Of particular interest to the kids were the living sculptures. I can not imagine a job where you are paid to stand perfectly still. Despite their significant interest in this possible future career, I can state categorically that our children are unqualified for this job. Being still is not a trait that runs strong in the Calabria family. Over the course of this vacation we covered 6000 miles in the air, 1800 miles in the RV, 150 miles on the water and nearly 50 miles on foot.
While wandering around inside of the Venetian, it is easy to forget that you are entirely indoors.
Maya was positively captivated by a pair of artists who were creating the masks shown here. They used tiny glue applicators to make patterns and then sprinkled glitter over the glue. Note to self: such a mask would make a nice gift for Maya someday.
Our last day is spent back where we started in Las Vegas. This time we are staying at the Luxor, although we spend almost as much time visiting and dining at the Venetian.
Jeanine’s explorations result in another exceptional macro photograph. Many of this adventure’s best photos have come from Jeanine, and I could not be more pleased. Click on the photo which can only be fully appreciated at a higher resolution.
Jeanine is more adventurous than the kids, who have now learned that hiking through deep sand is extremely hard work.
Our final stop on the park circuit is Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. The name says it all and we are treated to this most unlikely scene in the midst of an otherwise rocky landscape.
Yesterday we attended a ranger program about the California Condor which looks nearly identical to what we believe is this turkey vulture which we spotted on our drive out. The condor is much larger with a 7 foot wingspan. The only paved road to our next destination was closed for several hours while fire crews battled the forest fire we saw on the way in. Once the flames on both sides of the road were extinguished we were escorted by a fire fighter through the affected area, smoke still billowing from the felled tree trunks.
The tiniest of ponds is fenced off, presumably to keep the bison (a herd of which we spotted yesterday) from reducing it to nothing.
As we depart the Grand Canyon National Park, we stop to enjoy the lush vegetation that has been so uncharacteristic of our various destinations. There is but a single flower in this entire field, and Jeanine must photograph it.
Although her project was successful there was very little left to paint black when she was done. This evening we enjoyed a wonderful campfire, s’mores, crude attempts at singing (not a strength of anyone in my bloodline), and Jeanine and Maya opted to sleep in the tent rather than the RV.
Back at camp, Maya decides to create her own black paint by grinding down charcol into a fine powder and mixing with water.
Jeanine discovers a great vista located a short walk from our campground, where I take advantage of the setting sun.
Inside the sun room is a sculpture of Brighty the mule, which was the subject of an early children’s story and subsequent movie about the Grand Canyon. Since then, this non indigenous species has been relocated to their natural habitats, but the memory of this beloved mule lives on. Pictured here with our beloved mule.