters we headed out...

To...the Excalibur...where a guy told us we could have a free dinner. And show. And cruise.

With one catch.

We had to go and see a presentation!

We're booked on Thursday to see it!!!!

Afterwards we saw the exciting water fountain and singing show at the Bellagio Hotel.

And went to Caesars to book Elton John...

And at 10pm had dinner.....at the restaurant next door (another steak meal!) and lost $5, won $7.50, won $6.00. lost $5.25 on the pokies....

I think we came out a little in front....

At least we didn't lose...

We got called CASINO WORKERS by the staff!!!!!!!!

US? "Casino Workers"............?????

Our new profession!

Tomorrow..early morning...we're off to the Grand Canyon!

THREE MINUTE WINNERS IN LAS VEGAS

The LUXOR!

Day 227

LAS VEGAS NEVADA USA

What lucky bunnies we are!!!!

When we got to the Seattle airport (caught a bus that was in an underground under "Macy's" for $2 each! Better than paying $40 for the taxi!) and attempted to check into our flight..which was to go to Dallas then to Las Vegas....the check in lady told us weather in Dallas was so shocking we had to fly straight to Las Vegas on another flight!!

So! We got on Alaskan Airlines....and headed straight to Las Vegas and got here at 1.30pm instead of 7.30pm tonight!!

Don't ask why we were meant to be going to Dallas first (requirements of being on a round-the-world ticket!!!) but anyway..we were SO PLEASED to be going direct!!!

And here we are!!

In Las Vegas!!

And don't we know it!

As soon as we arrived at the airport..we saw the pockey machines...there are more machines than you have ever seen in your life!!

They're everywhere..at the airport arrivals..at the baggage terminal...at the hotel lobby...everywhere...

So...........after we checked into our hotel..and got settled in (had coffee and peanuts from the vending machine) we headed out to look for dinner...we were famished as we'd missed out on breakfast and most of the internal American flights, are no frills, so don't have food or snacks available unless you pay.

There was a line up at the Chicken and Ribs restaurant so we ordered drinks....(so cheap...$3.50 for a wine and a beer) and then had dinner....and that was incredibly cheap too. $15.06 for two salads and soups...2 steaks and baked potato...and beans.

In generosity we paid the guy $20 and headed to the pockeys just to have a try.

There are an assortment of machines.....from 1c to 5c to 25c right upwards...

We decided on the 25c machine...and put a gradiose $20 in to play. Me on the machine, Greg watching because he thought i'd be able to repeat our Monte Carlo winning experience...he was also so full from eating his steak, and half of mine...and i think just wanted to rest!!! He also thinks playing pocker machines are a mindless waste of time. Which they are..because really..you just push a button!!!!

But i love to push the button!!!!!

So i got rolling....

AND IN THREE MINUTUES....

I GOT TWO TWO's...and then pressed save...saved the two two's..and pressed play..and then...ding, ding, ding, DING, DING.........................etcetetc

It said..WINNER! $49!!!!

I was estastic!! hahahaha

Really...it was minus the $20 i put in...so...

I WON $29!!!!!

And my policy is...

When you're on a roll.....cash out!!

So..i cashed out!

And here we are.....

WINNERS ON OUR FIRST NIGHT IN LAS VEGAS!!

And..we have a week to go!

But gawd.....wasn't much of an allngihter when we win after 3 minutes was it?

So...we go back tomorrow...

Afterall, when in Rome....

I'll let you know if we get to pay for our trip via our winnings or not at the end of the week!

hehehe

Nighties...xxx

MT RAINIER SEATTLE

Day 226

Mt Rainier, Seattle, Washington State USA

What a beautiful place Mt Rainier is!!!!

If we thougtht we saw Autumn in Washinton DC.....then......we lied!

AUTUMN here is MAGICAL!

The colours on the way to Mt Rainier were so beautiful. Greee leaves turnin to Yellows...Reds...Oranges..Burgandy....Red.....cherry.......ohhhhhhhhh!!!

