Last night had us well rested after a good night's sleep. In contrast to the clear skies we have experienced for the past week or more, it was cloudy and cooler than we have been used to. And the streets were wet from the rain showers overnight. It was a welcome change. Since we have remained in the casino/hotel since we arrived, we took a walk around downtown outside the casino. The temperature was around 30C which was quite a pleasant difference from the previous week.
Welcome clouds over Reno
Downtown Reno, except for the casinos/hotels is not a vibrant place. Some building, including the old Harrah's Casino are closed and there was very little foot traffic. The newer Eldorado Casino is probably the most striking building with its gold windows and trim. by contrast, the hotel that we are staying in, the Circus Circus while satisfactory seems somewhat dated.
The Eldorado Casino/Hotel
I love trains. And it was a treat to come upon the Amtrak station. It is not a grand station in the vein of Union Station in Toronto or Grand Central Station in New York. It is more modest and has a southwestern feel. It was built in 1926 and has some art deco influences, I believe. The tracks are below street level and it is also the Union Pacific mainline through Reno. It seems to be out of place, but it is good to see that passenger rail service is still alive in the US. Not so, I believe, in Canada.
Reno Amtrak Station, Reno, NV
Tracks below street level
We met the ticket agent as we entered the station and had a brief conversation with her. I had some questions for her so when we returned she was talking to a guy who seemed to be in some sort of distress. She spoke with him in such a calm friendly manner that he responded to her. She asked him if he would like a bottle of water and when he said that he would, she asked him to sit down and she would get him the water. Then she asked to wait while she did that.
When she returned she answered my questions in a warm friendly way. I asked her if I could take her photo, she was surprised and somewhat pleased. I was able to get this photo as I sometimes do of people that I meet who seem really special. This woman's kindness and understanding really showed that she is that special kind of person. She is what in times gone by one might call 'a real sweetheart'.
Amtrak ticket agent in Reno, NV.
If you have ever watched Pawn Stars in Las Vegas you may have noticed that some items in the shop are there because the owners have had a bad run of luck in the casinos and have pawned various items in order to continue to gamble. There was a great deal of jewelry in display cases as well as a large variety of firearms - long guns and pistols - as well. Some of the items were quite expensive. One of the items was a gold left-handed Fender Stratocaster guitar that was priced at USD 11 000. Apparently much of the value comes from the fact that it was a custom build from the Fender Custom shop.
USD 8400 & USD 11 000 guitars
The other expensive item was a Rolex GMT watch. My friend Richard who knows about watches, says that this model sells for about $30 000! Unfortunately, I neglected to find out the price but I'm sure it was a large amount.
Rolex GMT watch
Reno has the city motto, 'The Biggest Little City In The World'. It shows up in several places around the city. One of them is an arch across one of the main streets. The other is on a hotel.
Reno motto
That was the extent of our activities until we went for dinner and I played the slots until I lost my budgeted amount. When we returned to the room the sun was in the west and the clouds were highlighted. Reno's setting starkly beautiful. this photo will give the reader an idea of the scenery here.
Evening view of Reno & surroundings from out hotel room window.
Reno neon
Tomorrow morning we will pack up and begin our long trek home. We plan on reaching Klamath Falls, OR, tomorrow. The weather promises to be somewhat more moderate than it has been for the past week and more. It will make for a much more pleasant ride.
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