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Well what a contrast!!! from quaint old cowboy smalltown Colorado mountain scene to this place. I love the Americans - they are friendly and polite and pretty outgoing in a very nice way .... they reallly do give good service....AND if they havent got it on their doorstep then they invent it and here we have Las Vegas.
I am just amazed at the scale and opulence of the hotels - the money which has been spent - the colossal number of rooms available ( 3000 - 6000) in some hotels. And no stinting on landscaping even though we are in the desert. So on The Strip we have New York next to the Pyramids, Paris and Bellagio ( Lake Como) near the Roman Forum of Caesar's Palace - not to mention the canals of Venice and San Marco complete with fake sky - I had to laugh at that and the very polite singing gondoliers - a ride here being cheaper than the real thing - but then in the real Venice I would only pay to go on a vaporetto. And then there is the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe emblazoned with some laser picture of Gordon
Ramsay!!What would the french say!! F*** no doubt.
The resort I am at Wyndham Grand Desert is one of my timeshare weeks which I swapped and is very luxurious with 3 pools (one for adults only open 24 hours great) in beautifully manicured gardens - and as it is a couple of blocks behind the Strip there is a free shuttle bus to take you onto the Strip. I have a master bed which would probably sleep 4 , and an ensuite which is bigger than most bedrooms back home- and all mod cons in the kitchen apart from a kettle
Yesterday morning ( MOnday) I took a Vegas bus tour - 3 hours in a minibus with a great guide who had been a showgirl here some years ago - so she had some tales to tell. We were taken to many of the hotels and sights and escorted around - so it was fantastic to be able to see everything and get a handle on this vast place. Some of the hotels/casinso cover several blocks - so it is a lot of walking. In the casinos you see old folk gong round on mobility scooters!!! Gambling
WORLD FAMOUS SIGN
On The Strip Tour and drinking obviously goes on 24/7 - there are people glued to the slot machines at breakfast time. And where else do you see slot machines in the grocery stores and at the baggage clain at the airport - and beer/wine being sold in the Pharmacy ???!!!!!!!!!!! One thing surprises me that they seem to allow smoking in the casinos- I thought USA was pretty hot on non-smoking....maybe it's just a Vegas thing.
Having lived in Dubai the heat doesn't suprise me - 95deg when I arrived and 100 deg today - but it's dry so not too uncomfortable... and of course the man-made city of Dubai is pretty crazy too - so I can see where some of their crazy ideas came from .
A nightime visit to see the Bellagio choreographed fountains was a real treat ... and today I explored further afield taking public transport South down the Strip to Town Square - whch is like walking round in Disney- cute streets and cute shops and restos...and at last a supermarket - I have had an empty fridge for 3 days - not like me !!! There are plenty shops on the Strip but for
Fendi handbags and Jimmy Choos and that sort of stuff ( not my scene as you know). An $8 bus ticket for 24 hours is pretty good.
This is a place where everyone should come once in their lifetime - it's fun and a great atmosphere ..NOW LET THE PICS SPEAK FOR THEMSLEVES.
Am looking forward to Suz and Tracie joining me on Thursday we have 2 shows to go to and I know they are going to love it.
Love to all. xxx
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Maureen
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Glitzy ditzy stuff!
Wow, Lynne! Really extreme stuff, eh? Man-made "marvels" with everything so slick! Yes, a real contrast to the desert and canyon formations! I reckon the drinking and gambling at breakfast time for retirees on scooters is an experience! Giggle! I liked the comment that if it doesn't exist....the Americans will invent it! Hugs, Maureen.