SPECTACULAR.

They call it "fall" and it is. The leaves fall and float and get carried away in the breeze.....and wisp across our faces...literally.

Autumn is so beautiful. IT' worth coming here just to see the leaves. And i've kept a few in my book. Preserved leaves!

It was an early start...and it was an all day thing going up to Mt Rainier..to see the Glacier..the lakes...the waterfalls...the leaves...

And we loved the day.

On our tour were a few aussies as well. Ours was the last tour of the season. We were so lucky to be on it. And the weather was beautiul. 65F.

OUr tour guide was a guy that was full of ecological gems. He told us about the trees, the native animals..the forest. It was great! I love it when you get a guide who knows his stuff..and where you can realy learn something about the region!

HE showed us Narada Falls as well...which he said were taller than Niagra Falls. And they are............BUT. THey're not wider..which is the charm of the Niagra Falls..and what makes them one of the Natural Wonders of the World. He failed to say that..but every guide likes to say "THEIR" monument, or mountain, or feature..is THE best and most significant in the world!!!!!

In America....it has to be the best, the largest, the biggest, the most...etc Have to laugh!!!

Once we reached Mt Rainier a few of us did the trek upwards..Apparently only 10% of tourists actually do the trek. We figured if we're not fit enough to do it now, we would never be. Got in pracise for our Peru trek! IT was so gorgeous up there too.

We took our lunch which we bought a a place called Aaron's Ark Restaurant to buy sandwiches so we were prepared to stay up there for the day. We also bought the BEST CINNIMON BUN there as well.................ohlala (no wonder we're getting a bit of cover here in the US..the food is just..well..awesome!).

While we were up at the peak we saw some gorgeous birds..one of them called the Stellar's Jag and antoher called Clarke David. SO cute. They joined us for lunch! :-)

We headed back that night...knowing it was VERY special to have been up Mt Rainer....and were glad we were able to get there. Just a bit of trivia. BIll Gates wife, Melinda..actually CLIMBED MT Rainer!!!! TO THE TOP. We got there by bus..then trekked the rest..so she's better than us!! haha

On the way back home...we also stopped at a place called Copper Creek Inn for the best blueberry pie in the world....

And....

That Night: Back to Salmon Cooker for grilled Salmon and chips at Pier 57.

Cookies and Icecream after....naughty us!

Las VEGAS TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Where we HAVE to stop eating!!!! BUT...probably just gamble our lives away!)

BOEING 777 in Seattle

Day 225

Seattle, Washington State, USA

Boeing and City Tour!

Before we headed off on our Boeing tour we headed downtown to McDonalds for breakfast because there isn't a breakfast included..and i'm' pretty sure we saw the real Seattle there.....i'd say.....we ate breaky with the homeless. We recognised a few from the night before..and it did occur to us that it's a VERY cheap meal to start the day with.

We had the Egg McMuffin Meal..and it only cost us $7.10 for the two of us to have a egg mcmuffin, a hash brown and a large coffee. Not bad really. No wonder that's the meal of the day for the homeless.

Apart from that..it was a beautiful morning. We've been so lucky here in Seattle! Such glorious weather...about 68F today!

The tour company picked us up at 9am to go on the tour..and it took about 40 minutes to drive out to the Assembly Plant of Boeing. It's the worlds largest building...472 million cubic feet by volume! Huge hey?

First, before we looked at the Assembly Plant, we went into the Boeing Museum - The Aviation Center - to look at the history of Flight..fascinating! We also went on a X - J Flight Similator!!!! And did some barrel rolls!!!

The girl said everyone could hear me scream! Greg was on controls..and me second in command..so he loved doing the spins while i screamed! It was fun!

The movie at the Aviation Centre theater was interesting too.

Who would have thought Seattle was the place where these MASSIVE 707's were assembled! What i found interesting was that they actually buy a lot of the parts from all over the world, assembly them here, and dispatch them. NO wonder the shed is so HUGE!

