Vegas, baby!

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It´s hard to comprehend the size of the super-casinos on the Las Vegas strip until you find yourself desperately trying to get out of one. All around are signs for walkways to other casinos. Sat at the slots 24 hours a day are people who clearly gave up trying to leave years ago and have turned into zombies, endlessly feed the slots.

Determined to discover all the sights the crazy strip casinos had to offer, after a mamoth buffet supper and breakfast (fresh fruits, salads, fish and tacos for $6-$10 - a treat after weeks spent suffering fries and diner fare!) we spent our first full day in Vegas pounding the strip.

Cheers!
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Among the highlights were a troup of limboing acrobats at Circus Circus and stepping into the Venetian at dusk and being transported into bright daylight, with upmarket shops and gondolas taking tourists through indoor canals. We were less thrilled by bored looking lions at the MGM Grand. The poor things were trapped in a small enclosure. And the flamingos at the Flamingo, if I´m honest, were a bit stinky...

It was at the Flamingo that we saw our first Vegas wedding. A rather large bride had recruited some unfortunate looking bridesmaids, possibly from the nearest retirement home. Apparently there are 120,000 marriages here every year but I think the only under-seventies getting married must do it under the influence of alcohol in the early hours of the morning! Not very classy for one´s big day...

The MGM Casino
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We left on Saturday for the Grand Canyon with aching feet, vowing to return the following week when we discovered you could get a great deal on a room at the Stratosphere Tower. When we returned we found that our room was close to the top floor of the hotel block with an amazing view overlooking the tower and a beautifully soft feather duvet. We almost didnt want to leave the room!

This time we spent our time in Vegas the way vacationing Americans do, lounging around and swimming in the rooftop pool and lazing in the jacuzzi, before gorging ourselves at one of the crazy buffets and ending the night with a martini overlooking the twinkling lights of the strip at the bar and restaurant at the top of the Stratosphere Tower - bliss.