California 2006

Hoover and Havasu

We left Vegas and the Golden Nugget behind, having stolen as many free soaps, pens and shampoos as we could, and headed south. Las Vegas is a nightmare to drive in, and after being repeatedly beeped by a huge van the driver pulled alongside, opened his window, and asked where we were trying to get to before giving us directions. Perhaps it's not Sin City after all.

We finally made it to the Hoover Dam. It's mind-numbingly huge. They've basically stopped the Colorado river and filled the valley it runs through (just down from the Grand Canyon) with 350 million cubic feet of water. The electricity it produces, together with the water in pipes and aqueducts keeps the entire southwest corner of America lit and hydrated. Mexico, where the Colorado river traditionally flowed to, now receives a trickle after the "water rights" of the US have been satisfied.

Speaking of things stolen from the people, we made our way on to Lake Havasu City. This is the final resting place of London Bridge, brought here stone-by-stone in 1974. When the man who did this couldn't find a waterway the right size for it to span, he built one. The result is Lake Havasu, which exists for nothing more than water sports and boat trips around and under the bridge. Everyone acts as though it's completely normal to find an English stone bridge in the middle of the Arizona desert.

Having had enough of the fake English pubs, tea and gift shops we drove across the sweeping plains of Arizona and into Yuma, 20-odd miles from the Mexican border. It's a bizarre town, where I enjoyed the fusion cooking delight of tagliatelle in a Cajun sauce with char grilled chicken for dinner. Our hotel is pretty scrubby, but it does come with free Internet access. The students who were having a loud party next door have headed out now, but we have our free Air France ear plugs at the ready for their return.

 

One side of the Hoover Dam

The other side

Give this water back to the Mexicans! But not all at once - that would be disastrous

Mohamed and his family, from Scotland. Their camera wasn't working, so I took their photos and promised to email them. Little did they know I only wanted them for my blog! Hahahahaaa.

Liberal bumper stickers!

Yep, it's the real one...

...but what is it doing here?!

The Thames

Another typical London scene

Traffic and roadworks. Even in Arizona, not much has changed for poor London Bridge

David and a friendly cactus

It's still pioneer country out here - up to 30 minutes drive between branches of McDonalds

Creature of the day: a fish in Lake Havasu

Tomorrow we head back to San Clemente, through southern California: the heartland of American weirdness.