Weekend in Vegas

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A long weekend is an ideal time to spend in Las Vegas. You realise its a different place as soon as you get off the plane at the airport, to be greeted by rows of poker machines.

We did show on Friday night, lucky enough to see an NBA game on Saturday night, blackjack at the Bellagio, and drinks at a couple of different bars along the strip. We also found a couple of good restaurants for quality food, although there are plenty of your 'bar food' places scattered everywhere.

Daytime on the strip is is fairly quiet, but a few of the freaky characters come out early especially to start charging for photos. Last time we were in town we also did the helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon, it is well worth it especially to land in the bottom of the canyon for lunch. Night time and the strip starts to get busy. Loads of people of all ages walking along and many of them drinking, from beers to tall cocktails in Vegas inspired containers. Plenty of touts offering passes to nightclubs and other entertainment venues, and stretch Hummers and limos up and down the well-lit Strip.

There are plenty of hotels, and they can be cheap especially if you stay off the strip. We stayed at the Elara, and in true Vegas fashion our room had great blackout blinds so you can sleep during the day and be rested for a night on the town. It also had a great pool to relax around in the sunshine. The weather was magnificent.

The casinos are huge and they go 24 hours a day. 8am and the floor of the Planet Hollywood Casino is busy, and the sports bar is nearly full with soccer and east coast college football games on the big screens. Smoking is allowed indoors, but the ventilation is pretty good.

Vegas is what you make of it, but you need to do it at least once.

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Photos

The Strip
Looking towards Paris

Ceasar's Palace
Cesar doesn't live here any more

On the Strip
Catching up with my cousin Janine