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[Riebi]

Ok it take really time, but here´s the next part of my TR:

15.10 San Diego Coronado with another "Disneyland Hotel", a wonderful beach and a move on toward palm springs

Today was our last day at San Diego. To celebrate this day we had a special thing to do: Coronado Island. Coronado is a "peninsula". Very well-kept, something for the richer guests of San Diego it seems. But there´s one big thing at Coronado you have to do as a Disney Fan: Visit the ,,Del", ,,The Hotel Del Coronado". The ,,Del" was and is the  archetype for the newer Disneyland Hotels (Paris, Grand Floridian WDW, Hong Kong,...). That mean the imagineers designed the Disneyland Hotels with this Hotel in mind. You can see it clearly if you are standing in front of it. The wonderful thing is, that it lays there directly at the sea and the white shining beach. Looks really wonderful. We made many pictures of course and rest a bit at the beach. So if you are at San Diego visit Cornado and have a clear look for the ,,Del"
The rest of the day was a driving day. Cause we had to be at Palm Springs this evening. For San Diego I can say: That´s such a great city! It remembered much at San Francisco but with some mexican influences. San Francisco and San Diego are now my favorit cities of California. I love both so much!
The journey to Palm Springs was also interesting. You pass the desert and weh ad only a short break (we drove to fast and a officer from the highway state police told us about that and that we shouldn´t believe hookers at Las Vegas: prostitution is a crime! He was very nice to us but the fast ticket cost us around 200 Dollar)
Palm Springs is a city of Country Clubs. You will find a country club at every street. We just went to the Cheesecake Factory and haven´t done much more in the evening.

16.10 Driving Day from Palm Springs to Williams
The next day was our second driving day. At the end of the day we should arrive Williams (the gate to the grand canyon). Palm Springs in the morning hours is great cause it has around 30 °C and that´s heaven for me. Williams is a very small town next to the Grand Canyon. There´s also the train station for the Grand Canyon train. But...not much more. It´s one of this little towns along the historic Route 66. It was a bid weird to be there. Especial because at every shop/cafe etc. was a big sign ,,NO WEAPONS". But it´s a good stop for a one day trip to the Grand Canyon. And that was what we does the next day.

17.10 Grand Canyon National Park

Early in the morning and after a supermarket starbucks breakfast we made our way to Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim). From Williams you can choose different possibilities to get to the National Park. You can choose the train or you can take your car. We took our car. It´s around 40 minutes till you arrive the national park where you have to pay an entrance fee (the min. was a 7 day pass). For the fee you can use the Grand Canyon transportation system for example. So if you aren´t that good on your own feet, you can take the bus to the different stops around the rim. We choose the bus to get at one end of the rim (Hermit´s rest). There we took a long walk around the rim till we arrived again the base camp. It´s a wonderful walk along the rim. You see so much! We learned that you have to should out "COLORADO!!! THERE´S THE COLORADO" if you see the Colorado. We saw it many times and everytime a little child was next to us screaming out "THERE`S THE COLORADO!!". Quiet fun. The Grand Canyon is a wonderful natural and magical wonder. What impressed me the most was that you don´t expect the canyon while you enter the National Park. Looks like a normal wood or something. And then out of the blue he´s there! After our first walk we took again the bus to the other end of the south rim where we walked some stages. For some we had to take the bus cause there wasn´t always a path to walk around. Even not at California, the Grand Canyon National Park is a nice side trip you should take. It must also be great to sleep at one of the lodges inside the park area. In the evening all the animals went out of their refuge. We saw many many deers and harts. Much bigger and much more fluffy then our german/european ones. (Yes I love fluffy animals and I´m proud of it.)
It was a wonderful day at the Canyon and after we visited the IMAX cinema (somewhere in a little village not inside the National Park gates) at the later evening and had a meal we went back to Williams.

[dagobert]

Thanks for the next part of your great trip report. Hopefully you will post some pictures.

We have been to the Grand Canyon in January 2008. We took a bus tour from Las Vegas to the GC. Unfortunately we couldn't see anything of the Grand Canyon, because it snowed and it was so foggy when we arrived there. So you can imagine that we were very disappointed. I think we have to visit the Grand Canyon again next time.

[Riebi]

Thanks dagobert!

