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Published: October 26th 2009
Viva Las Vegas! (Elvis not ZZ Top)
Probably the most unusual stop on our tour as neither Charlotte or I are gamblers, This is not an environmentally friendly town judging by the amount of lights on our hotel let alone the rest of Las Vegas Boulevard. Good room in Circus Circus, on the 24th floor with a view of the mountains and downtown.
We go in search for a spot of dinner, find THE Steak House (emphasis on the 'the'), we've died and gone to heaven! The 'THE' is well earned, the steak is cooked to perfection & the size of my fist, mash potatoes with just the right amount of garlic, asparagus was a little wrong (but we could live with it) and a nice bottle of Chianti ( no lava beans). plus free starter of salad or soup (guess what Mum, I had the salad) and the waiter gave us some free mushrooms, it was all a bit much so we went to bed with no dessert and a doggy bag plus the promise to have it for breakfast(don't waste food Dad). A little walk around the casino trying to explain to Charlotte how Texas hold 'em
Heaven
just look at itis played then off to bed(she doesn't get it!).
Fantastic curtains in our litttle room woke up about 9:30 still thinking it was the middle of the night, total black out curtains, an atom bomb could go off and you'd only know because it was on the news. Now out for the day on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Nice sunny day, as we walk past an empty lot of land that we think The Sands hotel used to be on, and find Starbucks near the local 'mall' called The Fashion Show. Big shops, big prices, ($2500 for a very sexy pair of cowboy boots with skulls on and no Charlotte wouldn't let me get them).
From the 'mall' to our 1st casino of the day 'Treasure Island'. not quite sure why it's called that? it's just a big dark room with lots of lights & machines binging and boinging, never the less we give it a go on the penny slots (Hey big spenders!) 74 seconds later we're done me with out a bean, but Charlotte 2 cents up(she's happy, so leave her be!) then we catch the free tram to The Mirage.
Now this place is
Mmmmm
Steak for breakfast impresive, it is vast you need a map just to get around the gaming floor, and then there is the shopping centre. The ceiling is painted like the sky and is so realistic it could confuse a stupid person.
I was forced to stop at Tiffany's and look at jewellery I could only afford if I sold both Grandmothers. The type of place, "if you have to ask you can't afford" but it was all very very nice and very very shiny.
After touring all the shops and a strollette through the casino at Ceaser's Palace, time for dinner at Planet Hollywood (Tourist crap I know but lets face it we are!) Then out to The Bellagio for the fountains, I've never been one for dancing water but it is on the impresive side of things, down the road for the volcano show back at The Mirage(Flames and water, always good!) and its back to the bar at Circus Circus for a $10 jug of frozen margaritas (and a bar man with an odd chin.)
McDonalds for brekkie today, quick, cheap and cheerful (if Liam gets it) general lounging around and out in the evening up to
The Sirens Bike
At Treasure Island the Sahara hotel. We caught the monorail, enroute we saw a chap stopping a police car by standing in front of it (don't laugh! it worked they stopped). Down to the other end of the Boulevard by the MGM big green thing, Here we did the C.S.I. experience, Total pants $30 each to choose 1 of 3 stories even Postman Pat could solve (without Jess the cat) but you do get a CSI compitance certificate e-mailed to you which makes it all worthwhile (in a not at all kind of way).
En-route home stopped at a couple of bars the very sexy Rouge bar in the MGM, then the Diablo on the strip thourgh some of the other hotels and the pirate show at Treasure Island which Charlotte really enjoyed (buff men with open shirts getting all wet). Then in to the casino bar For a few more drinky's and home to bed.
Time for a lazy day down by the pool, 90 degrees and very sunny, as most of you will know I'm not the biggest sunworshipper in the world. Charlotte seems to think I'll get the hang of it! By George I cracked it, it was
almost easy. So after a day of bumming around I decided we should have a short walk a couple of block up to Fremont Street and see the experience.
90 mins and about 3 miles, a quick look in the Stratosphere casino, passing by wedding Chapels, Hostels (glad we did not stay down here, they look like they rent by the hour!) and Pawn brokers, we arrive and have a well earned pint in a local pub called The Griffin (nothing like the one at home) then in to the covered Fremont Street, it's a bit like an English Sea front but instead of arcades its casino's and a number of street artists, we stop and get a beer a street bar before heading back. When it all goes dark and a lights/projection show starts in the ceiling and to our surprise it was brilliant especially the timewarp. Followed by a free illusionist show, pretty poor, so after two act's we are off!
On to the Deuce (The bus down the boulevard) to the Mandelay Bay hotel for the shark reef aquarium, or so we thought. We started walking through with no idea how sprawling the hotel was.
We were dropping breadcrumbs just so we could find our way back, we reach the shark reef but alas we're 3 mins to late it shuts a 10pm (If only Charlottte's little legs could have moved a little faster) nevermind we found a bar and Charlotte got two free drinks as she was trying to get the barmaid to make the perfet Lychee Martini! No Caroline & Ian, she did not beat the one I had in Brown's!
Today's the big day (no Shirley and Lorna, don't panic you haven't miss a thing) Helicopter trip over Lake Mead, The Grand Canyon, and Hoover Dam. Excited? Oooh I could crush a grape!(remember Stu Francis from the 80's). Sitting waiting for our chopper (technical term) with about 20 others waiting for theirs, watch them all leave group by group into quite old looking choppers, and then there was 4 (us and another couple) but no helicopter in site. A lady from behind the desk assured us we hadn't been forgotten, ours landed great a new one all shiney and everything.
Our pilot Kate comes to greet us (I'm a bit worried! She must way 6st soaking wet, I've sneezed things
bigger than her and she's going to control our whirly bird!) and tell us about our trip. It's all very precise allocated seating and everything, odd head sets to talk with that pretty much blank out the background noise but you can still talk to each other.
Definatly the best money we've spent so far, the most threatening but beautiful landscape I have ever seen. So many colours and things to look at. 70 minutes felt like 3 hours and that still wasn't enough, but it'll have to do. back to Circus Circus for a spot of packing and dinner as tomorrow we're off to San Francisco. Hoorah!
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Ellie
non-member comment
Wow! What a fantastic time you are having....sun, hot weather - its bloody freezing and very wet here!!! I want that steak!!!