Boeing employs 29,000 people!

When we looked over the Assembly Centre....we had to put all our personal items into a locker....so we couldn't take camera...phone....bag....anything in....

They told us a guy took a camera in a few months before...dropped it over the edge..and it cost $250,000 to fix the damage as it landed on a plane!!!! Geepers....

We personally think it was because they were trying to prevent spies..but thier story sounded good.

In the afternoon we went on the City Tour and saw all the places we wouldn't otherwise see...without a car. Places like the Shipping canal..which had a memorial to the fishermen. 600 lives have been lost there. IT reminded me of the crabbers off Alaska..i know the seas are rough off here..and a lot of fishermen do lose their lives...sad.

We also went to Ballard Locks and saw where the salmon run.

Was good going on the tours...we met some great people.

Had fish and chips at the pier....at a place called the Salmon Cooker. YUMMY!!!!!

Weird getting there though...had to walk down the street (after watching about 10 fire engines attend a fire next door to us..took heaps of pics...how macarbe are we!) and then into Market St Pier..and down a HEAP of steps....about 5 flights...before we got to the road below...alongside Elliot Bay.

Was sort of scary climbing all those steps to get home again...was dark, cold, quiet..and a lot of beggars around.....

Again...downtown US is unsavoury at night!

But, i guess that's like any place..Northbridge is the same!

We got home safely anyway!

xxx

MOOCHING AROUND SEATTLE

Day 224

Seattle, Washington State, USA

57F here...brrr....

But! Beautiful days..not raining at all! And we were told..it rained or was overcast 180 our of 365 days a year! So...we're lucky, at least for today!

Today we basically just walked around..after sleeping in until 11am! Chicago wore us out! (Having free internet didn't help...had a few late nights!) We popped into the Moore Theatre next door...so gorgeous. And met a few of the locals...talked about their town, which they were happy to brag about. And who wouldn't. There seems to be a lot of industry going on here...with all the businesses that i mentioned in the last blog. Especially Microsoft and Starbucks. Apparently there are 100 Starbucks alone, just in central Seattle. And we noticed it...they're on every street corner! And even the one that said " Best Coffee " is owned by Starbucks!!

IT's such a great coffee..I LOVE it!!!!!!!!! Geepers, i know i will miss it when we leave that's for sure. Talk about addicted to good coffee.

Had Starbucks sandwich and coffee for BRUNNER.......breakfast, lunch, dinner combined!! haha

Then...went to the movies. Saw The Kingdom at the Regal Theatre (reminded us of the Regal at home!) What a great theatre. We got some dvd's from there. Have the latest 12 movies on there..and a few games. It was for all the customers that went so we got 5 of them! Four for the kids of course! If they want them!

Also went to our first point of call..the Tourist Centre. Which here in Seattle they call the Concierge. Was hard to find..but we finally found it..and booked 3 tours. A city and a Boeing Tour for tomorrow..and a tour to Mt Rainier on Sunday. Monday we leave..so that should show us Seattle.

We're near the pier so we can go to the Market St Pier ourselves...apparently there is good fish and chips and salmon there!!

The lady there at the Concierge told us the free busses in the city was an idea Seattle Town Planners got from Perth. Cool hey. Our clipper idea has taken off over the world!!!

Oh yeah..we were reading the Seattle Times today....there is a Dodge in there for US $20,000! A corvette for US $ 19,000 and the latest Mustang for US $16,000!!!

Talk about cheap cars for sale here!! Between the cheap cars..and cheap fuel...Americans can only be happy customers!

OH and...there are NINETY NINE channels of TV on the air...............

Amazing hey...

Tonight..we're watching Forest Gump! Already planned....love that movie.....

"Stupid is, as stupid does" hehe

SLEEPING IN SEATTLE

Day 223

Seattle, USA *TWO HOURS BEHIND CHICAGO - 15 HOURS BEHIND PERTH*

We arrived in Seattle today! And we're excited! Sleepless in Seattle and all that....

