Succinctly Yours - A Microfiction Meme #64

Grandma at Grandma's Goulash provides a picture and a word prompt for this Microfiction Meme and the rules are use the photo as inspiration for a story of 140 characters OR 140 words.

Want more challenge? Use the word of the week in your story. This part is optional.

This week's word is FORGET here's the picture and my offering, using the picture and word of the week  in 140 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

Goldie,the goldfish,was confused.

With so many others sharing the same tank

it was all too easy to forget in which direction you were headed.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction #207 Back off holiday.....

" Put the kettle on, tea first, then sleep, in our own bed" said Pat.

The first things everyone wants after two weeks away.

Early morning, piling out of the taxi they hurried up the path.

"What's going on, the key's not working?" said Carl.

Suddenly the door opened....

"Can I help you?" asked the squatter.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction is brought to you by G-man (Mr Knowitall). The idea is you write a story in exactly 55 words. If you want to take part pop over and let G-man know when you've posted your 55.

Wonders Of The Golden West Part 7.....

After a hearty breakfast we joined our bus for the excursion for today to

The first thing we did on our arrival was to view a short film about the history and construction of the dam and see the exhibit gallery before taking an elevator down 500 ft to see the generators in the dam's power plant.

Hoover Dam stands approx 725ft above the Colorado River.

    

Built during the Depression; thousands of men and their families came to Black Canyon to tame the Colorado River.  It took less than five years to build, in a harsh and barren land, in blistering summer heat with difficult and dangerous working conditions.

The Bureau of Reclamation would later estimate that 107 workers lost their lives while building the dam.

The dam spans the Colorado River in Black Canyon between Arizona and Nevada, some 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas.   It has a clock at either end showing Arizona time and Nevada time.

The concrete arch-gravity structure was intended to prevent flooding as well as provide much-needed irrigation and hydroelectric power to arid regions of the states of California and Arizona.  Originally known as Boulder Dam, it was renamed in 1947 in honour of Herbert Hoover, who proved instrumental in getting the dam built.

The views of Lake Mead from the top of the Dam are magnificent.

and the sheer size of the dam is awesome.

After a fascinating tour we were once more aboard the bus with our last view of Lake Mead behind us.

Our next stop was Boulder City.

Initially built in 1931 by the Bureau of Reclamation and six companies as housing for workers who were building the Hoover Dam, the town was designed to house approximately 5000 workers.  The status of the workers on the dam was reflected in their house sizes and locations. The most important employees had thier residence on top of the hill nearer the apex.  Managers were housed further down the hill and dwellings for manual labourers were located furthest away from the public buildings and parks.    Boulder City is a lovely place with a pretty street full of cafes, restaurants, antique shops and candy stores.

We even found a micro brewery,

you knew we would didn't you?  LOL      Of course we had to go in and sample what they had to offer,

before it was time to hop on the bus again to get back to Vegas where we explored some more hotels.

The Venetian......

The Mirage.....

The Forum shopping mall, Caesar's Palace, which is designed so you can't find your way out I'm sure! We had to ask for directions. LOL

 
By this time we were in need of a much needed rest, so we returned to our hotel with time to put our feet up before getting ready for our last dinner in Vegas.

Our last night in Vegas we decided to have a meal in Le Cafe Ile St,. Louis, a little Bistro in Paris, the hotel/casino not Paris, France, where I chose the Seared Tuna Salad and MWM had the Paris Burger from the extensive menu.   Both were delicious!

before hitting the 'Strip' to photograph/visit yet more hotels/casinos.

Gordon Ramsay Steak...

Planet Hollywood....

Opposite MGM Grand.....

 Hard Rock Cafe......

 New York, New York.....

Veer Towers......

after which we headed back to our hotel to hit the Roulette table.   We promised ourselves we would have a 'flutter' whilst we were in Vegas and tonight was the night.    We set a limit and handed it over to the cashier and collected our chips.    We were doing really well at one point but then it all went wrong and we lost everything - all $20!!  You didn't think we were going to bet big did you? LOL

After a really busy day and evening it was time for bed, once we'd packed again, ready for the next leg of our journey.   Join me next time for Wonders Of The Golden West Part 8.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction #206 Dreams come true....

LA. to San Francisco and all points inbetween.

Grand Canyon, Vegas, Sacramento, Yosemite, and more.

Sights, sounds of the Golden West, places on TV,

were very far away, to my friends and me.

All the places I dreamed of seeing, never thinking that I would.

Now the dream's come true, I didn't think it could.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction is brought to you by G-man (Mr Knowitall). The idea is you write a story in exactly 55 words. If you want to take part pop over and let G-man know when you've posted your 55.

Wonders Of The Golden West Part 6.....

After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast we departed the hotel to go to a nearby airfield where this

was waiting to take us on our ride through the Grand Canyon.     We'd seen the Canyon from the rim but were now going to descend below the rim and follow the Colorado river on it's journey through the Canyon.

I'm not nervous about flying in a plane but a small helicopter holding six passengers and the pilot was a little daunting.    Pushing my hesitancy firmly away I climbed into the helicopter with MWM and the other four passengers, one of whom sat in the front with the pilot and we took off.   I was surpised at how smooth the take off was and had soon forgotten all my nerves and was enjoying the view trying to capture it with my trusty camera.

Then the battery on my camera conked out and I didn't have a spare!!!  Luckily MWM videod the whole thing but as it was a two hour trip I will just share the actual ride through the Canyon as we followed the Colorado River on it's journey, look out for the boat.

 

We actually landed in the Canyon to refuel and MWM was able to sit in front with the Pilot for the return journey - he was thrilled - I stayed in the middle of the seat in the back, that was close enough to the windows for me.   The Canyon is even more amazing when you get below the rim, the whole experience was fantastic and has left us with fabulous memories.    

Back in Vegas we went for a quick lunch then decided to explore Caesar's Palace.

and even stopped for a drink in one of the bars in there.

before heading back to the hotel for a rest.  

I watched the lights of Las Vegas coming on through our hotel window

 before getting ready for our evening out 

to see 'The Rat Pack is Back' at the Rio Hotel.  It's a fabulous show and the artistes were very believable as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, if you ever get to Vegas I can thoroughly recommend the show.  We couldn't take any photographs inside  but you can see the promotional video here.

After the show we were booked in to sample the 'Carnival World Buffet' at the Rio Hotel too.   OMG I've never seen so much food!!  From pizza to omelets, sushi to teppan yaki, fresh carved meats to Asian barbecue, homemade pies, cakes and pastries and a whole lot more.   I defy anyone to come away from that buffet hungry. 

Full to overflowing it was time to go back to the hotel and go to bed, ready for another full day and a visit to Hoover Dam on our last day in Vegas.   Join me next time for Wonders Of The Golden West Part 7.