Vegas! (Part 2)

We stayed off the strip, right behind “Hooters” (really!). We were across the street from "MGM Grand". The size of everything is pretty impressive. Walking a block in Vegas means walking some distance. The last time I’ve walked this much was in Athens, when we would get lost daily.

In Sin City we didn’t get lost but the hotels/casinos are so big that walking from one to the other is a good walk.

The first day we walked from our condo to “MGM” (went to see the lions), then made our way to “Paris” (with the Eifel Tower) . Along the way we stopped at different shops, for either food, drinks, and/or souvenirs. We came back by “Bellagio” (seen below) and “New York New York”.

The only thing I really wanted to see while in Vegas, was Cirque du Soleil’s “O” – it plays at Bellagio, and the tickets are friggin’ expensive, but man! I’m so happy we’ve seen it. It was amazing! Our Hawaiian friend was a Cirque’s virgin, so to see this one as her first show left quite an impression on her. When we went to get her ticket, we stopped by the Cirque’s gift shop and listened to some of their CDs. While we’re waiting for the cashier to process her transaction, we decided to also get tickets to see “The Beatles Love”, also a Cirque’s show but playing at The Mirage. Two nights in a row we saw Cirque's shows, and what a treat it was! It was a very powerful entertainment experience, that's for sure! I've been humming songs since then, and I did buy the "Love" CD.

If you make your way to Vegas, you MUST see either one of those shows. They are completely different, but so worth the money you’ll spend there. That is one gamble you won't lose with, for sure!

Here's another view of the Strip, at night, from a pedestrian overpass. Lots of lights and lots more people walking and driving. That City never sleeps, or if it does, it's very little...

No matter where you want to go you have to get through a casino. They are pretty wise that way, but it didn’t pay off with me. The day we made our way “downtown” to Old Vegas, i.e. Fremont St. I did play a little. I put in 1 dollar in some “Wheel of Fortune” slot, played and managed to win $2.20. Woohoo!
But then I played another machine and lost $1. A big 0.20-cent winner! The worst part is that I couldn’t figure out what I needed to do! I like Black Jack, but didn’t give in to temptation. Instead I played in some arcade and came home with 3 new plush animals. I feel better spending my money than losing it.

Old Vegas has a whole different flavor to it... and let's just say that it wasn't that interesting...
It was nice to see some old casinos, which I remembered from old movies like "Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis & Ann Margaret... but it's old and decrepit, but it's still attracts lots of people, older people... a whole different crowd.

During our visit at The Mirage, I managed to catch a few shots of the white tiger that was there, from the days of Siegfried and Roy what a gorgeous cat! Look at the size of those paws, and that posture! You just have to luuuv that puurrrfect beast!

As my pictures may reflect, we did spend a lot of time on the Strip. We also made our way to Ceasar’s Palace, and we shopped on the Appian Way, all those expensive, designers shops... Actually this is where Hubby really made my trip. He surprised me. As in, REALLY, surprised me.
For many years I’ve wanted a Cartier ring, the Trinity one. I always loved its simple lines and how it looks. I will forever remember my first trip to Las Vegas, because Hubby gave me this…

Did I say how much I love my husband?