Viva Las Vegas!

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After Leaving Beatty I first visited the old "ghost town" of Ryholite. It had an abandoned school, train station and shops. They were all crumling apart, but photos showed that the village was bustling at one point. It was also absolutely freezing with a cold wind, but this was in the middle of the desert; it gets real cold at night in the desert.

I then drove to Vegas, which was not as far as I thought it might be. After finding my first choice hotel full, I booked into the Stratosphere which is a little out of date and not at the fashionable end of the strip, but a fine hotel all the same. I had been told that the hostels in Las Vegas were not great: one is too far from the action and the other is a bit dodgy.

After checking in I drove (because the strip is so long and the hotels all have excellent parking as everyone drives everywhere in America) to the Bellagio for lunch. The Bellagio is one of the more expensive hotels but it does a reasonably priced buffet (as do all the hotels) which is meant to be the best in Vegas.

After a bit of a blow out I drove/walked up and down the strip admiring the ridiculously over the top hotels and gambling a few dollars here and there. I was not quite sure what the form was about wandering into the poler rooms and watching the no limit tournaments that they all hold. If I go again, this is certainly what I would do.

I caught the show at the Stratosphere which was free to guests. It was rather lame but amused me in places. The crowd were really not up for it (it was 4pm rather than 12am when everyone has limbered up) and the comdians had a tough time.

I went out again later and admired the free fountain show at the front of the Bellagio which is set to music and the free song and dance spectacular at the front of the Treasure Island hotel which involves lots of girls not wearing much clothing. After that I visted a few hotels with the Venetian (complete with indoor canal and gondolas) and the Paris being the most over the top.

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