The pilot made us aware that the outside temperature was 112 degrees. Huh!!! Last time I was here it was too hot at 105, I wasn't looking forward to that sort of temperature.
Anyway from the Las Vegas airport, a $20 taxi ride took me to my hotel, the Bellagio. I'd decided to splash out for the final hotel of the trip hence me choosing this one. When I walked in I instantly felt out of place, here I was surrounded by immaculately dressed men with their model wives, wedding parties galore and me in t-shirt and jeans and an unkempt beard. It was now 5 weeks with no sniff of a razor.
The coloured glass ceiling that welcomes you into the hotel.I'd read in my travel guide that there's an unwritten rule in Vegas that if you slip the receptionist a $20 bill and ask if there's a complimentary upgrade then you'll get a nicer room. But having spent $20 on the taxi, I wasn't sure if a twenty was the going rate so I bottled it. The woman serving me gave me an odd look as I put the note away as I'd lost my nerves right in front of her.
Remind you of a particular Kubrik movie? My room is the 20th or so on the left.
Here's my bed with 7 pillows of various hardness, matching the selection offered in Tokyo.
This is the view from the hotel room. I wouldn't be using the pools as I burn too easily but it did look pretty nice all the same.
The marble bathroom, not sure what the vases were for.
The over polished lift, quite obviously the aim is to have people in the casino hence the oversized button for that floor.
Whilst in Vegas I was going to see a couple of Cirque de Soleil shows. The Bellagio is home to O, the one themed around water that has 2 shows in the evening. During the day the reception area is open for hotel guests to check out the sculptures that cost an absolute fortune. I had a quick look around, I wasn't due to see the show until later in the week.
The hotel has a conservatory that changes theme several times through the year, and they spend a packet on the flowers that decorate it. On this occasion it was all to do with the US railroads. It's also appears to be the only place in the hotel where you can get free wifi, they charge for it in the rooms. To think you've had to go through dozens of pages of drivel to get that one tidbit of information :D
A chocolate shop featuring the largest chocolate fountain in the world.Escaping from the hotel I thought I'd check out the strip.
Paris is across the strip from the Bellagio.
The Planet Hollywood casino wasn't here in 2002, the site was The Aladdin. Looks like it was bought up and hastily rethemed.
This is the city-within-the-city project taking shape next door to the Bellagio. Called Project Citycenter the aim is to have residential, retail and entertainment locations all within a single space.
The Monte Carlo, which I've stayed in in the past. I also saw Lance Burton's show here in 2002.
Whilst on holiday touring the west coast in 2002 I played a lot of the Harley Davidson video game and managed to set the high score on every machine encountered except at one location - Gameworks on the Vegas strip. So I had an old score to settle only it wasn't to be, the game no longer existed there :(
I remember the MGM Grand having a geometric lion, not sure I like this one.
I wonder what hotel this might be?
Manhattan Express is derided by enthusiasts as being one of the worst steel coasters in the world, but I liked it the last time I rode it.
The ride, now re-branded to "the roller coaster", isn't easy to find even with these little stickers on the floor.
The new trains are cool though. Soon after taking this picture I was asked to put my camera in a locker. I made it clear that it was going to go back into my sealed pocket and would remain there, but the operator was having none of it. I guess he thought I might take it out once I'd left the station...sigh. So if you're going to take a photo of the ride, do it on the way out.
Oh, and don't argue with the op if he looks like the son of the Big Show, he'd probably put you in a head claw.
The Excalibur was looking a little bit grimy close up.
Dick's Last Resort is a bar in the Excalibur hotel that seems to be themed around poor service. Take too long to order and they'll order for you and they'll make you wear hats with obscenities written on them. Definitely a place to visit if you're up for a laugh.
Since I was last here a new monorail line has opened up that runs from Excalibur to Mandalay Bay. It also runs in front of them all spoiling the photo opportunities somewhat, oh and whilst I was there the Luxor - Excalibur bit was closed.
The Luxor hotel with sphinx and tram line.
Inside the Luxor
From the Luxor I headed across to Mandalay Bay and to the restaurant called Red Square for dinner. This decapitated statue stands outside it. Whilst in Vegas I'd promised myself to try some fancy dining in some of the posher places and this was first! Also fortunately I'd gotten over the food poisoning. Malcolm's Immune System 1 : Salmonella nil.
The restaurant is Russian themed and I went for the sampler menu, which is a bit random and went something like this.Waffle cone with sturgeon caviar and creme fraiche. This was tiny but tasted amazing!
Foie Gras with apple, bacon and summer fruit. Never had foie gras before and I can sort of understand why its rated. It was nice!
Caeser Salad. Not bad at all!
Salmon Kulebyaka on potato and garlic mash. This was amazing, the salmon was some of the best I've ever had.
Lychee and raspberry sorbet. Lush!
Creme Brulee. Very good too.
I'd also had 2 cocktails, the Kryptonite and the Sputnik. So I left Red Square just a little bit squiffy :D
The Luxor at night with its super bright beam.
Vegas comes to life at night I guess because its too energy sapping to be out during the day.
The first time I visited Vegas back in 98, this guy advertising the Rosewood Grille looked uncannily like comedian Alexei Sayle. It was funny to see him still assuming the same pose, advertising the same place, and with his hair clearly darkened since last time.
and for those of you who don't know who Alexei Sayle is that's him
Excalibur looks so much better at night....and from a distance :)
New Yoik New Yoik. Hey! I'm driving here!
The MGM Grand looking like something the Borg would fly.
I had a quick look around the Hooters hotel just off the strip. It was disappointing although there was plenty to look at. I didn't risk ordering any food here.
Poor guy. What had he done to deserve such a punishment.
I didn't eat at Fatburger, the name alone giving the wrong impression of the clientele.
Planet Hollywood Hotel or ph for short. Isn't that something to do with acidity?
Paris by night. The balloon is my favourite neon lighting display on the entire strip.
Inside the Paris hotel and it doesn't look good at all. I don't like those tacky fake skies.
Bally's lit tubes are quite cool. The colour rotates.
Bally's and the Flamingo are two of the older hotels on the strip. A lot of the others had been imploded to make way for new buildings.
A rather poor photo of Caeser's Palace.
Slightly better, but the best pictures came inside. Caeser's has plenty to look at!
I've now seen 3 of these. 2 in Florence and this.
But it still has the tacky skies
This is part of an animatronic, which wasn't working due to maintenance.
The shopping complex part of the hotel is just stunning. Yep, that is a spiral escalator.
I think this is a take on the Trevi Fountain. I would be impressed only I've been to the original in Rome.
Back inside the Bellagio, I'd walked around the strip enough tonight. I dumped the camera and headed back out to New York New York and the Coyote Ugly bar, one of the few places that had a relaxed dress code. They don't do clubbing in Vegas like they do in London, where people typically dress down.
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