Country Come to Town

That pretty much sums me up in Las Vegas...

Country Come to Town.

I walked around Las Vegas half the time with my mouth agape- sorta channelling my inner Gomer Pyle- Gawwww-leee!

So let's start out with breakfast-
Andy opted for something relatively healthy---

Although he wasn't quite sure what it was...

John on the other hand, went all-in on donuts....

That night, we saw "Menopause- the Musical".  Yes, Andy chose it.

No, I don't think either of them fully appreciated it the way Kris, Jen and I did.


And as for the time in between --
Well, we spent 4 hours on the hop-on-hop off bus!!

Here's my Sha-zaaammm shots....

Our tour guide pointed out the additions--or near additions- to buildings.  Notice anything off here??

The top is just scaffolding and canvas!!

Why is it I can't think of Caesar's Palace without thinking of History of the World, Part One?

Yes..on Sunday, Andy, Jen and I rode the roller coaster.  Twice.

The classic MGM Lion

The architecture behind the Luxor is as cool as the front.

Old school Vegas

Do ordinary people REALLY go to Vegas to get married?

Do you know ANYONE who has???

James Bond and "Diamonds Are Forever".....

And there was this image.  Statue of Liberty and Old Glory at half-mast.

#vegasstrong

Vegas Baby!!!

Yeah Yeah Yeah- I know I'm not through with the Northwest Passage story, but I wanted to take a break and tell you about my very first trip to LAS VEGAS!

A while ago, AJ's godfather Andy- whose birthday is 6 days after mine- wrote me about a SCATHINGLY brilliant idea he had.  Seems he and husband John had decided to "do" the US Southwest, and wanted me to join in.  Well, I couldn't do the whole shebang, but as I had never been to Las Vegas....

And then one night over drinkies with Jenifer and Kris, I mentioned it.  Kris hadn't been to Vegas in 30 years, and Jen is always up for an adventure---and a plan was hatched.

Fast forward one year......

These two are not too fond of flying...

but this helps- rice krispie treat and a screwdriver.  Jane would be so proud.

Arriving in Sin City, we linked up with Andy and John, who had driven in from 29 Palms.  We headed to the strip for Tex-Mex dinner (yes, I know we eat that alot, but it's a rarity for Andy and John in England)...

Vegas, of course, was still reeling from the horrific shooting of the previous week, and there was evidence everywhere...

I can not count the number of times that folks thanked us for coming to visit after everything that happened.

Andy was Cruise Director for the trip and had booked us into a marvelous show at Caesar's- 

Absinthe.

But first, to the Bellagio for the fountains.

The obligatory video of the fountains....

Then across the strip 

Kris wanted to prove she'd been to Caesar's...

Then it was on to

And when I tell you WOW--I mean WOW!!

Think Cirque-du-Soleil in an intimate setting (of course, Andy had us VIP seats)

(Be forewarned- if you can't handle  raunchy sexual references or profanity, this is not the show for you.)

It was WONDERFUL!

What a way to spend my first night in Vegas!

And we all went to our rooms agreeing

Meeting the Shackleton

The expedition phase of our trip really began when we met up with our escort vessel  and icebreaker, the RRS Ernest Shackleton, flagged out of the Falkland Islands.

And hoo boy, was it a production!  

We were asked to gather on deck to greet her, and we willingly obliged.

There she was, waiting for us just off land.

She greeted us with all the bells and whistles- zodiacs trolling around us in V- formation and both helicopters buzzing and dive-bombing us. 

Captain Vorland said it was the first time a helicopter had flown under his bridge!

WHAT A WELCOME to the high Arctic!

I trotted up the stairs for a quick cup of tea, only to come face-to-face with a real live Mountie- better known as Chris, one of the two representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that live in Ulukhaktok.

I felt like Sweet Nell meeting Dudley DoRight.

The sunsetting over the tiny hamlet and it's copper-filled mountains...

I wonder who uses this remote cabin.

That evening, several residents of Ulukhaktok came aboard to treat us to traditional Inuit drumming, singing and dancing.

Everyone got up to dance.

Well, almost everyone.

I’m going to be quite bruised by all these pinch-me moments.