Day 74 - 12 Mar - Las Vegas

Photo: The Sphinx in front of the Luxor Hotel.

We slept late (for us) and relaxed for part of the morning. Because we are going to be downtown late again tonight, we didn't feel there was any big rush to go early. However, by 1 pm, I was getting antsy and anxious to see some of the hotels we hadn't yet toured. We decided that I'd head down by myself, take pictures until the battery died if I wanted, and Wayne would meet me at 5 pm.

I went to the end of the strip and wandered through the Luxor and Excalibur Hotels and..... POW...found the penny machines. What fun...slide a $1 bill in and get all the same excitement as a $100 bill. In the end I won $15 in total so it was even better. Both hotels are lovely--the Excalibur is an older hotel and is featuring the comedian Carrot Top (hate him) and the Excalibur is featuring 'Thunder Down Under'...the Australian Chippendales...sure, I was tempted but resisted and moved on.

Next stop was the Paris Hotel...with the Eiffel Tower etc...and it was beautiful. I decided to use my hard earned money and take an elevator to the top of the tower to get a panoramic view of the city. Very impressive and you'd have to see the amount of construction going on to believe it. The hotels don't last more that 20-25 years here before they tear them down and build something more elaborate.

Las Vegas is a city of excesses and it would be difficult to spend more than a week here. We have seen so many amazing things and enjoyed every second of our stay but the evening crowds are already starting to get to us and it won't be hard to leave. I do know that I could set up a comfy chair in front of the Bellagio and watch the water show all day.

Wayne met me...where else...by the water show...and we headed down to the Venetian Hotel. What a sight! There is a canal that runs through the hotel...including inside...and gondolas, complete with singing drivers, go through the hotel and out to the grounds where the Piazza is set up. When we went inside to find a restaurant, there was an operatic group, in full costume, singing some aurias from various operas and like Caesars Palace, the inside of the shopping concourse is made to resemble a street in Venice. After a wonderful supper, we did some more penny gambling and the went back to the Bellagio to get some video of the night water show and then go to the Cirque de Soleil performance of "O" (vice french 'Eau').

There are no words that can adequately describe this show!! To say it was 'amazing' doesn't even touch the surface. The machanics of this show just blew our minds....there was a huge pool built into the stage with platforms under the water that allowed the performers to be in the water one minute and on top of the water at the next. It was deep enough that high divers 75 ft in the air could dive into the pool! There was an act where about 30 people were in the pool performing while others were on 3 big swings around the pool and synchronizing jumps into the water. The show was nearly 2 hrs and honestly...it was like nothing I've ever seen in my life! Wayne and I agreed that just when you thought you seen 'it all' in this show...the next act showed you that you hadn't seen anything yet!

By the time we got home it was late and we downloaded photos and planned the next day. We are heading to Hoover Dam tomorrow morning and then back south. It's disappointing but we won't get to the Grand Canyon on this trip...because of the elevation, it is just too cold there and there is this strange thing called 'snow'. After visiting the dam, we will head back down south and try to stay in the warmer weather as long as possible and then start the drive east and home.

Until next time, take care everyone...we love and miss you all.