It's the second time i've been here. The first time was for the World Fishing Expo in 1995..and i don't remember a thing about it, except fishing..and being with 24 other Aussies!!!!

Seattle is near Vancouver....pretty close to Canada...so we're expecting to see the autumn leaves and scenery.....

Of course, this is also the home of Starbucks, Microsoft (Bill Gates and Paul Allen are both from here) and Amazon Books and Nordstrom.

It's also the home of BOEING. As we found out in the taxi on the way here......we saw another airport near the big Chicago one..and asked the taxi driver what that was. He said it was BOEING. Which incensed us. We wanted to find out more. And apparently there are tours around Boeing which we will go on!

Getting here from Chicago was an ordeal.

As travel from Chicago seemed to be! (And around New York as well!)

Thank goodness our shuttle only took us half an hour to get to O'Hare Airport (we changed our flight so we got a closer airport and it was only an extra $13!)...talk about SICK of travelling so far to get anywhere! Chicago and New York took it's toll on us...so in Seattle we decided to get a hotel downtown.

We arrived in Seattle via Denver (left at 10.35am, arrived Phoenix 12.24) then left Phoenix to go to Seattle (at 1.18pm and arrived 4.14pm) Exhausting! We decided we'd catch a taxi to the hotel in Seattle instead of arranging buses and shuttles (can get very sick of those!)...

And....our hotel in Seattle is GORGEOUS!

It's a hundred years old (on 28th Dec 2007) and is right next door to the Moore Theatre. It's just gorgeous...so much history..and so nostalgic. It FEELS arty and theatrical. The rooms are old, admittedly, and there is no bathroom, or coffee, or fridge..or any frills at all..but it does have view! We can see Elliot Bay from the window. We're right downtown..just near the pier..and all the excitement. It's SO cool. And it's dirt cheap (because there are no extras!)

The bathroom is down the hall..but so what. Who wants new..when you can get history!

For the first day..all we did was settle in..and sleep.

So...we were Sleeping in Seattle!

Oh - except we DID venture out to have Starbucks. Of course. This IS the home of Starbucks!!!

LAST NIGHT ON ICE in ILLINOIS

ICE HOCKEY GAME IN ACTION!


Night 222

***************
Ice Hockey Game - California San Jose SHARKS vs Chicago BLACKHAWKS

United Center
Madison, Chicago, Illinois

***************
Chicago, Illinois

We headed into the revolving doors of Navy Pier (I HATE those things!) and who did we bump into?

Kate and Jodie!

They'd just been to "potty" (don't you love that saying!) and poor ol Kevin was doing loops around the block in the big white van waiting for us all!

We were off to see Ice Hockey!

But first...we had to get there!

Chicago is not an easy straightforward place to navigate one's way! As we found out.....like ma, like son :-) We got slightly tangled up in traffic (As if could do better. We all know what my road skills are now don't we..........!) but finally found our way to the United Center Stadium ticket box!

With tickets in hand, (thanks kate...do we repay you with a visit to a winning Docker's game?) we headed off to Billy Goat's for dinner!













How are the names of restaurants....Billy Goat, Bubba Gump, Pot Belly...haha, so funny!

Burgers and chips later (you'd love it Cazza!) we anticipated our first Ice Hockey game..

















Adorned with hats, gloves, coats, and everything else we entered the stadium. I think Kate's sexy tiger print shoes might have been better made of the fur than what they were...her feet froze! It was 48F! (9C) Brrrr...

Then we got stopped. By a HUGE Chicago Hawks blanket and a Bank of America Credit card!!!!!

Kevin's job was to fill out the application..so guess who..could have a Chicago Hawks blanket!!!!!

Whose idea was that?