I will post the next pics as soon as possible. For today the next part of the trip report must be enough  

18.10 From William to Hoooover Dam, from Hoooover Dam to Las Vegas and the experience of flat screens in bathrooms in combination with Jacuzzis

Today was our escape from Williams day. It was ok to leave this city, cause it scares me a bit with all this NO WEAPONS signs and the wild west ambiance. We drove through the desert again. For the evening we had a nice room at vegas but till then we had another landmark to visit: the hooooover dam. It´s interesting how light this dam is integrated in the canyon. They build a new bridge over the canyon to get a better "guest flow". At the moment everybody must pass the canyon road but in the future only the dam tourist will take this road. The other people will get the possibility to take the bridge. But back to the dam. There´s a own visitors centre for the dam. You can choose different tours and tickets. We took a middle ticket which gave us an impression of the inside of the building and the museum. It was great to see this masterpiece of engineering, the huge pipes and tunnels. There was also a group of squirrels out there. The Tour itself has the duration of an hour. And after we visited the museum at the newer visitors centre we visited the old visited centre where you can find a huge diorama, showing the water systems of the US.
After a walk over the dam (and the feeling having one foot at Arizona and the other at Nevada) we left the dam. Our new destination: Las Vegas. It´s really wonderful how unexpected the city appears in the middle of the desert. Desert desert desert - Las Vegas. Our hotel was a 6 star resort named ,,The Signature – at MGM Grand". Which means that it´s the better part of MGM Grand. Don´t feel bad about prices. The price for a room is really cheap if you book from europe. It was great from the moment the big gates opened for us. We had to do nothing by ourselfs. What to do with the car? Park service. What to do with the luggage? Luggage service. Where could we get something to drink? Already there. How to book a show? Just ask the concierge – he/she gets you everything you want. We had a room high over the city. At every floor was just a handful of rooms. I think around eight or so. Weh ad a wonderful view over the strip and a balcony (that´s special for Vegas). We had a huge bed, two TV Screens (one in the living room part and on in the bath room), a Jacuzzi, a kitchen, ... cool thing if your come from a Motel 6.
After we visited the room we visited our hotel. The Signature has a own separate area from MGM Grand. That´s great cause you won´t have casino visitors inside the floors and other people that want shop, dine or watch a show. It makes the hotel a lot more calm then the other hotels along the strip. To get to the strip you have to go through the MGM Grand. That said: All hotels at Las Vegas are huge. The time from our room to the strip was 15 minutes. 3 minutes to cross the signature part and 12 minutes to cross the different areas of MGM Grand (Casino, Show theaters, shops, restaurants, bars, pool, ...). You will find a little city in every hotel. With everything you need. I think that why some people never leave their hotels at Las Vegas.
For us: We found the strip and walked along it. The strip isn´t as I expected it. It´s a bit annoying. You will get many jostles and everywhere are some nerving people which try to give you a advertising card (red light district invitation). I said to my friend that I won´t take ONE of this cards the whole trip. We made a bet out of it and – I won! So if you make a game out of it it could be ok. But that´s the only possibility.
The card people are forbitten in front of the big hotels, cause they own the sidewalks. But there are so many gaps where you will find them.
The other thing is: The strip is longer then it seems. It looks all very small on the map. But to go from one side to the other means a long walking distance. At our first evening we just visited some of the big hotels and later then we went back to MGM Grand. We had a nice meal at the rainforest café (inside MGM Grand) and we celebrate our day with the VOLCANO sundae. Keep in mind that the whole restaurant will scream out ,,VOLCANO" if you get your sundae.
After our chocolate choc we went back to our room (15 minute walk inside the hotel) and fell in our bed.

[dagobert]

Again a great trip report.

We enjoyed Las Vegas a lot. We stayed in the Gold Coast Casino and Hotel which is a little bit of the strip and not as nice as the hotels on the strip. We have been to LV during the Consumer Electronic Show, so it was nearly impossible to get a room for reasonable prices in one of the hotels on the strip.

[Riebi]

Oh! That´s sad! But maybe next time. We get our room for much less then any other room in california. That´s why we choosed the 5 star superior hotel at the strip.  :lol:  Hope the prices are down again next year or the year after cause we plan again a little journey to the sun.

Now the pics parade of San Diego

San Diego Zoo








San Diego Old Town





Sea World San Diego


->national anthem....

touching stars

star touchs riebi


Shamuuuuu the whale


soaked




Disney Experience at San Diego: Uplike house contest.




Disneyland Hotel Experience: The Hotel del Coronado

[dagobert]

Thanks for the great pictures, Riebi!

