Two and a Half Hours North by Northwest

Today we headed home. However, as we'd chosen a direct, Air Canada return flight, we had plenty of time. Las Vegas is open twenty-four hours a day but who wants to get up early while there? Jay went to get our coffee and croissants from the shop at the foot of the elevators at about 9:00 am.  After that, as we didn't have to check out until noon, we rode the free tram out to Mandalay Bay and walked though inside corridors to the Luxor. It felt right to walk though casinos during our final hours in Sin City. We officially checked out at the front desk early.

We continued by having a lunch inside the Excalibur up in the food court. We didn't hit a single buffet on this trip although that used to be a major attraction for me here. (Damn, my Ozempic for being able to so completely kill my gluttonous instincts.) 

We clicked for an Uber pickup by the designated exit at around 1:45 pm which allowed us to get to the airport for leisurely pre-boarding procedures. It all was smooth and when there's no stress, life is better. I enjoyed our short chat with our driver who drove a huge GMC and had lived in Vegas for 16 years.  Terminal 3 seems large and relatively new.  Slots still sit near the gates in LAS in case gamblers are trying to leave the city with a bit of remaining cash.  Our plane arrived early and we boarded quickly using the new facial boarding gates.  The flight left before its scheduled 5:05 departure time and arrived at YVR early too.  I had my free, tiny bottle of red wine on the way.

   

In our home airport, we walked and walked from our arrival gate to get to the customs machines.  Jay and I decided to do an Uber from the airport and opened our apartment door at 8:50 pm.  

The other day a guy in an elevator at Excalibur asked if we were up or down.  I said we were going up in elevators that only went to floors 20 to 28.  He was really asking if we were winning or losing in the casinos.  Neither Jay nor I enjoy gambling.  We didn't use the machines above.  However, on his birthday, Jay did put in a dollar bill into a slot machine in our hotel casino.  On a 1¢ machine that meant he got two spins.  He didn't walk away empty handed.  Even after giving the establishment 90¢, it felt like he left a winner!

Our Final Full Day in Vegas

MID-STRIP MEANDERINGS IN THE MORNING

We got a bit of use out of our second day on the Vegas Monorail pass.  We will probably skip trying to use that method of conveyance when visiting again.  It's not terribly convenient as it travels so far behind the properties that one cannot really access the strip easily.  We walked through the LINQ to get to the boulevard.   I'd consider that establishment for a future stay.

We did want to get up to this area to visit the resorts.  First, we started at the Venetian.  That afforded us access in the area of TI (Treasure Island).  It is less important to visit the area at night now that their pirates show no longer takes place.  Additionally, it was startling to see the entire area by the Mirage being demolished.  So, there's no longer a volcano either.  In fact, that's what's being dismantled.  A sign thanked the staff for serving Las Vegas for 34 years.  Next, we continued down the trip stopping at Paris.  We cut though casinos such as Harrah's to stay cool.  We didn't go in the Flamingo as we walked into its garden to see the actual birds yesterday.  Lastly, we boarded the monorail to return to the MGM Grand.  It was lunch time, so we snacked on some Chinese food nearby.

Four nights in Vegas really means only having three full days.  So, if we were to visit Las Vegas downtown, it'd have to be tonight.  Rather than the hassle of the monorail, or an Uber, we went to the Deuce Bus stop near the MGM Grand.  

There used to be closer stop, just across from the Excalibur.  However, the Tropicana is now practically an empty lot.  We could see the area from our hotel room.  Two remaining towers are due to be imploded in October.  They are making way for a new baseball stadium that'll be home to the now Oakland A's.  (Sigh, more of old, brat-pack era Vegas disappears!  We once visited their nice pool area to see the free, live parrot shows.)  Room prices are way up for the middle-of-the-night implosions on October 9th because people are always ready for a good spectacle in this city.

FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE, DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS

We made it downtown to Fremont Street Experience without completely freezing solid.  The outdoor temperatures in Las Vegas were too hot and the public spaces much too cool.  The bus was no exception.  I should've bought mittens on this trip.  There was heavy traffic on the Las Vegas strip on a Monday evening.  It took a hour although the little trip is advertised as less.

The street with the overhead display was packed.  It seemed like a rowdier crowd and I'm sure it's always a lot of fun here.  The display is now high definition.  We saw a little tribute to Shakira at nine on the dot.  There is always something showing to keep the atmosphere lively.  We ducked into one casino for tiny burgers with fries.   We went into the Golden Nugget to see, well, the golden nugget.  We did on one previous visit.  However tonight it was simply too crowded to find it.

