Saturday, November 30, 2013

Real vacation

Keith and I are home, safe, after a trip to Las Vegas, just the two of us. This was our first vacation that didn't involve relatives or friends. We stayed in THE Hotel (part of Mandalay Bay), and did these things:

Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Michael Jackson ONE (Cirque du Soleil)
Section 204 Row DD Seats 1 & 2
(Very good seats.)

Wednesday, November 27
Hoover Dam, power plant tour, 10:00 a.m.

Penn & Teller at Rio Las Vegas
9:00 show, Section 3AMP Row B Seats 6,7
(Front right, very near jazz duo playing before the show, close enough to notice the bass play was Penn Jilette—that was never announced or mentioned and he was facing the piano, not the audience.)

Thursday, November 28
Shark Reef , Mandalay Bay, 10:00 am

Sports display at Luxor

O by Cirque du Soleil
Bellagio 10:00 show Section 303, Row CC, Seats 1 and 2
(Those seats weren't good, nor could any very high seats be, because lights from behind the stage in several scenes were right in our eyes and we could only see if he held a finger between us and lights but then we couldn't see for having a hand in our way, so if you go to that one, get floor seats!!)

Some of the photos aren't art, but they'll remind me of something, so ignore what doesn't make sense. Several of them will end up in Just Add Light and Stir. (Two already have.) Some are of the drive there. We live in the desert ourselves, but it's different different places. Lots of beautiful sandstone that changes colors in different lights, and I always liked the scooped out erosion patterns.



My feet (ankle, knee) were really tired on Thursday afternoon and I ended up taking a nap. Those hotels are HUGE, and it's quite a hike to get across from our rooms to the shark reef, and then we went to the Luxor to see a Sports museum, and it's just a long way, with TOO Much noise, too many flashing lights, kind of exhausting in all kinds of ways.

We didn't gamble or drink any, though we considered both; the options were there.

2 comments:

Sandra Dodd said...

I'm saving some of what I wrote on facebook, so I can look back later, someday, if I want to. :-)

____________

Tuesday, 26th:

Keith and I just saw Cirque du Soleil's show Michael Jackson ONE. I told him it was so good I feel like a dope saying "It was good." That's just too lame. It was so good it seems wrong to say anything. I am, perhaps for the first time, really dumbfounded.

Tomorrow night we see Penn & Teller, and the night after that, a Cirque du Soleil show people say is REALLY good. My #2 and #3 bouts of dumbfoundedness might be coming soon.

Thursday night we're seeing the show called "O".
_____________

Thanksgiving:

One more night, one more show. "O" by Cirque du Soleil, at the Bellagio at 10:00. We're at Mandalay Bay. We're going to drive and probably use valet parking. Then one sleep, and spend Friday getting home

The suite is nice, and even with resort fees it's averaging about $125 a night for two big rooms, two bathrooms, three TV's, shower and giant tub separate. Full length windows in two rooms.

Here's the downside: Any food we touch will cost $6 or (way) up. No tea, no coffee, that's not paid for. There is a refrigerator and we have a key, and it has beer and wine or who knows what, but I'm not opening it. IF we open it, we pay. We have no place to store our own food, no way to heat water, nothing. :-) So it's not the kind of two-room suite I'm used to, where food can be stored and tea can be made.

Other than that, though, it's fairly amazing. We're on the 21st floor, of over twice that many, I think. There's one set of elevators for 1-24 or so, and another set for floors above that. Crazy-too-many rooms, but because of Thanksgiving, I guess, and weekdays, it has been relatively uninhabited, until tonight. Tonight, lots of people in public areas, and a long line at the buffet, so we went to a sandwich restaurant and had some great food without crowds.

We haven't gambled and didn't drink any alcohol, so we're not big moneymakers for them. But it has been nice for us to just be together and see beautiful things. The shark reef aquarium is a LONG, long way from us, on the far end of the farthest part of the conference center. Just Mandalay Bay itself is bigger than lots of small towns in New Mexico, and on a busy day probably has more people in it than Santa Fe, if there's a concert and a convention and the Michael Jackson ONE audience is in. SO many employees… So many restaurants and shops. Sharks. A big octopus. :-)

jencircletheworld said...

Loved hearing your updates on FB. So glad you had a good time, Cirque du Soleil is amazing. Welcome home!!!!