Las Vegas: city of excess. If it can be overdone, I’m sure the Las Vegas Strip area has overdone it. Still, the energy of the Strip has a magnetic attraction for tourists, including Ted and me.
The last time we were here (late 1990s), we set aside some money to play the slot machines, only to discover that the one-armed bandits had long since given way to putting a credit card in a slot and pushing a button. That didn’t seem like much fun, so we spent our gambling allowance on a high-end dinner instead.
Slot machines. No one-arm bandits.
Players at tables where Ted and I are not gambling.
Dealers waiting for us to take our place at their tables. Still waiting.
This time, we decided we’d skip the gambling in favor of buying tickets to whatever show interested us and had available seats. Our choice was Elton John, but he is only performing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and we’re only here on Sunday and Monday nights. Apparently, our message to EJ didn’t get through. We tried to pick another show, but nothing really interested us at the given prices. Tickets cost $150-$200 each–and that was for the “medium” seating area, dropping to around $100 where binoculars are needed, and going up to $200-300 to sit anywhere closer. That was too much for a performance we were settling for just for the sake of seeing a performance. We opted for the same thing as last time: we used our ticket money for two high-end dinners instead. The food was out of this world and much better than a “settled for” show.
Here’s the first restaurant we chose in place of a show (Prime, on the lower level, center of the photo). It overlooked the pool with the Bellagio fountains. A beautiful show!
This is the second restaurant we spent our ticket money on. This time, the show was watching the chef and his helpers prepare the diners’ meals.
Temperatures were above normal (90 degrees), so daytime walking on the Strip was not that much fun, even it if is a dry heat. We waited for the heat of the sun to dissipate, then did the Strip-walk until dinner time. People-watching on the Strip is a tourist attraction in itself. I made Ted promise to never dress like an older man we saw while we were eating lunch: sandals with navy and white polka-dot socks, green plaid shorts, and a red polo shirt. Eeewww! That was hard on the eyes! As we strolled down the Strip, Ted was offered several opportunities for entertainment tonight.
Decisions, decisions. Ted decided to have dinner with me instead. Aww, how sweet!
We’re staying at the Bellagio, and the decorations are gorgeous.
This glass-flowered skylight ceiling was one of our memories of the last time we were here.
The Bellagio has five huge pools, plus several hot tubs and lots of cabanas, as seen from our 16th story room. Quite a few people were trying to keep cool in the pools this afternoon.
Here’s the nighttime view from our hotel window.
The hotel decorations are fall-themed. This hallway featured over-sized, colorful peacocks.
The peacocks’ tails were made out of flowers–just like the floats in the Rose Bowl parade.
Another seasonal decoration covered with flowers.
And one more Hallowe’en guy with flower-based construction.
The Bellagio is not the place to look for cheap souvenirs, although the usual mugs, T-shirts, and sweatshirts are plentiful. There is an entire wing of designer shopping.
Some hotel ceiling decorations and the entrance to the Via Bellagio–the upscale shopping area.
Dior, Prada, Gucci–you name it and there was a store. Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything I liked, and neither did anyone else. Whenever we walked by, there were no customers in any of these stores–only salespeople.
Finally! Harry Winston had a bracelet I’d like to wear. I inquired, but decided not to buy when the salesman said “$30,000.”
The lights on the Strip have become brighter (LEDs now) and more numerous, but the Bellagio fountains are just as beautiful as we remember.
It’s the Las Vegas Strip, not Paris, France, but you knew that.
A passerby offered to immortalize this moment for us. (The bracelet I’m wearing cost less than $30,000.)
Aaahhh, the Bellagio fountains.
We didn’t stay up all night to verify it, but I’m sure that, like New York City, this town never sleeps. Things will be much quieter for us in Zion National Park tomorrow.