Driving down the Strip we were completely mesmerised by the bright lights (and it was day time), crazy replica buildings and the hundreds of people walking about. We were amongst extreme extravagance all built in the middle of a desert. We could not wait to explore!
We were very fortunate to be staying in a time-share hotel located on the Strip next to the famous Bellagio Casino and across the road from Planet Hollywood. Our room had a view of the gorgeous choreographed fountains in front of the Bellagio. One of the best locations in town, we were incredibly privileged. Thank you so much Margie and Tim for your generosity in letting us stay at your time-share.
We spent our two night stay absorbing the atmosphere and the craziness of the place and people by strolling the Strip and many casinos. We heard the biggest mix of accents yet with people from all over the world and all walks of life coming to see the city and try their luck at a spot of gaming. There were also very few children which made for a pleasant contrast from our day in Disneyland! We visited the Eiffel Tower of Paris, canals of Venice and New York’s Brooklyn Bridge; all familiar sights from our recent travels. Nothing is half-assed, the amount of detail and money poured into these casino attractions is phenomenal. My personal favourite was stumbling across the low key lion enclosure (with 13 lions!) in the middle of the MGM casino. Yep while trying your luck at the table you can also be distracted by the lions playfully wrestling their trainers in their glass home, and why not?
Vegas is also known for its’ quality of cuisine. Eating out we sampled a range of food, but the best was certainly homemade beef pies at the Irish Pub in New York New York - we were craving some homely goodness and were very satisfied with our choice. We also paid a visit to the fantastical M&M shop where we purchased the best M&Ms possible – purple coloured dark chocolate peanut butter flavour...Yum! We also went to a hypnotist/comedy show which was very funny though neither of us were game to participate, wise choice I think.
For those that visit Vegas without gambling as the sole focus it is easy to be entertained by the glitz, glamour and excess of the place. It is almost possible to forget that the city is built around casinos and thriving solely on the gaming industry. Our gambling was very novice and brief but we came out on top and had fun.
We certainly did not see any indication that the financial crisis had impacted on this city. In fact the opposite, Vegas was thriving and even felt untouchable. Anyone can be someone, play the game and win their millions. Our two night stay provided just the right amount of time to sample the city.
Wednesday morning we pack up and head to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.
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