Our Life in Illinois: December 2013

Sunday, 29 December 2013

Hoover Dam - 29th December 2013

The Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over one hundred lives. The dam was controversially named after President Herbert Hoover.

Hoover Dam has Lake Mead on the upper side, the largest reservoir in the United States by volume.The dam is located near Boulder City, Nevada, a city originally constructed for workers on the construction project, about 25 mi (40 km) southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. During construction the the city imposed a ban on Gambling and Alcohol, so all construction workers would travel to Las Vegas for this form of entertainment. This situation was the foundation of the Las Vegas we know today. Boulder city still has a ban on gambling, however they did remove the ban on alcohol. The dam generates enough electricity for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California.

Sunset over Boulder City

Friday, 27 December 2013

Las Vegas - December 27th 2013

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County.Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city known primarily for gambling, shopping, fine dining, and nightlife and is the leading financial and cultural centre for Southern Nevada. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its consolidated casino–hotels and associated entertainment.
A growing retirement and family city, Las Vegas is the 31st-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 583,756. The city is one of the top three leading destinations in the United States for conventions, business, and meetings.Today, Las Vegas is one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
Established in 1905, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in that century (a distinction held by Chicago in the 19th century). The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs.

Our hotel, the Platinum, left the following celebration items in our room. This hotel was exceptional and I awarded a 5 star recommendation on 'Trip-Advisor'