Time Flies, but I Won't Today

My wife and I had been counting down the days to our next trip to Europe—until the COVID-19 went from a Chinese epidemic to a global pandemic.

And today (April 8) we had reservations to board a United Airlines flight at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky., with stops in Washington and Frankfurt, Germany. The long journey would end the following day in Sofia, Bulgaria.

A few items set aside for the trip.

Over the next 10 days were going to travel to Belgrade, Serbia, and Bucharest, Romania. Along the way, we were going to sightsee places such as the Rila Monastery in Bulgaria, the Belgrade Fortress, Bran (Dracula) Castle in Romania, and the People's Palace in Bucharest. And a lot more.

Instead, we're self-quarantined in Kentucky, and patiently waiting for this world-wide scourge to pass so we can fulfill our trip to Eastern Europe.

Of course, we're disappointed but that's life. We'll survive and enjoy trips on another day, here and abroad. 

But the one thing we can't get back is time. When you reach a certain age, you realize the opportunities for travel (and other interests) dwindle and time is of the essence and something that shouldn't be taken for granted.

So stay healthy and safe. 

Until the next time . . .

A Great Bet for Winning Vacation

My wife and I spent the past five days vacationing in Las Vegas. The place was on our bucket list for several years so we finally made the trip.

Caesars Palace

Luxor Hotel and Casino

We didn't gamble but we still had an enjoyable time because there are so many things to do while there. We were impressed by the architecture and interior designs of all the themed hotels and casinos. Yes, a few were a bit gaudy, but most were lavish with no expense spared to attract guests. 

Ceiling in Caesars lobby

Harley-Davidson restaurant

 We're urban hikers so we enjoyed going from one place to the next during our sightseeing venture. There are many first-class restaurants, high-end shops such as Gucci, Tiffany and many more, and the standard, low-end tourist shops for people like me (wife not included)! 

Veronic -- the gal with 50 voices

We took in three shows -- "Jersey Boys," "Rock of Ages," and "Veronic" -- and highly recommend them all. On a side note, we also decided to rest our feet one afternoon and saw the movie, "Gravity" in 3D. Great special effects but weak storyline. 

New York New York Hotel and Casino

There were tourists from all over the world, making Vegas a truly cosmopolitan city. 

Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino

If there was a downside to our trip, it was a bus tour reserved two months ago to visit Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon that was effectively cancelled by our federal government. 

We may visit Las Vegas again after we see some other places on our list.  We were told that the light show on Freemont Street in old Vegas was interesting. 

Spring Mountains to the west of Las Vegas

Even if you don't gamble, Las Vegas is a great bet to have a wonderful time.

Until the next time....