Tomorrow we fly back to Vancouver.  But we don't have to rush for a 17:05 direct Air Canada flight.

Jay's Birthday in Vegas

The reason we booked this trip was because it would be Jay's birthday while away.  He was born on September 8th.  Today is September 8th.

MORNING ON THE MONORAIL

We began the morning by walking through the MGM Grand and finding the Las Vegas Monorail.  It runs from the back of the properties from here in the south strip to the Sahara at the north end.  We couldn't find two-day tickets on the ticketing machine, so I used my phone to buy them online and store them in my Google Wallet.

We stopped further up at several stops up the strip.  As the properties are deep, one spends nearly as much energy walking through the casinos and hotels to find the Monorail.  Still the walk is through comfortable air conditioned spaces with interesting things to see.

The flamingos are still at the Flamingo.  We'd not seen the High Roller wheel.

We ate lunch a bit late at a Panda Express and rested in the afternoon.

THE TOURNAMENT OF THE KINGS

I'd heard of the 'Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table' inspired dinner show.  I think there are a number of cities which have the show too.  It is suitable for all ages, we'd heard.  Who doesn't like the idea of eating a whole Cornish game hen and fixings without any silverware!  Expecially, while valiant knights on horseback are competing and jousting.

I have to admit that Jay and I are the sort of people who have already seen HOUSE OF DRAGON as we do like medieval fantasy films and TV.  So we chose to sit in the Dragon section.  Doing so meant we were forces of evil and couldn't cheer on the knights of the kingdoms such as Spain, Hungary, or Austria.

It was a hour and a half and a fun evening.  They elicit a lot of audience participation.  Because the show was right downstairs in our hotel, it was easy to access.  When we checked in to the hotel on Friday, the receptionist noticed Jay's birthday.  And because I mentioned we wanted to see the show, she made sure to offer to comp it for us.  I think it is a free birthday dinner that Jay will never forget.

Seeing the Strip in 2024

 

Much of what tourists know about Las Vegas centers around the famous strip. It's been so long since we have been in the city that it looks somewhat different today. Still, it still feels like the main hub of activity and feels like we came 'home' to it. We are staying at the southern end. The Excalibur is close to New York, New York, MGM Grand, the Luxor, and Mandalay Bay. These properties are clustered around this end. So, of course that's what we did first. After we rolled out of bed at 9:30 or so, we boarded the free hotel-owned tram that provides access to this area. Half of the fun of Vegas for us is to simply visit the various properties.

I'm surrounded by so many things that make for good pictures. I'll just select a few for today's blog post.

 

 

We had a nap in the afternoon when the streets were their hottest.  In the evening we retraced some steps going back to locate the free Aria tram that connects places closer to the Bellagio and its famous fountains.  Just to feel like a part of the party, I bought a 'double can' Michelob beer and walked around sipping it.  At night, the temperature is still warm but there's no baking sun!

Jay and I ate at a Denny's on the strip.  That doesn't sound very special but we NEVER eat at one and I found the burger's size overwhelming.  Everything in Vegas is to excess.   I have a sneaking suspicion that it's NOT going to be another 16 years before we fly down here again.  It's less that three hours to fly from Vancouver and even with the 'resort fees' this city makes for an excellent way to get a change of pace.

Oh, and speaking of pace, Fitbit reports we walked 15.78 kilometers today!

 

Our Home for Four Nights

Weeeeee're back!  Getting down here was not much of an effort.  We didn't have to get to the airport until around noon.  We rode Bus #100 from the 22nd station to Marine Drive Station and got the Canada Line to the airport.  That took a little over an hour.

We got on our 2:20 United flight to San Francisco and got in a bit early.  We could have made the next United flight to Vegas but we had booked a later 7:00 pm flight.  Waiting in SF was easy and nice.  In fact, flying today felt like the old days when doing so was enjoyable. The schedules were stress free.  The staff were friendly and gracious.  The airplanes were clean and efficient.  There was little waiting or unpleasantness.  Our second flight left a little late but we made up most of the time.  As I remembered, we saw slot machines right at the gates in LAS.

It's almost better to get into Vegas after dark as one can see the strip in all it's electrified glory.  We decided to take Uber and although the airport made that a bit of a hike to the pickup location, it was effortless too.  So we got to the Excalibur Hotel around 9:30, I think.

