FUN IN VEGAS

We just returned from a few days in Vegas. We celebrated our anniversary (32 years) and spent a few days with our youngest son who has been working in Las Vegas this summer. Below, we are at Lake Mead before we visited the Hoover Dam.

The Hoover Dam is amazing. It was started in 1931, the men earned 50 cents a day and worked in blazing heat for 4 years.

I loved this sign spray painted on the edge of the dam. "DANGER" ................ no S # * $! 750 feet high and no barriers. I guess they assumed back then you were smart enough not to climb on top of the dam. In the distance you can see the river in the canyon.

And this is the new bridge they are building next to the Hoover Dam. It is made of concrete, not steel and it is HUGE! How do you pour concrete in an arch? It should open soon taking visitors to Arizona.

This is the Turbine Room below the dam which provides electricity to several states in the SW. The whole room looked like something out of a 007 movie. I was expecting Sean Connery to pop out at any minute.

Here is our view from our hotel room. We stayed in the Las Vegas Hilton. This is the hotel where Elvis performed for so many years there. The hotel is one street away from "The Strip" and has a monorail that you can ride to all of the casinos.

Here is the strip at night looking at the Paris casino.

This is the NewYork NewYork Casino with all of the famous New York buildings crammed into one block. Oh, and also it has a roller coaster running through the whole area.

Excalibour Casino with it's Disney-like roof.

Below is the lobby of the Bellagio. Notice the Dale Chihuly glass sculptures on the ceiling. This was by far the most elegant and beautiful casino. I was expecting Brad Pitt and George Clooney to walk up any minute.

Every night the Bellagio has a fountain show choreographed to music. Just beautiful!

This is the interior of the Venetian. They have recreated St. Mark's Square.............everything except for the pigeons. It's weird because the ceiling is painted like the sky and after a while you start to believe you are really walking around outside!

The outside of the Venetian...............gondolas and all............

Interior of the Caesar's Palace casino. It was probably my second favorite casino. I don't know anything about gambling, so I judge on the beauty of the interior. And the probability that Brad Pitt or George Clooney might walk up at any minute.
We did play a few of the slots................and Gregg got cheated!!!!! They stopped the number right in the middle. What kind of place is that? We plunked down $20, lost $20 and that was that.
Circular escalator at Caesar's Palace. Isn't that crazy? These places were so over the top I couldn't wait to see the next casino.

This was the High Stakes room at Caesar's. I bet you get treated very well in there!

Donnie and Marie were performing at the Flamingo. We wandered around and saw the real flamingos behind the casino near the pool area.

I was kind of disappointed I only saw one Elvis impersonator, and he charged to take his picture. But, Las Vegas did not lack in crazy people or impersonators. Here is a Storm Trooper in front of the Bellagio being attacked by a little girl.

and............

and of course Michael Jackson. Actually he looked even better than the real Michael Jackson!

We had a great time in Vegas celebrating our anniversary, seeing our youngest son and people watching. We did take in one show, "The Blue Man Group". It's nice to be back on Eastern Time!