2017 Road-trip day 7

Day 7 - Monday


Both of had the best nights sleep of the trip, one of us managed to sleep for 11 hours! We decided as the El Rey Inn was so lovely and check out wasn't till midday, that we would make use of the facilities. We grabbed some complementary delightful breakfast pastries and coffee to have back at the room and changed into swimwear to have some relaxation time in the outdoor hot tub housed in a charming enclosed tile courtyard.

We really appreciated this down time after several busy days, and made the decision to spend a couple of hours around Santa Fe, before continue Eastward bound, rather then back tracking to Albuquerque.

It was nearly midday when we checked out and headed to the Santa Fe Plaza, where we spent a couple of hours wondering the quaint shops discovering hidden gems hidden down little arcades.

Before leaving we decided we would get a coffee and stumbled across the Chocolate on the Plaza a lovely little independent handmade chocolate shop who also served cold brew. Well it would have been rude not to get some of their single state Venezuela chocolate to go with it. So we picked out 3 slices of chocolate dipped orange and 2 truffles with red chili and cinnamon to go with our cold brew, then parted with $30 ouch!

They were amazing if very expensive, time to move on from Santa Fe I think. We found it surprisingly easy getting back onto Route 66, following the Old Santa Fe trail then turning onto the Old Las Vegas Hwy - New Mexico not Nevada. We pass traditional Pueblos as the lush landscape passed by and we headed through Apache Canyon. A quick stop by the historical marker noting the battle between Union and Confederate troops in 1862 just before Glorieta.

Then crossing over the I-25 to follow the frontage roads towards Santa Rosa. You could tell you were high in the mountains, the air felt fresh and the floral green. In fact we both experienced feeling slightly dizzy back in Santa Fe which was probably due to spending too long in the hot tub and the high altitude. The current Pre-'37 road we had been driving now rejoined Post-'37 before joining the I-40 for about 14miles then it was back on the 66 through Cuervo where the road begins to show her age and becomes a little rough, before passing the ruins of an old motel and gas station at Newkirk then onto our bed for the night in Tucumcari.

The Blue Swallow Motel  an historic Route 66 Motel which opened in 1939 and is famed for its spectacular neons and authentic rooms. We were greeted warmly by the couple that run it and shown to our room - number1 - where we could see the neon signage from our window once darkness fell. We settled in and after a coffee we walked down to Del's Restaurant to finally get some Mexican. A great restaurant where we enjoyed a rather large Margarita, chips and salsa, a spinach and mushroom quesadilla and a cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, I knew when they asked if I would prefer red or green chili to choose the less hot red sauce.

Despite being extremely full, we still managed to find room for the Sopapillas - a flatbread dough that gets deep fried and puffs up- and which the restaurant serves with honey as a complementary dessert. Luckily we had a little walk back to help burn if a few calories, walking back we passed some of the great murals that the town has depicted life around the old road and town in its heyday.


By the time we arrived back at the hotel, the sign was lit up and called for a photo opt, we got chatting to another couple staying there from Illinois and shortly joined by a German fella as we all regaled tales about our time on the road and swapping tips. Our chat was cut short though due to the biting insects and we all made our way back to rooms to settle down for the night.

Days Mileage: 203
Total Mileage: 1199

Viva Las Vegas!

Renewing our vows with Elvis!

While we were in Las Vegas we renewed our vows, after 25 years of marriage, at the Elvis Chapel. We posted a few of the pictures we had taken on an earlier post, but these are the ones that the photographer at the chapel took.

After some initial photographs Elvis was in the building and led Victoria up the aisle to 'Love Me Tender'.

Elvis then conducted the ceremony and Victoria promised that I would never buy any 'Blue Suede Shoes'.

After the ceremony we then had a dance to 'Viva Las Vegas' (I was constantly out of step) before another session with photographer outside the chapel.

We then took the limousine back to the Venetian to continue our celebrations.

Three states in a day!

Exhausted from our big adventure the previous day we awoke fairly late for us and had a leisurely breakfast at the Cañonita restaurant where we had dined the previous day and then had a walk around the hotel.

Following breakfast we bought a couple of pots of fruit for the journey and then went into the Palazzo casino for a last spin on the roulette table, High roller that I am I got a $20.00 from my wallet and Victoria and I placed our respective bets, Victoria won but I lost, so overall for the weekend we were down about $9.00 on the gambling, I am noot sure we can sustain these losses :-)

We decided that Las Vegas is actually quite lovely in morning when all the usual denziens are still in bed and it is not too crowded, also despite being a bit gaudy of all the hotels we saw the Venetian is actually the nicest.