It was Gramma's! hehe

And although i felt bad, it wasn't bad enough for me to stop him proceeding. I ended up with my blanket and i love it!!! I'm going to frame it when i get back as my Chicago momento...my pink Chicago windsheater paled into insignificance! Poor Kevin is now the proud owner of (another?) credit card! Thanks to a good marketing ploy. (And Greg considered joining so both families could have a blanket! But he didn't have a social security number!)

Aren't we vulnerable....

Wasn't the blanket worth it????














Once we entered the stadium...we found it to be MASSIVE!!! What a huge arena. There were huge screens televising and people everywhere, noise and the whole hullabaloo! It was an electric atmosphere...and an exhilarating experience. I got really excited!

What a game. 6 players, including goalie. Lots of fast action. Fights. Fervour pitch as they attempted the goal net. Goals are few and far between, and rare. The score ended up being 2 - 1 to the California Sharks..but who was counting? (Kate and i were yakking so much we actually missed one of the goals..but shhhh...)

I couldn't resist a Budweiser to complete the all american sporting game..and just sat back and listened and watched...(ok, and talked!)...the songs were motivating...pink panther was a good choice to get the crowd going!

We loved the night.

It was a very special and fun last night in Chicago. I'll miss being around friends.

Kevin drove us home again...back to the sticks....(what good people Indiana folk are!) and here we are.....back 'home'!

Tired, emotional after saying our farewells to such a gorgeous lady and her great kids we are now going to go nigh, nighs before we head off to Seattle...

We WILL be sleepless in Seattle!!!!!

xx

LAST DAY IN CHICAGO

Jenny with the man opposite Bubba Gumps!







Greg objecting! hahaha!














Day 222

Our last day in Chicago today!!! Awww......

And it was COLD! 53 F today...and even though i knew it would be cold, i never quite believed it until we hopped off the subway and faced the wind shooting over from the great Michigan Lake!!! It had me wanting to huddle up with the pigeons gettin warm by the flame in central chicago! (No joke! That's what the pigeons do!)

We ended up having to roam the streets looking for a shop to buy something warm to add to my already warm coat and pants. So...i am now the proud owner of a pink chicago windsheater and some gloves! Winter, along with the wind, has set in in Windy Chicago!

We got our Brazilian visa. What a process! And we got it in a hurry..but it still took 3 visits to have it sitting in our hot little hands! We were wondering why we had to have a visa for Brazil and all we can think of it's due to the extradition laws there (remember Ronny Biggs!?)...

One woman asked us how long we'd been waiting to get our visa..and we'd already been told not to advertise the fact to other people waiting that we applied one day, issued the next. We told her we started the process last Friday! Which was technically correct as we were at the Embassy..but it was closed.

Anyway..we're set. That's all that matters!

We had prearranged to meet Kate and her son and his wife outside Bubba Gumps at 5pm so after getting our visa, we had a few hours to fill in, so we went on a boat cruise! And learned more about the city's architecture....we couldn't get enough of this type of information.

The cruise was COLD! As we were cruising out of the harbour..and through the multiple Locks before we headed out on Michigan Lake the temperature dropped 20F! Which meant by the time we were cruising out on the open lake it was 33F! Arrgh. I headed inside to peer outside..along with everyone else, and sailor Greg stayed out on deck to get a good view..and to take a few (more) pix!!!

Chicago has a lot of tall buildings! Skysrapers. In fact, the Sears Building is the highest building in the USA. It has an antenna sitting on top of it that is 278 feet high!

There are a whole lot of others in the Loop or along the Magnificent Mile.

Chicago also has the honour of being the only city in the world with more than one building containing at least 100 floors!

These are the John Hancock Center (Centre) with 48 floors of condominiums from the 45th floor to the 92nd floor in between business and restaurant spaces, holds the world record for the highest residential floor.

This is the building where Oprah, Goldie Hawn and Patrick Swayze have apartments!




















Talking about tall buildings...Apparently there's a building in Dubai going up, called Burj Dubai, to be completed in 2008, that will be as high as the Sears building and the Handcock building put together..imagine that! It'll be 2,313 feet high! Currently Taipei 101 is the highest building in the world.