[Riebi]

Late and short next parts:

19.10 Las Vegas Show day with "Le Rêve" at the Wynn
For our second day in Las Vegas we first made a trip to a shopping outlet. That wasn´t the best idea of our life. I haven´t the perfect american size so I didn´t found anything. And by the way: The quality of the clothes at the outlet were near bottom. Nothing that you could really wear on street with a bit of fashion in your head. Interesting that much much people bought there much much not much fitting and ugly things just because there was a big SALE sign on it. The only shop were you can find quality stuff was the disney outlet store. There I bought some souvenirs from Disneyland Anaheim for really not much money. It was great! It was like someone took all the sale stuff from DLP into another shop and made again the half price on it. Just a great little outlet store.
For the evening we had tickets to one of these big las vegas shows: "Le Rêve" at the Encore theater (Encore/Wynn Hotel). Before the show we ate something at the Caesars Palace outsite counter. One of the best hot dogs ever! And we got even a frozen chocolate drink for free! Yummy! but back to the show. The show was really impressive and I just can say: Go to this show! It´s a nice acrobat action show with much music and fun....and a huge pool as arena. Another funny thing here were the americans. I sit next to a rich russian woman in nice evening robe and with a lot of diamonds at her breast. Not one of this cheap looking "I married my man because of money" russian girls - an older elegant woman. That was the european way to go into an theater. The american was to go in sneakers, flip flops with a big cup of starbucks coffee some popcorn and not that clean undershirt. Mostly 15 minutes later then the show started. It´s really  embarrassing for europeans but with this russian lady next to me I had my anchor.


20.10 Las Vegas Fun Day
The next day was our LV Fun Day. We first made some shopping (I bought much stuff for less money at the FCUK Shop !!!SALE!!!) then we ate something at the cesars palace shopping center --> The Cheasecake Factory is inside!!! and we entered other shopping centers at the strip. In the early evening we made our way to Downtown LV, Fremont street. It´s fun fun fun! There was a  magician from germany on stage. We both know and hate him from a TV show here in germany with Uri Geller. So it was fun to see how he had a big electric drill inside his body.  :twisted:
The lightshow at fremont street is a LV must! It´s wonderful to see that here at the old center of LV with all this historic casinos around. Later we went back to the strip and made a little casino tour. I made 10 $ out of 5 /

21.10 Bridgeday at Bakersfield meeting a meal at the elephant bar
On this day we had to find our way back to san francisco again. We made a night stop at Bakersfield. There´s nothing interesting about bakersfield except an elephant bar were you can have a nice diner in africa.


22.10 Sacramento and meeting arnold schwarzeneggers assistant in front o arnold schwarzeneggers office
From Bakersfield we made our way to the capital city of california: Sacramento. We just made one night here but that´s enough to have a look at the city and the wonderful american buildings here. We visited the capitol and were both very intersted in mr. schwarzeneggers assistant. She came from time to time out of his office to take a letter or else for mr schwarzenegger in front of the door. Maybe mr schwarzenegger don´t want capitol members inside his office except her...
For the evening we made a walk at Old Town Sacramento. Nice way to get into the evening.

23.10 Fairfield Jelly Belly Factory and back to San Francisco
On this day two dream came true!
Dream 1: I love Jelly Bellys. I simply can´t stop to eat them. So it was a big dream to see the birthplace of jelly bellys! Thanks god thats at Fairfield, CA and between Sacramento and San Francisco! The Jelly Belly Factory gives you the option to come to a free factory tour. I felt like one of the kids that won a golden ticket for willy wonkas factory. The tour shows you every step of a jelly bean and teach you much about the beans, the factory history (THEY CAME FROM GERMANY!!!!!) and that the company had much more other products then jelly beans. After the tour you get a little bag with jelly belly. because I was that nice and made the tour with them. Aren´t that dreamlike person? You are in paradise and you get something free cause you are there. Happy Riebi. Disney learn your lesson!!!
Dream 2: We went back to San Francisco. We know that we would use the next and final day for shopping. So this was the only afternoon to make my second dream reallity: The Walt Disney Family museum. Thanks good they had in San Francisco everywhere little flags and posters about the newly opened Walt Disney Family museum. It´s at the presedio. And it´s in a nice litte brickstone house. Inside all your dreams will be just a step away. You can see the oscars for snowwhite, you can see the original furniture of walts apartment at disneyland you can see pictures prices everything!!! So if you are at san Francisco DON´T MISS IT!!!