We had a lovely agent when checking in and she noticed that Jay's birthday is on Sunday.  I mentioned something about making sure we got to see the Tournament of the Kings dinner theatre.  As it is in this hotel, she ensured it will be compensated as long as we charged it to our hotel room.  The weekend performances are around $80 each, so that was a very nice surprise!

We had a late Chinese dinner in the hotel and went walking this end of the strip.  

This is our view from room #27143.  We went to bed tired at about 12:30 am.  We're in Vegas, baby!

Looking Back at December 3, 2008

We just checked in for tomorrow's flights to Vegas. We return on a direct Air Canada flight but going down we have to stop in San Francisco for a connecting United Airlines flight. 

Of course, this trip inspired me to check out the last time we were in Las Vegas, Nevada. It doesn't seem possible that it was sixteen years ago! (This is when old people start asking inane questions like, "Where does the time go?") Of course, I had to check my Flickr account to see what I could find in the deep recesses of their data warehouses.  Sure enough, a number of pictures were still sitting in my album created that year.  Long live JPGs!

 

Some of the images were from a morning trip out to Hoover Dam.  We rented a car from the hotel and drove towards Boulder City to see Lake Mead.   This was before the bypass bridge and any highway called Interstate 11.  When we were there, the road ran across the top of the dam.

Oh yeah, and the rental car was a Dodge Caliber.  That helps prove that 2008 was a long time ago.  We are not planning a return visit to Hoover Dam this time around.

  

What Happens in Vegas ...

Jay and I never exchange gifts on special occasions. There's little we could give each other as we have few unfulfilled needs. The idea of wrapping up something in a box for the other to open seems exceptionally silly to us. In recent years, though, we have treated ourselves to special trips on our birthdays. Mine is in July and Jay's in September. 

We were with my sister and friend during an unforgettable adventure in July. Strangely, we kept putting off making a decisions about what to to this month. Jay's birthdate has been the same since I met him. Isn't that weird? We'd talked about an all-inclusive vacation as we did last year. However, we never found any airplane deals heading to Mexican destinations. We'd also thought about picking up a last-minute bargain on a cruise departing from Vancouver. That didn't pan out as this season has been too busy and there were we wasfew unsold staterooms.

So, here it is September 3rd and Jay's birthday is barreling towards us on the 8th. But we just fixed the situation! We have booked an Expedia trip to Vegas from Friday.   We have a connection in San Francisco on the way down and a direct flight back to Vancouver next Tuesday.

It has been a long time since we were last in Las Vegas, NV.  It was well before we retired ten years ago. In fact, on my blog and in my online pictures, I found we flew on Allegiant Airlines from Bellingham, WA in December 2008! So it is surely not too soon to hit the strip again, although we never spend a cent in the casinos. 

We're common folk and strive to stay in relatively meager accommodations wherever we go, even in Vegas. Our very first trip might have been in October 2001 at The Boardwalk.  It was subsequently torn down and replaced with what is now CityCenter's Waldorf Astoria. We may have stayed twice at Circus Circus. I'm pretty sure we stayed there in both 2002 and 2008. 

   

This photo is my own and taken on our 2002 trip when I first got a digital camera.  This time we booked and will be staying here in the aging Excalibur. It's good that we are fairly familiar with hot places and the liberal use of air conditioning.  The weather is forecast to be 26° to 43°C (79° to 109°F) during our four-night stay.

Life Before This Blog

I can go back to check exactly what I said here on November 12, 2003. I just looked it up to see. That was the day of my very first visit to the then-brand-new Queensborough Walmart. I cannot go back a year prior to that as I hadn't yet started my eJournal and images.

So, what did I take on November 12, 2002?


Well, obviously we were in Vegas. I have weighed both less and more than I do now. I'd say it must have been more fourteen years ago!

What Happens ...

I saw a message on Facebook that high school friend, Candy Fuller will be heading to Las Vegas. I wonder if there are people who don't like it there? I cannot imagine how anybody could help but be a huge fan of that city. It never stays the same. Through economic thick and thin, it always survives ready to welcome a stream of new folks.

Hearing about Candy's trip made me jealous. Jay and I have only been three times but that is probably more than any destination other than Sri Lanka. Vegas is cheap and only exists to provide a good time. One needn't be a gambler to have fun. It has free stuff to do. I like the desert and marvel that there is no useful reason for anybody to be there. Most things in life are logical but Vegas is not. Perhaps that's reason enough to make multiple visits.

Have a great time with the gals, Candy!


We've not been to the strip since December 2008.

Wasted Advertising Dollars

I am a big fan of advertising. After all, most radio, TV, and some Internet content is free owing to the fact businesses saddle up for the cost of production. Good advertising can be educational. It can create a demand by letting the public know about the benefits of its products or service.