The tower which has faces appearing..see the face drinking from a straw! (Forgotten the name of it!)



















Something that we learned on the tour, which we found interesting, was that Michigan Lake completely iced over in 1979. The only year it has. Imagine that?

And also, after The Great Chicago Fire in 1871 (which killed hundreds of people) Chicago was rebuilt..so the buildings competitively took an innovative approach to architecuture which is why it is so modern and quite outstanding.

Apparently, according to folk law a cow kicked over a lantern in the barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O'Leary!

This has been vehemently disputed by historians..but it sounded good to me!

Ended up having lunch at Starbucks...(they sell good sandwiches, not just coffee!) and then headed down to Navy Pier to meet Kate and Co...

PS Here's Greg and his ghost in Navy Pier!

A "WICKED" DAY IN CHICAGO!

Us in the Millenium Ball, called the Cloud Gate Sculpture..cool hey? (and freaky!)





Chicago, Illinois

Day 221

TEMP: 72F! (22C)

What a day! After hearing about the weather forcast for the day (70ish) we packed our coats and got our usual shuttle bus from our motel to the airport, then the subway from the train downtown (which takes 2 hours and costs $2!) and once we were there...we had two options...

To go to the Cultural Center and ask where a dentist was or to go straight to the Brazilian Embassy. We took the prior..and went to the Cultural Center (which seems to have become our second home!).

We were in the middle of asking where a 'tourist' dentist was (and we were corrected, "OK, so you need a dentist, not a tourist dentist!") which is what they were called in Amsterdam and this lady interjected and said, "I have a great dentist nearby! Would you like me to call him?" We were astonished at her generosity..and said, thankfully, yes we'd love that! She called and we were to go NOW.

Embassy forgotten, we took off to the dentist!

And...they were SO NICE. Firstly I had to fill out a form stating my name, address, employment, employer, husbands name, employment, employer and what insurance we had....

Um....we sat there and wondered about ALL the questions, for which we had no answer for any except our name!

As we'd suspended our HBF and were on travel insurance (can do this for up to a year) we decided honestly is the best policy. Also employment..what's that?

When he finished poking around my mouth and gluing back the offending tooth....all the while yakking to Greg about where we're from, where we're going, what we're doing, (with me dying to talk but had my gob stuffed with cotton wool!!)...

One of the questions was, "Where are you staying in Chicago?" Greg answered with a stoic face....no expression...but the gulping silence said it wall. The conversation died. I guess he thought our hotel was a a bit HO HUM!

Anyway...

He then bid us farewell....

And said there was no charge!!

How was THAT for a good start for the day?

We were wondering what would happen about that seeing we'd heard all the nightmare stories how medical insurance for Australians was HORRIBLE!

We walzed out of there feeling much lighter, not because it was free, but because our faith in human generosity was restored!

Twice...in the space of an hour we felt this friendliness in Chicago. The lady who recommended us..and the dentist!

THEN...

Off to the Embassy. It was open! Finally! After having Columbus Day off on Monday and shutting shop each working day at 1pm (so we missed it last Friday because we arrived at 4pm!).

We were feeling a bit worried about this visa to Brazil (Rio De Janeiro) because our travel agent in Perth had emailed us that morning saying the visa was only valid for 30 days from application. And also, our inquiries in New York, informed us it would take 2 days to process and US$100 each. (We didn't have 2 days in New York when we'd inquired about it!)

The girl was gorgeous. She said it would take 4 days to process (we felt doomed) but after explaining our situation (we only had today and tomorrow left in Chicago) she said she'd talk to the consulate and see what she could do!

Then we found out we had to have accomodation booked in Rio De Janeiro to have the application processed!

Off to the net cafe to book Rio accomodation.

Back to the Embassy!

She told us the visa was valid for 90 days..and our visa will be ready for tomorrow! Yay.

