Over The Top

Monday 22 October 2018

We had a nice chilled start to the morning with coffee and bagels in bed.  Larry went for an explore and find the laundry and some laundry powder from the teeny gift shop and we put a couple of loads on and explored the Signature buildings and pools whilst the washing machine and dryer did their thing.  Once we had that sorted, we wandered across the road to the Miracle Mile shopping complex and disappeared into another world of a city within a city complete with dome roofs of blue skies.  Wandered around the shops and before we knew it, it was lunchtime so stopped at a $5 main meal place which looked popular and well priced!  I had yummy penne pasta and L a burger and we had a beer and strawberry dacquiri (non-alcoholic version!) for $3 a drink so a reasonably priced lunch for a change.

Larry headed back to the Diva hair extension place he had spotted earlier that also did men’s haircuts and let the girls do their magic and Jenny did another circuit of the shops whilst she waited (basically a circuit of that complex takes the same time as a man’s haircut!)

We finally escaped the clutches of the Miracle Mile centre and headed north up the strip to Caesar’s Palace where we promptly disappeared inside another enormous building but not before we witnessed three security guys corner a block and handcuff him before relieving him of his ‘piece’.  Wow.

We walked into the casino in Caesar’s palace and it was like stepping back in time to the late 80’s Burswood when the thick fug of cigarette smoke hit us.  We passively smoked and worked our way through about 20 bucks worth of slot machines before deciding we had had enough and made our way, via pedestrian bridges and links into the Bellagio.  Checked out their foyer and fall displays and worked our way through that building and into the next one (Vdara?) before finally making our way back towards the strip via the Cosmopolitan.  I had read that the Cosmopolitan had something worth seeing but couldn’t remember what until we happened across the enormous pink chandelier that hangs over the casino area.  Another wow.

We finally managed to work out a way of leaving a line of hotels/casinos and getting back outdoors and realised it was now dusk so we headed back up the street to watch the fountains at the Bellagio which were also a big wow, especially when the wall of water hit the sky with a large whoosh before falling back to the pool with a giant splash, all accompanied by Frank crooning ‘Fly me to the Moon’.  Just so Las Vegas.

By this time the hours on our feet and amount of walking done required a sit down and a refuelling was required (although Larry had earlier discovered the joys of street drinking in Las Vegas and had kept hydrated with a large can of Corona) so we made our way to the Hard Rock Cafe and had a nice meal and drinks that we paid a little more for so that we could keep the souvenir glass.

Then homeward bound via a M&M four storey complex which we didn’t think as good as the London one and a convenience store and then in the side door of the MGM grand.  As it’s all part of our hotel complex you feel as if you are nearly home but it is still probably another 1 to 2km through the casino, bars, restaurants, cabarets and wedding chapels before you find the walkways to the Signature.  You know it is a long way because they have even installed travelators in the corridors!

Jenny was happy to then have a shower, some supper and watch telly but Larry made one last trip to the casino for a final flutter (read lose some more money)

Las Vegas has certainly been an experience.  An assault to the senses and the hip pocket!