Las Vegas Pictures

All right, pictures are up.

Go here for pictures of us around Las Vegas.

And then here for us with food in Las Vegas.

The Return from Las Vegas

Jennifer and I quickly decided we were done with the surreality of Las Vegas yesterday, and eagerly got our taxi to the airport.

Once there we were ready to wait, but the ticket agent said that we could fly standby on an earlier flight, and then connect at Long Beach and get home earlier as well.

We gratefully accepted (even more so when we found how slow the wi-fi was in the airport), and got to Long Beach two hours before originally planned.

And discovered there was only only flight to Oakland. The one we were originally scheduled for.

There was a flight to SFO available an hour before our scheduled flight to Oakland, but flying into SFO was out of the question. So we sat at Long Beach for three hours.

I got a lot of reading done though. And a bit of surfing, but mostly I read.

Today i got caught up on work, and tomorrow will be brief, and then it's another three day weekend. We'll do our New Year's celebration together, and then on new Year's day we've got a farewell party for a coworker, and then on the second, a party with the Sorrellians.

Las Vegas - Days Eight and Nine

Yesterday, Jennifer and I took the tram from Mandalay Bay to the Excalibur. Then we walked over to the MGM Grand, and took the monorail along the backside of the strip to the Sahara. And yes, I was singing the song from the Simpsons the whole trip. In my head.

Then we walked the Strip.

We did a little shopping, and a little eating. We got to the Monte Carlo, and had snacks and drinks in a bar and watched Monday Night Football.

Then we went to see Frank Caliendo. That was a great show. It was one that Jennifer and I had seen on DVD, but the live was so much better with lots of new material.

Then we walked on back to Mandalay Bay, and can say we've walked the Strip in one day.

Today we're packing up, and will hit some final shops, and then fly back home this afternoon.

Las Vegas - Days Four (more), Five, Six, and Seven

The past few days have been a lot of a up with a little down.

Christmas Eve, Jennifer and I wandered more of the strip. We went to Paris, and the Bellagio and watched the dancing water fountains outside of the Bellagio. Inside the Bellagio, we saw their conservatory that had snowmen and polar bears made out of carnations, and a Santa sleigh with the reindeer made out of unshelled pecans.

Christmas day, we mostly stayed in. We watched "Surrogates", made our phone calls, and then had afternoon meal at the Verandah in the Four Seasons. It was a wonderful meal, and then we went back to the room, changed and wandered some more. From Mandalay Bay, you can walk through a mall to the Luxor, and then through a series of walkways to the Excalibur. So we never had to go outside.

The day after Christmas we went to see Penn & Teller at the Rio. That was a very fun show, and Jennifer was even able to get herself to stand with Penn after the show for a picture. She was in heels and he was still taller than her. He's 6'7".

Yesterday, we stayed in because we weren't feeling well. Coughing and congestion. Probably the only thing saving us is that the air is so dry it's like natural antihistamine.

We're feeling better today, and will be seeing Frank Caliendo's show tonight at the Monte Carlo.

Las Vegas - Day Three and Four [UPDATED]

It's been a couple of full days.

Wednesday, Jennifer and I had another spa treatment; I got a sugar scrub. Then we relaxed around the spa for a while, then got ready to go out.

Wednesday night we ate at AquaKnox in the Venetian, and saw The Blue Man Group.

The music is great; I have both of their albums, but the show is amazing. It defies description.

Today, we slept in since we did not make it back to to our room until after 2:00 AM. we didn't sleep in much, but it was a slow start.

Today we went to see Popovich's Comedy Pet show. it was fun and light, but done in a very classic clown style.

Then we wandered back to the apartment, and caught the fountain show outside of the Bellagio.

Tomorrow is Christmas, so we'll probably be making phone calls in the morning, but the town is open all day, so we'll see where we go from there.

We have dinner reservations at 4:00, and then after that, who knows.

***

I know I haven't been linking these things, and I'll either go back and make edits, or make a list of links at the end. It's just hard without a mouse. I should have brought it but... [Links have now been added through all posts from Las Vegas.]

The Stephen King book I'm reading (Under the Dome)is 1,074 pages long and took up way too much room. And in no way does it need to be. Sure it's a big book, but it's like the hardback was typeset only to save time for paperback typesetting. all they'll need to do is print it on smaller paper, and maybe bring the page numbers up a bit. I'm enjoying it, but the size is a bit... Off-putting

(Yes, honey, just like your hair in high school. I love you.)

I'm closing in on half way. My favorite section heading so far is "The Is Not As Bad As It Gets".

Las Vegas - Day Two

And so ends day two.

Jennifer and I were up not incredibly late, and explored the Luxor and Mandalay Bay.

At the Luxor we did the buffet thing, and then tonight we ate at The Burger Bar, and I had buffalo again, and a Sin City amber.

I also got a little spa treatment with a manicure, and then enjoyed sitting around the indoor pool reading.

Tonight, I'm a little down from feeling almost sick. I'm hoping it's just the dry air messing with my mucous membranes.

Tomorrow I've got another spa treatment, and then we're off to see Blue Man Group in the evening. Reviews to follow.

Las Vegas - Day One

An early start (10:10 flight) got us checked into our room by 3:30 this afternoon.

We're staying in Mandalay Bay. And we're on the 34th floor. With a view of the strip. And the peak of the Luxor is hidden by the other wing of the hotel.

Today we walked to New York New York, and ate at the Irish pub there called the Nine Fine Irishmen.

Then we walked up and down the strip and window shopped, and gambled all of $3 in various and assorted slot machines.

We bought our tickets to the shows we want to see, and we've got them spread out nicely over the week.

I'll get some pictures up soon. But now it's time for more relaxation.

Vacation Countdown

It is now about a week and a half before Jennifer and I head out for vacation in Las Vegas.

Not for gambling, but for fun and relaxation. We're looking to do some shows, do some spas, and basically enjoy each other's company.

Christmas in the City of Sin.