Another nicety in Chicago. Our 3rd one for the day. What'd we do to deserve this?

THEN! Nicety #4!

At the post office..after lining up for information..the postal guy told us "once we were done" we could skip the queue and go straight to him. So....as we watched about 20 people lining up..he called us over and there we were...the privileged couple! Package in tow..and heading in front of the line...(with travel memorabilia to cram up mum's house for when we get home!!) haha...It did feel strange, being the honoured ones, but we certainly started thinking CHICAGO IS FULL OF GODDAMM NICE FOLK!

After that we strolled along the streets of Chicago...paid another visit 'home' (the Cultural Center') and listened to a jazz and blues concert while we ate lunch.

Our luck changed when we tried to get on the ferry...(closed till 12 Oct for some reason) and then decided to look at the city fountain (not flowing from October!)...

So..we admired the skyline and the buildings (Chicago honestly does have the most creative and architecturally innovative buildings), went to Millenium Park, took heaps of pics of us being stupid in the Cloud Gate Sculpture..or the Millenium Ball that it looked like (or the steel kidney!!!) and gazed in wonderment at all the stainles steel, took pics of the cooling towers and everything else in sight...

And just generally had a great time!

Dinner was at Pot Belly's again! We love it there~! Good food, great rock and roll music..and a great ambience and atmoshere!


Dinner at Pot Belly's!










THEN...it was time to get WICKED!

Yep! We saw another play. This time Wicked at the Orient Theatre.

And talk about an amazing theatre! So ornate and full of fasinating creatures. Pussy cats engraved on the walls, horses with lion heads, lions with wings, seahorses with elephant wings adorning the rooftops!!!

The play was magical!



The theatre where we went to see "WICKED"!













The set was even more magical...dragons flying about, monkey's hanging off the trapezed...and a halloweeny looking theme to it...very wizardry....!

It's a play based on a novel by Gregory Maguire, a prequel to Wizard Of Oz and all about creating friendships and popularity verses unpopularity and ostracism....and courage.

It was interesting seeing the characters develop into the ones we know in the Wizard of Oz..from the scarecrow, the 'green' girl, and the popular girl! Also interesting how governments determine what's wicked and what's good and what's not!

The humour was different to English or Australian humour..we missed a few cues but laughed along with everyone else.

It was a great play..! It got a standing ovation at the end. A first for us while we've been away..so it touched a lot of people!

Afterwards...we headed back to the subway...watched all the weirdo's and called the shuttle and got our crazy driver back to our ho hum hotel!

And now..it's nighty, nighties....

Have to rug up too...going to be cold overnight..and 53F tomorrow! (ELEVEN DEGREES CELCIUS!) Brrrrr

xxx

COLUMBUS DAY

Day 220

1.00 USD = 1.11900 AUD

*******
The day my blimen TOOTH FINALLY FELL OUT! Now to decide whether to just leave it, or go to the dentist for the 3rd time and get it cemented back in! The prior look the most likely! I'll sleep on it! Or without it....
*******

Columbus Day today. Celebration of Christopher Columbus discovering the Americas.

And don't we know it. We tried to get to the Brazillan embassy to get our visa's to Brazil and they're closed today, they're having a celebratory holiday..grrr!

The relevance for Brazil to Columbus is because when Columbus set sail in search of the East Indies his voyage was financed by the Spanish King and Queen, Ferdinand and Isabella.

They made the city of Palos pay back a debt to the crown by providing two of the ships, and by getting Italian financial backing for part of the expenses.

The crown had to put up very little money from the treasury.

Apparently Columbus thought he'd reached India when he arrived here in the Americas so he called the Native American's 'Indians' so that's why they're now called that!

Anyway, about today...the Brazillians are having a holiday...because Spain (and Portugal) colonised South America (incl Brazil) so...Brazil Embassy are celebratin this by shutting their embassy..grrr! NOT GOOD FOR US!

We're here for another couple of days...then to Seattle...