Not inclined to come back though.

We packed the cases, checked out and picked up the car from the parking garage and were on the road, driving through Boulder we eventually got to the Hoover Dam.

Wow, this is seriously impressive! Well to me anyway, Victoria is not so with engineering. We drove over to the Arizona side and parked up at one of the view points and walked back to the dam.

Getting back in the car we drove to the end of the road to purchase some postcards and trinkets from the gift shop before crossing back over the dam and driving back towards Las Vegas and picking up the road to Los Angeles.

This journey took a good six hours due to traffic but the scenery was beautiful as we drove past mountains ranges and the Mojave Desert. We saw probably the longest train I have ever seen, this is just the head of it and it was at least three times longer!

Stopping for gas just after Barstow we continued to Orange County and got checked in at the Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites.

After a shower to get rid of the dust we headed to Downtown Disney and had a cocktail at the Tiki Bar in the Disneyland Hotel, the service was pretty terrible here though.

So we headed over to the House of Blues where I had a pint of beer in a Mason Jar and we dined on salad, portabello sliders and fries while listening to live music, a great night out.

Walking back to the hotel we caught the fireworks in Disneyland before crashing out for another big adventure tomorrow.

Twenty-five years six months and five days

On the 24th February 1990 Victoria and I got married at Chesterfield Registry Office and we decided that after 25 years we should renew our vows with Elvis in Las Vegas.

We had a breakfast of coffee and pastries and I started the day with a gym session in the hotels Canyon Ranch Spa while Victoria started her preparation and as you can see, she does look lovely.

The ceremony was due to start at 1300, we would be picked up from the lobby at 1230, the Venetian is very opulently decorated and this is taken in the entrance hall.

Victoria had her 'Alice in Wonderland' bouquet from Etsy, they also did my matching buttonhole.

At about 1230 Mike picked us up in the Limo and we were on our way to Elvis Chapel.

While we sat in the waiting area a proper trampy wandered in and asked if there was a water fountain, obviously not, but I wonder if he does it regularly to see if he can earn a few dollars by being a witness? Maybe it is part of the package.

Anyhow, after a few minutes with the photographer, Elvis entered the building and we had a great, funny service during which we renewed our vows, had a dance and I promised to never, ever, step on her blue suede shoes.

We have ordered the photo package, but it is on CD, so I will have to post those at a later date.

After the service we had a few more photos then it was back into the limo and off to the Venetian.

We decided that we would have a lunch in the hotel, but first took a few pictures, believe it or not, this is in the Venetians shopping mall!

At the Cañonita restaurant which overlooks the canal and gondolas we had lovely a wedding breakfast with cocktails. Then after a long time in the most inefficient bakery in the world picked up some cakes from Carlos (who is apparently a Cake Boss) and took them back to our room to enjoy with a bottle of champagne that our dear daughter Jasmin had bought for us and I had put on ice that morning.

The champagne and cupcake were lovely, the cannoli not so good. We then touched up our make up and made our way into the casino.

Victoria made a start on the roulette table with $30.00 on black and we were soon $30.00 up on the night, although I did lose $25.00 of that with my ill informed gambling, still $5.00 up and on to a winner. Victoria then played the slots and we were another $6.00 up. Hardly high rollers, but $11.00 profit on the evening (for a $15.00 outlay) works for us.

We then made our way onto the Strip, this is us outside the Venetian with the gondolas. There are all the posters for the shows behind us, I had to laugh at the one for 'The Motown Story' featuring four white guys!

We made our way along the strip going into Harrahs, Linq, Bellagio and Best Western and were not impressed by any of them. The Venetian may seem a bit gaudy but out of the five others we visited (including the Mirage the day before) it was streets ahead of any of the others.

The atrium of the Bellagio did have a rather good display of 'under the sea'

We walked back from the Bellagio along the strip and it was an unpleasant half hour journey, far too crowded and way too tacky although there was some very good street performance they made the crowding even worse.

We did stop at Fat Tuesday's for a huge beaker of frozen Bellini at just $11 and Victoria had a Marilyn Monroe moment as she walked over one of the vents.

Back at the Venetian we were rather peckish so shared a veggie burger and fries at Johnny Rockets before wrapping up the evening with a pint at the Sin City Brewery again.

Here is a shot from the original day all those years ago, we have not changed a bit - we finished off that evening with pints too.....