These are some photos from our two trips to the USA. There are additional images on the San Francisco and New York pages. All were taken on a cheap standard camera which is why the image quality isn't that great. We're going back to the US in mid-2009 with a much better camera, so I should be able to get some better images. Please scroll down to view the images...

All photos
© Gordon Heaney 2008

The amazing Luxor hotel in Las Vegas. Amazing on the inside too - but too dim for a decent photo unfortunately. The only thing I couldn't figure out was what the theme was based on... [Sept 1997]

Taken in Chicago, second only to New York for it's skyscraper history. I liked this contrast between old and new - a modern skyscraper standing next to an older style building. [Sept 1997]

Taken at the Grand Canyon, Arizona. We were so unlucky that day, as there was a storm raging when we got to the canyon, so we really couldn't see very much - which was typical as I had waited for so long to see it. The storm did lift just as we were about to leave, so I had to rush to take as many photos as I could in 5 minutes. The air was still unclear, so we only got a glimpse of it's magnificence. [Sept 1997]

On a wine tasting trip to the Napa Valley in California, we stopped off for a 'break' in a town called Calistoga. It seemed like such a typical small US town - the weather was gorgeous too. I'm not religeous but I did like this church. It was a good day. (PS That's my wife and it was our honeymoon!) [Sept 1997]

The one thing you are struck by in Las Vegas is the fantasticly over-the-top hotels there. This is the New York New York hotel, just over the road from the MGM we were staying in - at that time, the largest hotel in the world with 5000 rooms. There have been many more hotels built since we were there - one day we will return...(PS That's a red rollercoaster going all the way around the hotel) [Sept 1997]

This is the large neon guitar sign outside the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago. It's not nearly as big as the guitar sign at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Cafe, but it seemed to make a good photo opportunity nonetheless. [Sept 1997]

A view from a light aircraft (that had a hole in the floor!) of a strom over the Arizona desert. Not a great photo as such but it is a reminder of the nervousness of watching that storm from the (alleged) safety of that small plane! I did like all the huge rock formations viewed from above. [Sept 1997]

I've always loved the idea of skyscrapers and in the UK, we have no idea what a tall building really is. When I went to New York and Chicago, I found out what tall means and developed new neck muscles I never thought I had. [Sept 1997]

Another view into the Grand Canyon in Arizona after the storm broke. The air was still not fully clear but it did bring out some great colours in the rocks. [Sept 1997]

This was the world's tallest building at the time of taking the photograph - the Sears Tower in Chicago. It was just awesome. It was so tall that taking a decent picture of it was difficult from the ground! [Sept 1997]

And now a view from the top of the world's tallest building at that time, looking over towards Lake Michigan. I really like all the boats and yacht's huddled together in the harbour. [Sept 1997]

A view of the Chicago skyline from a boat on Lake Michigan. [Sept 1997]

I liked this photo of a residential street in the small town of Calistoga in California because it was peaceful, colourful, very well looked after and well, rich! It's not a great photo but it captured that feeling for me, anyway! [Sept 1997]

I liked this photo from a light aircraft passing over one of the tributaries of the Colorado river as it winds into the main Grand Canyon - at this point, it's not Great, it's only a Good Canyon. [Sept 1997]

Again, the (relatively) old church against the huge modern skycraper in Chicago seemed to be a good photo opportunity. [Sept 1997]

A rainbow breaks through the storm in the Grand Canyon [Sept 1997]