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June 26: Reno After getting in the night before and almost immediately falling asleep, we spent the first day touring Reno, the biggest, littlest, medium-sized, city in the world. I got to eat breakfast in a rainforest. Well, a fake rainforest in a casino/hotel called The Peppermill, but it was a good rainforest, one to make Disney's Jungle Cruise envious, complete with birds, thunder and lightning effects, and apocryphal rain. It was supposed to rain, next to where we were sitting even, but it never quite managed to. Perhaps it would have dampened my omelet, anyway—and considering that it was possibly the first omelet I'd ever had, it would have been a shame to be introduced to a damp one. Also we walked through several casinos, which are alarmingly easy to get lost in, what with smoke and mirrors, and neon and ambient perky "you-win" beepings and coin clangings. However, unlike the Seminole Indian Casino in Naples, there were actualy dealers at actual tables serving actual bettors. Now, the point of the modern casino is to make sure you never, ever need to leave, even, perhaps, when your boss starts calling you and wanting you to come back to work since, after all, you were supposed to be back at the desk two weeks ago. So of course, there is entertainment, including a laser show set to music (pieces among which include the 1812 Overture). But like the rain, the lasers never materialized when I was there. The music played, but apparently it was, as Arlene thought, the braille version laser show. Something neat that wasn't non-functional while I was there, however, was Reno's oldies radio station. I have to mention this because I enjoyed it so much. I was first introduced to it while riding the shuttle from the airport to the casino (and the free parking garage), and it never failed to play a choice selection of songs from the sixties, sprinkled judiciously with others from the fifties—not so many that it became exclusively a baby boomers' nostalgia station—and from the seventies—not so much that it became a classic rock station or, worse, a disco regurgitation station. It was perfect. I also heard a lot of Simon and Garfunkle while I was on the trip, starting on the airplane, when I listened to a tape on the walkman, and continuing about every time I heard the radio. Other city tour spots included walking downtown along the newly built riverwalk, where we found the city putting in...mountain goats. Variously painted mountain goats. Just like New York was putting in bulls (cows?) when Keith and I were visiting there. And like how Naples is putting in alligators. That afternoon, after wading in the Truckee River (cold, cold, cold), we met Laura, Arlene's roomie, and saw Lilo and Stitch. I'd had my doubts from seeing the previews, but it turned out to be one of Disney's stronger efforts in recent years. Exiting the theater, we found a storm brewing far enough away that rain never fell on Reno, but close enough that it blew sand into my eyes. Also outside the theater was the exciting half-finished sign for a new casino to be called "The Golden Phoenix." But the sign only read "The Golden ho." Sadly, I didn't have my camera. Finally, after killing some hot late-afternoon hours in the shady house, we had a complimentary casino dinner and I go to meet Doc, an "atmosphere" guy. Doc's job is to walk around the Silver Legacy casino and add to its Old West theme by wearing a cool hat and outfit and performing card tricks for anyone who'll pause long enough to look.
Reno The view of the biggest-littlest from the airport, from an observation window in concourse C, to be exact. The photo was actually taken the day I left, and in the course of taking it, I set my boarding pass down and cleverly walked away. Sixty seconds later, I was walking back down the walkway to the window....
Briiiidge A view of one of several of the bridges that cross the Truckee River in downtown Reno. Darnit, I should have gone the extra hundred yards and walked to the sunny side of the street. Ah well.
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