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Published: June 20th 2008
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Elvis may have left the building but the crowds are most definitely still there! We flew out of Eugene on Sunday morning with Air Allegiant and arrived mid afternoon in Las Vegas. Our hotel was on the Las Vegas Boulevard "The Strip" and on arriving we got a hint as to the scale of it all when we had to queue for about 15 minutes just to check in. It has to be said that our hotel, The Sahara, was definitely not one of the most exclusive, but it location and pricewise it offered good value. When we finally got to our room we decided to head straight back out again for some lunch and to have a look around. We grabbed a quick bite to eat in the hotel cafe and then got the bus down The Strip. We got off the bus at The Ventian and chose to look round it first. From the outside it looks very grand and straight from a Venice street scene, with canal included. Inside it is equally, if not more, impressive! Take the stairs up to the second level and walk through the doors and you will suddenly enter, what seems like, Venice
at night time! The ceiling shows the sky and the interior is cleverly lit. Shops and restaurants also add to the impression as does another canal complete with gondolas (motor powered though) and singing gondoliers. The pièce de résistance is a replica St Marc's Square complete with entertainers and atmosphere. The size is almost unimaginable as this is only a small part of one complex and therefore, we looked round just this part and Madame Tussaud's until dinner time when we ate in one of the restaurants and then got the bus back to the hotel.
When we woke up on the Monday we were eager to see the other famous casion complexes on The Strip so again we took the bus down to the similar area and toured The Mirage, Caesar's Palace, The Bellagio and Mandalay Bay. To describe each one in detail would take hours due to their size and immensity, however, I would like to try and convey some of the highlights. In The Mirage aside from gambling you can see dolphins and big cats in the garden. In Caesar's Palace you can have your own private Romanesque tent at the side of the pool. In the
Bellagio you would have your breath taken away by the Italian granduer, see fine art in the Guggenheim museum and of course Dad's favourite, eat Italian ice cream in an oppulent cafe! Finally in Mandalay Bay we toured a shark reef and aquarium.
To walk the length of each hotel may be a mile of more. They are towering and like a maze inside with people coming and going like Sauchiehall Street and there are many more than the few we managed to tour. From early morning gamblers play the tables and the slots. It seems amazing to me that someone could manage everything that goes on these places as there are entertainment and services everywhere. Other things you can see on The Strip are a life size Eiffel Tower, an amazing fountain display outside the Bellagio and a Treasure Island show. There are people, lights, noise everywhere you turn and yet amazingly in some complexes there are some peaceful spots.
On Tuesday we woke up early and a bus picked us up to take us on a tour of The Hoover Dam and The Grand Canyon. When we were getting on the bus at 6:30 am I asked
what time we would get back and was slightly daunted to hear 9:30pm! However, on completion of the tour I have to say it was worth it. The bus tour was broken up in to segments and The Grand Canyon is indescribably fantastic. Rarely have I actually had my breathtaken away or been rendered speechless, as many would no doubt tell you, but on this ocassion I certainly can claim to have had both of these afflictions! For two hours we got to walk up and down the South Rim. I think it is rather ironic that you can have the experience of being amazed by the man made scale of Las Vegas and the natural immensity of The Grand Canyon and it is telling that inspite of the efforts of man made construction it is the natural architecture that truly left me speechless. It is wonderful having the opportunity to see an appreciate such a feature and really wish I could take every child I ever taught to see it!
The Hoover Dam is also a large scale feature of man made construction and amazing to think of the workers skill and bravery during a time when technology was
not what it is today!
Our last adventure in Las Vegas sadly was not a trip back in time to see Deano but a trip back to Caesar's Palace to see Elton John. I have to say Elton is not one of my favourites but his show was typical of Las Vegas style; extravagant, ostentatious and powerful. He really gave it laldy and belted out all the classics. Unfortunately they take your camera from you as you enter so I couldn't get any photos but if you put on the song Rocket Man and imagine giant inflatables , flashing neon signs, golden confetti, giant inflatable pin balls and a large video screen as the back drop to Elton at a red piano you start to get the picture!
It is an exhausting place and certainly and experience! Viva Las Vegas.....Joanna and Dad have left the building!
😊
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