Windows to the World

I mentioned last week that I was going to Las Vegas.  I've been there and back, though it turned out that I spent almost all my time in our room.  We stayed at the Palazzo and all the rooms are really like a mini suite with a sleeping area and a step down living room.  We had a big window with a great view.

I spent the morning working on the manuscript I'd brought with and the rest of the day babysitting Jakey so his parents could have some much needed time off.  He's a year and a half and at the age where he's not happy riding around in a stroller when he can be running everywhere.  So the challenge was how to keep him out of trouble in our room.

There were two steps between the sleeping room and the living room which kept him busy going up and down them.  I held him on my lap and we looked out the window for a very long time.  There was so much to see.  Planes on their final descent went right past our window.  I don't know about Jakey, but I never get tired of watching planes land and take-off.  The monorail also passed by our window and I pointed out the trains coming and going and passing each other.  I showed Jakey how the trains slowed down before they made a turn.

We had a view of construction sight with cranes and digging equipment.  There was a street full of cars that seemed miniature since we were on the 25th floor.  In the distance there were mountains that changed color as the afternoon faded.

Lights came on everywhere and the moon hung in the sky where we could view it.

Jakey seemed quite content to look out the window with my commentary about what he was seeing.  I started to make up stories about the people getting off the planes that were landing and getting onto the trains.

And then he fell asleep.

I hope Jakey grows up with an appreciation of looking out the window wherever he is.  I was mesmerized on the ride to and from Vegas even though I've seen it countless times.  There are roads that seem to go nowhere and open areas with some scubby plants, but absolutely nothing else.  It is so strange to be on this road of traffic and then see a place so empty.  There's an abandoned theme park with sad looking palm trees and sadder looking buildings.

Mountains in shades of dun and then suddenly one that appears black.  We passed an area that was all mirrors  reflecting the sun and making power. 

It was sizzling outside and when we passed some areas of houses I wondered what it was like to live there.  On the way home there was an amazing sunset.  The sun really looked like a big orange ball falling below the horizon.  I wanted to see stars.  I knew they were out there, but despite pressing my face against the window I couldn't see them.  Nobody was interested in stopping to look at them by then and in no time we were going through the Cajon Pass.  It was dark and steep and my least favorite part of the trip.

There is so much more to see when it's light out.  By the time we were whizzing through Rancho Cucamonga and San Dimas, all I could see where some lights on the side of the road. It all came back in focus when we passed through Pasadena and the freeway hugged the rugged mountain side.  That is my favorite part of the ride.  The freeway there reminds me of the Wizard of Oz because it seems like you're going into different worlds.  There are hills dotted with lights and in between them the tall building of downtown L.A. are visible.

And then we were home.