What a trip we had! Brian and I flew out to Vegas for the annual World of Concrete convention (yes, it was official business) and let me just say that 3 days in Vegas is plenty. We were so ready to get there and have fun but so ready to come home too when it was all said and done.
It really seemed that we were there longer than 3 days because we had an early flight out the day we left- we had to get up at 4:00 to get ready but we were both wide awake at 1:00 and never could go back to sleep so the first day was very LOOONNNG. We were awake about 22 hours by the time we called it quits that night which was 9:15 Vegas time. I know, I know.... we went to bed really early in Vegas our first night but we were pooped. That was after dinner at the MGM and a Cirque show.
Here's a couple things I learned about Vegas-
1. Nothing is as it seems-Vegas is like a mirage... (and no, I'm not talking about the hotel) which leads me to 2 and 3...
2. Nothing is cheap (contrary to popular belief)- unless you count all the free transportation that your feet do for you.
3. On the Strip everything appears close together-you look down, think "oh yeah, we can walk there..." (yeah right!)
4. "Card flappers" are everywhere- these would be the annoying short people that stand on the corner passing out "entertainment" cards for the night...they stand on every freakin' corner flappin' their girls cards hoping you take one.
5. Bring your walking shoes and be prepared to walk, walk, and walk some more.
I didn't bring my tennies and by the first afternoon, I was hurtin'! We walked only half way down the Strip the 1st day to the Bellagio and my feet were screaming at me. I was told to bring comfortable shoes...so I did. Just not tennis shoes so mark my words....
On our 2nd day while the guys spent some time at the convention, we girls decided to spend the day going through the hotels on the strip.. and my first mission was to Foot Locker in Planet Hollywood to buy me some new tennies. Good thing I did because we walked even more that day all the way down to The Venetian. (If you've been, you know how far it is.)
6. Your toes sing the praises when you break down and start paying for taxis to get you to and from- which relates back in a way to #2 because a taxi ride jus a few blocks down the Strip runs you at least $12..and you went about 2 miles. But oh so worth every penny.
7. Everyone needs a " How to get out of Caesar's Palace" book for Dummies....we got lost... sounds silly but really, it's easy to do.
8. Don't gamble...unless you plan to loose.
You win big if you play big...maybe...but overall, most everyone is a loser. We didn't play big and we lost little. We're not risk takers like that.
9. Go to the shows!
Our 1st night we saw a Cirque Du Soleil show called Zumanity, which in my Cirque experience, was different but still really good. We saw Terry Fator at the Mirage the next night who is the ventriliquist from America's Got Talent and this guy was amazing...hysterically funny and a very genuine guy.
10. You leave ready to go home and but can't wait to get back! I LOVED Vegas, had a wonderful time with Brian and friends and just hope we get to go back sometime soon!
So here is just a few of the MANY typical tourist pics I snapped....
Our hotel, the New York, New York...
Our 1st night after we ate at the buffet at the MGM- like I said, nothing is cheap, but for a buffet, it was good. We were all miserbale and unbuttoning our pants by the time we made it to the Cirque show back at our hotel. ( good thing I had already walked the Strip down and back that day)
This is the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel- you can buy the tickets and take the elevator all the way up the the observation deck where you can see all the way out to the mountains. It was amazing...for a mere $10.00!
Madame Toussad's Wax Musuem @ The Venetian...
Can You Smell what the Rock is cookin!? ( Sorry, couldn't resist). Hee hee.
Our 2nd night Keystone took everyone to this brazilian steakhouse in the Mirage and we must have been gluttons for punishment... it was sooo good, but then again, I say that about a lot of food. This was just like Fogo de Chao and the food just kept coming....
I guess it was a good thing we had almost 2 hours to sit and relax and laugh till we cried at Terry Fator because we were stuffed. During our show he had a special guest appearance for a kid who was a member of the Make a Wish Foundation and who is very ill...no details given but the foundation speaks for itself. His dream is to be a ventriliquist just like Terry so unknowingly this boy gets called on stage to receive a puppet from Terry and then gets backstage passes and invites to an aftershow party. All the moms in the audience were boo hooing and probably some of the men too...what a tear jerker. Good thing there was plenty of comic relief to come....
So we ate a lot that night, relaxed at Terry Fator, and then made a stop at the Bellagio fountains to see the show which runs every 15 min. after dark. We watched it during the day but it doesn't compare to night...very Ocean's 13 if you remember...
The Bellagio-
and just to show that it was officially business, this is some of the Keystone group ( Project managers, super's, head honcho's) that received the Golden Trowel Award for a concrete job they did for Spring ISD. I didn't even know awards for concrete existed, but they set a world record for this job!!!
Our 2nd night Keystone took everyone to this brazilian steakhouse in the Mirage and we must have been gluttons for punishment... it was sooo good, but then again, I say that about a lot of food. This was just like Fogo de Chao and the food just kept coming....
I guess it was a good thing we had almost 2 hours to sit and relax and laugh till we cried at Terry Fator because we were stuffed. During our show he had a special guest appearance for a kid who was a member of the Make a Wish Foundation and who is very ill...no details given but the foundation speaks for itself. His dream is to be a ventriliquist just like Terry so unknowingly this boy gets called on stage to receive a puppet from Terry and then gets backstage passes and invites to an aftershow party. All the moms in the audience were boo hooing and probably some of the men too...what a tear jerker. Good thing there was plenty of comic relief to come....
So we ate a lot that night, relaxed at Terry Fator, and then made a stop at the Bellagio fountains to see the show which runs every 15 min. after dark. We watched it during the day but it doesn't compare to night...very Ocean's 13 if you remember...
The Bellagio-
and just to show that it was officially business, this is some of the Keystone group ( Project managers, super's, head honcho's) that received the Golden Trowel Award for a concrete job they did for Spring ISD. I didn't even know awards for concrete existed, but they set a world record for this job!!!
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1 comment:
Sounds like a great time! We have never been to Vegas, before. My husband wants to go SO bad. WE will definitely be getting some pointers from you when we do go! :)
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