Will write again...and tell you about the Ice Hockey game we're all going to be going to thanks to Kate!! Can't wait!!!

Going "downtown" now!! Things to see, do, experience...

As the Americans say, Have a Great Gay! (It used to be 'nice' or 'good' now it's great!)

xx

LULLING ABOUT IN HOT CHICAGO

Day 219

Today was the Chicago Marathon and a lot of people got heat exhaustion. It's so hot here in Chicago! They didn't finish the marathon in the end due to the oppressive heat. IT was 87F. (30F) And extremely high humidity. A police officer from Michigan died during the race due to heat exhaustion. We heard, from the traps, that there was not enough water supplied during the race. And this might affect Chicago's olympic bid. That's what one of the guys that was here in the Business Centre said anyway.

Today we decided to beat the heat and stay in. And it was the best idea!

We also didn't sleep last night because the DH upstairs was squeaking, thumping, moving stuff, unzipping stuff and generally just making a racket all night! Till about 2am! The ceiling is so thin. The night before it was the sounds of ecstasy vibrting throughout the hotel.

Talkin about the hotel..or motel that it is, there's hardly ever any HOT water! Grrr...i'm sure it's that idiot upstairs using all the water up too! I can hear the shower just going..and going..and going! I was trying to ascetain who he was at breakfast..but didn't want to approach the big black dude at the breakfast bar..or any of them..they're all massive. Scary. Best to sit timidly, with no complaints!

So you'll have to put up with my whingeing!

Anway, we spent the day..watching movies...reading our books...eating chocolate that Kate gave us and there were MANY to choose from!!! Mostly hershey bars..so Greg was in Choco heaven! My favourite is the Dove Smooth Almond Milk with almonds!

We also ordered in...pizza, chips..lemonade for dinner.

Geepers..we're getting FAT in Chicago!!!!

But hey..if you can't beat em...join em. We're in America..we're allowed to get fat! haha...and yeah, we've seen a lot of oversizers here...so weird how, for instance, in Spain, or France everyone is SKINNY PINNY..but here, everyone is FAT SPRAT!

A few things we've noticed about chicago are...

The ADS!

You know how i told you before how New York had the paper and adverstisments mainly about lawyers and crime and sport...well, the ads here are mostly about health! No kidding...If it's not for cholesterol, erection dysfunction, (levitra) migranes, blood pressure it's for depression, (cymbalta) uplifting the human spirit (loyola) sleep problems (unisom) or PMT! (yaz). Another one is how to get off crystal meth (go to methresources.com)!

The difference in advertising is Unbelievable! The Chicago papers are more concerned at the moment with the marathon and the heat. Of course, the finals of the world series featured being that the Chicago cubs were in it! Chicago seems more informative. (Than NY!)

Another thing we've noticed in the US (not just chicago) is the automatic flushing toilets....the first time it happens it's quite a shock! All of a sudden..the toilet flushes and your'e still on it!!!! An automatic butt wash! Hard to get used to!!!!

Everything is also upside down! Even the light switches go on by turning them up instead of down.

The toilet flushes anti clockwise instead of clockwise!

Thank god the doors open the same way!

Oh yeah..and the other thing..people KNOW their states and can real them off....Kate did!!!! Geepers..! And the presidents!!! And there are many! Bush is the 43rd president and everyone knows that! They also know who all the other 42 are...

Do we know our Prime Ministers?????

Who was the first one?...hehe (Sir Edmund Barton!)

I had to look up to see how many we have had!!! (30! John Howard is our 30th!)

Here's a good website to find out more about our prime ministers! http://www.aph.gov.au/library/parl/hist/primmins.htm

Okies, enough about that...

What about FUEL?

Fuel (gas) here is between 2.50 US dollars and US $3 per US gallon! Cheap hey? Us Aussies are being RIPPED OFF!

And as Rob just told me, Re fuel. It is 4 litres to US gallon!

Okies...off now xx