[Riebi]

24.10 ONE DAY SALE AT MACYS!!!! and a nice meal at San Francisco´s FW
This day was a big goodbye to california and to san francisco. We knew both that we want to come back so it was a day to have fun. We made some shopping with a wild expierence at Macys: Ther was ONE DAY SALE! What means that masses of people were inside and masses of people try to help us to find our right clothes for every moment in our life. For the noon we went to FW to say goodbye to the sea lions, buy a lot of sweets and candy and then we had a nice dinnnner at boudins bistro. It was the right way to be again in this wonderful city and get the best from every side of it.

25.10 San Francisco Airport tooo-----> Frankfurt (26.10)
     

[davewasbaloo]

Sounds like a great trip. I really think San Diego is a fantastic jewel that is often overlooked by European travellers. And the Vegas section was funny. I too love Vegas, and thankfully not all Americans dress like slobs (many these days sadly do). But growing up in San Francisco we would go to the ballet, opera or theatre and I was always made to dress up. And in San Francisco, that is very common to do so.

Problem is, Vegas attracts a lot of people from less "experienced" (?) parts of the US.

Glad you had a good trip though.

[Riebi]

The Vegas experience was real fun for europeans. I think I like the city for 3 days or so. But not longer. Las Vegas remebers me much at a  old ugly prostitute that took  a D&G dress, much much much heavy make-up and a lot of diamonds just to look young and nice. First you will say: "What a nice dressed person" but after some minutes you will get the truth.

Funny was also that we didn´t found one restaurant that was open after the show. It was hard to get something to eat at las vegas after 10 pm. And because in my little hometown that isn´t a problem I was very amuzed about this diffrence. Saarbrücken Germany 200.000 people: Party times from 8 pm till 10 am in the morning, Las Vegas Nevada: Party times from 8 pm till 10 pm. Don´t come late!

I think the San Francisco people are much more educated, insterested in cultur and art (in a very nice casual way, maybe like the french are) then the rest I saw in California. The people at LA do it cause it´s chic, but the people of SF cause the want to know it.

Same for San Diego. That city remembers me much at SF.  It has a wonderful climate and a wonderful lifestyle. Love this city as much as SF. I can really say SF and SD were the city highlights of my trip. Always nice to be.

[davewasbaloo]

That's why I always considered my self a San Francisican first and foremost. Funny thing is, so many other parts of America think we are crack pots (and maybe we are ;-)

But living in Europe for 24 years, yep, I have become even more so. Lol.

[Riebi]

That´s so interesting that you find that big diffrences in one state! by the way: I saw yesterday a very poor "prejudice" test where they try to figure out if the prejudices we germans has against the us americans are true. They made everything true by a "just ask at the littles town in USA" base. It made me angry.

On the other hand if the SF way is the crack pots way I would be proud to scream out "Me = Crack pot!"

[davewasbaloo]

I am very proud to be a crack pot. What is funny is in the UK, they like to make fun of the people that do not have passports in the US, or that know little outside their borders. But the USA is huge. I have met people in the UK who have never been to London (their capital city) and no little of what is going on outside the UK. Ok, there may not be as many, but every country have people who only think local and those that think global.

Heck, I remember my friends in Wiesbaden making fun of Bavarians (particularly when Kohl was in power). Lol

[Riebi]

The thing with this tv show was, that they were asking all this question in a very little town somewhere in the us. Let´s face it: They don´t went to a big university to ask people about the world, they ask somewhere where people are happy knowing their tree at the garden.

And bavarians are often the aim of big fun in germany  :lol:  Maybe cause most people outside would think bavarian = germany. With all this beer, and blue white flags and little boys in lether clothes....

In USA or california it was for me really intersting to get the mood of diffrent people in diffrent places and cities. I would also make a diffrence between california people and people of deeper arizona (williams was more shocking for me: There are really people with long beard, army clothes and weapons inside a city???) You simply see where people have much contact with tourist and where not. And you simply see where the  attitude of people is more open and easy and where they are more proud and limited  by own opinions.

[experiment627]

And bavarians are often the aim of big fun in germany  :lol:  Maybe cause most people outside would think bavarian = germany. With all this beer, and blue white flags and little boys in lether clothes....

:arrow: proud to be a Bavarian. (Though someone who only moved here...)