April 27, 2013

Boulder Beach Campground

 Lake Mead Recreation Area

 Boulder City, NV

Las Vegas here we come! 

Neither Monte nor I have ever been to Las Vegas so it was sure to be quite an adventure.  And it was---

I had done some preliminary research on where to park, what to see and do, etc.   Most of the places we wanted to see were near the Mirage but we started out by going to Circus Circus because I wanted to see the Live Circus Acts.  We followed the signs for free self-parking and found a decent spot. 

The first act we caught was the Cloud Walker

 

 

She was excellent.

The next show wasn’t going to begin for another 45 minutes so we made our way to the Player’s Club and signed up.  I wasn’t planning on spending (losing) enough money to earn any of the prizes available but I was hoping to get some discount coupons.  And we did.  It was for Rock & Rita’s. 

We caught the next show-a woman juggling first a vase

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then a table. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 She had some talented legs and the show was very entertaining.We took the elevator up to the amusement park that was very crowded with crying and screaming children.  I was really hungry at this point so we started looking for a place to eat.  We planned on having a nice dinner and only wanted a snack.  We came across a vendor selling hot dogs for $5. 

 I pulled out the coupon I had received at the Player’s Club and saw that we could order a lunch for $6.99 so I suggested to Monte we see what they had to offer and maybe just split one order.

It was the right decision because for under $10 with tip we shared a delicious BBQ sampler with French fries.

I skipped the drink special that comes in this souvenir bowl. 

We went our separate ways for an hour-me to play the slots and Monte to return to the amusement park to take some pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After finding the machine I wanted, I deposited $5 and my very first 20 cent bet netted me $30.  I cashed in the voucher, put the winnings in my wallet and lost the original $5 by the time I was to meet up with Monte.  Not bad. 

We drove to the Mirage and found a spot in the covered parking garage on the 5^th level. 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the things I had wanted to do in Las Vegas was to see the Terry Fator show so the first thing we did was to go to the Ticket Office and inquire about availability and rates. 

$60 each in the nose-bleed section. 

 We discussed it and agreed that we would pass on the show.   We will be able to do a few things with the $120 we saved by not going to the show.

 

 

 

 

 

After getting our Player’ Cards, Monte went through$5 in a couple of minutes and called it quits.  I played until I had lost almost all my money ($5), won it back, went down to 25 cents and won it back again—I stopped while I was even.

 

 

The décor at the Mirage is very elegant.

The Salt Water Aquarium is the backdrop at the check-in desk.

On our way to Caesars Forum Shops, we walked through a garden. 

  We separated when Monte decided to walk around a fountain (on a narrow ledge not meant for pedestrians) and I took the actual path. 

I was quite impressed with Caesars Forum-not so much for the shops but for the architecture. 

 

 

 

 

The painted sky ceiling really gives the illusion of being outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made our way to the Atlantis Fountain and only had a 10 minute wait for the Fall of Atlantis Show where animatronic figures fight for control of Atlantis. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started to check out places where we could have dinner later on.  One of the places was Gordon Ramsay’s.  Too far out of our budget!

 

 

  

I didn’t bother to sign up for a Player’s Card at Caesars. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

After losing $5 we moved on.

 

 

 

 

 

The Bellagio, inspired by the Lake Como town of Bellagio in Italy, was our next destination.  

We knew we would be returning later when it was dark to really be able to appreciate the Fountains of Bellagio Water Show.

Dale Chihuly's Fiori di Como, composed of over 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers,

 covers 2,000 sq ft of the lobby ceiling.

 

  We stopped in at the Botanical Conservatory. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It was quite enchanting.

 

 

After a quick walk through Crystals,

 

 we used the pedestrian bridge to cross over the Strip and into Planet Hollywood

I pulled out a $5 bill from my wallet and over the next half hour went up and down several times until I finally lost the $5. 

Still checking out possible places to eat, we quickly nixed dining at Planet Hollywood.  It was beginning to look like we were not going to find anyplace within our budget to eat.

 

Paris was our next stop.  I didn’t gamble but I did use the very fancy rest room. 

 

 

 

 

  

We used the pedestrian bridge to safely cross over the Strip again and walked back to the Bellagio.  After 8pm, the Fountain Show is spaced 15 minutes apart so we didn’t have to wait long.

 

 

 

 

  It was spectacular. 

We re-traced out steps and crossed over the Strip again continuing on to the Flamingo.  I counted my money at this point and saw that I was up $15.  I gambled away $5.

After a walk through the Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo, we continued along the Strip until we came to the Venetian. 

 

 

My feet were really hurting so we only stayed long enough to take a couple of pictures.

Our last stop for the evening was as Treasure Island because we wanted to see the Sirens of TI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful carving on display in the lobby of TI

 We had a half hour to kill before the start of the show so we walked around inside the casino trying to find an area that was tolerable.  The smoke in most of the casinos is very thick.  I saw some people wearing respirators!

I lost $5 in 5 minutes and called it quits for the night, walking away $5 ahead of where I started at the first slot machine in Circus Circus.

 

There was a huge crowd already gathered waiting for the show. 

After capturing an overboard pirate and luring his captain and crew into Sirens' Cove, the Sirens quickly find themselves in a battle with the pirates they intended to toy around with. 

 

 Cannons are soon firing from the pirate's ship, The Bull, while the Sirens use their power over the ocean to engulf The Bull and sink it to the bottom of the sea.

 

The show's not over yet though, as the pirates climb aboard The Song and a second battle ensues. 

  As the pirates finally realize they're no match for the Sirens, they decide to surrender and The Song turns into a 21st century party.

 

It took us a half hour to leave the area after the show because of the sea of people all trying to go in the same direction.  I told Monte I was ready to go.  I guess I am just getting too old for the loud music, obnoxious people (walking in a crowd with a disgusting cigar) and peddlers shoving strip club advertisements in my face. 

It was almost midnight by the time we left the city and we had never eaten dinner.  When we got home, Monte had a large piece of blueberry pie and I had cut up vegetables with Ranch Dressing while we started watching a movie (The Man on the Ledge) and I soaked my feet.  About half way through the movie both of us agreed to finish watching tomorrow because we were having a hard time keeping our eyes open. 

All in all it had been an interesting adventure.  Viva Las Vegas!