Blossom Button.com: Hotel, Casino, Casino, Hotel.

Wednesday, 6th February
It's all about the walking

The body is slowly beginning to catch up with itself. Not sure about the brain though. Having got over the brilliant La Reve last night and the bright, bright lights on The Strip there were one or two very important virtual geocaches we had to catch up on down the strip.

The first one was that iconic and historic sign placed in 1959. And yes, Elvis was in the house, well his representative, in a badly fitting suit and paper guitar would, for a small tip, stand with us at the sign. The authorities have even put a specific parking place in the central reservation so folk can have their photo take here. Yep, that's us.

Off then to the Mandalay Bay and we went posh. Valet parking. You just drive in, speak nicely to the girl and she'll drive off and park your car and return it to you when required. What I hadn't appreciated before was that all these hotels and casinos are interlinked. Well, you don't want to go outside in 40 degree of high summer heat and you have to keep your audience captive so they spend lots and lots of dollars all day long.
The hotels on this side of The Strip are amazing. Plush, polished and palacial. Marble, glass, crystal chandliers. Black Jack, roulette, and old fashioned machines in operations all day. Sit down rest your feet put in your credit card and you can stay forever, even have free drinks to make sure you don't dehydrate yourselves whilst pulling that handle or pushing that button or flippin that card. or rolling that dice.

Each hotel has its own theme be it fairy tale castle (Excalibar), a miniturised New York with Brooklyn Bridge (New York, New York) or even a pharaohs tomb (The Luxor). Or if you fancy a taste of a foreign country try The Venetian ( Venice) and experience a gondoler ride ($20 per person) Ceasars Palace for the Rome (Italy)experience including a Trevi Fountain and yes, you can throw three coins in the fountain and people do too. There is also an animation depicting The Fall of Atlantis with dry ice, fire, thunder, lighting and a very animated King Atlas and his children waving their arms around. and shouting at each other (check it out on YouTube) Very good 10 minute show. If you want another distraction during the show there are huge fish tanks filled with some beautiful tropical fish. You can then follow it with a trip to The Cheesecake Factory. Say you know Helen and they might give you an extra dollop of cream. Or if you want something closer to home try Paris, France. You can see the half size Eiffel Tower on the outside with restaurant and viewing platform. Walk down the Champs Elysee to the gaming tables situated at the entrance to Monmatre and other well known Parisian haunts. Not of word of french needs to be spoken unless you do it with an American accent.

No expense spare at these newer and trendier hotels and casino venues. Marble halls, crystal chandliers, highly patterned carpets, magnificent floral displays. The most popular and spectacular display is at the Bellago. In the Conservatory the display is changed on a regular basis to celebrate the changing seasons or to celebrate a festive occasion. At the moment everywhere is preparing for the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake. A very impressive display using thousands and thousands of flowers, a pool filled with carp, and even a Sanpan boat. Also at the Bellagio, in reception there is the largest glass sculpture in the world. Impressive. Ceasars Palace has the one of only two curved escalators in America. There is as much to at up on the ceilings and there is on the floor.

Then of course you have the shops, Gucci, Louis Vitton, Tiffany, Chole, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Fendi, Ted Baker, Pink, Rolex, Burberry ... and so it goes on. Please note there were no customers in the shops when we went buy. Although we did go into Tiffany to look at wedding rings and walked out again of course.

As a final comment, don't think it is all glitz and glamour. Cross a walkway and there will be the destitute/homeless probably as a result of gambling losses desperate for a couple of dime. You are also warned not to go off the strip as there is a high risk of being mugged. When we stopped for lunch at Pinks Hot Dogs a guy came in off the street and helped himself to the abandoned onion rings by the rubbish bin. What a contradiction. But I'll stop before I go off on a political rant.