However I've often wondered how useful feel-good ads are. Does every ad that gets an emotional reaction translate into increased sales? I'd say probably not. I did a search to see information about Las Vegas's soon-to-be-opened City Center. I came across this video. What on earth does the sea have to do with a mega-development in the middle of the desert? I cannot buy into the idea that I should investigate further just to become one of those wanna-be sophisticates with Prozac-induced, vacant smiles.


If you are not reading this at my eJournal and images and cannot
see the embedded view, you may click here.

Reflections of the Smoke and Mirrors

It's been raining out all day but it's okay as I still have a little Vegas on me. All the lights are on in the apartment and it's only 3:30 in the afternoon. Tonight's Santa Parade in New Westminster promises to be a little soggy. It's okay, I still have Vegas on me.

I think I'm going to make a three or four day, annual break to Las Vegas mandatory. There's nothing I can put my finger on, exactly. I don't gamble at all. I'm too cheap to pay for a lot of the best things the city has to offer. Maybe that's the thing which I like about it. The city offers a glimmer of celebrity living for ordinary Janes and Joes. Although millions of people call it home, most of the people one rubs shoulders with are there on a vacation. Where are you from become the most asked question. Yet, really nobody gives a crap about what station of life you're from; it all boils down to the money, honey.

I love Vegas because it really shouldn't physically exist at all. Were it not for cheap power and water made available by engineering, nothing could exist there. Drive a few miles to the corner of the valley and cactus can't even survive. It is a testament to the quest for the fulfillment of human desire. It's the real America without all the Puritan pretense. It's no hold barred and go for broke. It's about greed, thrills, and instant gratification.

I love all that it stands for.

In the Air

We're winging our way North so soon? Getting back was super easy as all went as planned. Flying in the US surely isn't very convenient nowadays. I doubt there's any chance of Homeland Security being dismantled. It sure looks like a job creation project. Don't tell me the walk-though detector couldn't be made to check shoes. Not one airport has a place for elderly or infirm to sit to put back on belts and boots. It undoubtedly wouldn't be politically expedient to suggest that they provide more irritation than actual safety. The staff with the cards for the secure doors are some of the lowest paid at the airport. Go figure. And a terrorist asks, "Could you make sure these materials get onto the plane for this $10,000 for me?"

Still once past the checkpoint, at least at the Vegas airport, everyone has one more chance of throwing away any cash that's still left.

Around Town

This was the last day here. As slot machines now only take bills, I've boycotted them. I miss the sound of quarters hitting people's buckets. Still, gambling is not even a consideration when coming to Vegas; simply watching others lose their money can be fun. It can be exciting to go into each and nearly every of the big hotels. There are many free things to see such as the Bellagio fountains, the fire and action of the Siren show in front of TI, or even watching the lions in the MGM.

We did some pay for fun too. We bought tickets to the 7:30 showing of Mama Mia! at the Mandalay Bay.

At the Dam

Today, I had booked a rental car to go out to Hoover Dam and around. It's easy on a short trip to Vegas to never leave the Strip. It was nicer to get out from the tourist-trod path. We ate breakfast at our hotel and picked up the car directly from there too. Hoover Dam is less than 40 miles away, but we drove around a bit. Actually we drove enough to fit $5.00 of gas in rental Dodge Caliber.

After leaving the gloom of the Lower Mainland, it was nice to get out in the sun and dramatically blue sky. I can see why people have made this one of the fastest growing parts of the US.

On the Strip

We really didn't get into the city until this date. Allegiant Airlines really screwed up last night trying to get us here. There are three daily flights from Bellingham. We were booked on the 4:25 one. It never came although the passengers were told several times it was almost arriving. The late flight had extra room so after mayhem and confusion, we ended up on it. We flew with only carry on luggage which is one reason we made it on board. Others were promised luggage might arrive after two or three days. Way to go! At around 9:10 we eventually left the tarmac and arrived in Las Vegas at about quarter to midnight. That was about four and a half hours later than scheduled but, hey, Las Vegas is open 24 hours a day. Bus 180 was an easy trip up to Riviera along Paradise Road. We checked into Circus Circus well past midnight.

We got up late but walked to the Sahara for a breakfast buffet that sort of morphed into lunch while we were there. We spent the day traversing the Strip and trying to note all the changes during six years of absence. The city does a good job of reinventing itself every six months, so there were lots of changes.

We also ended up downtown for several of the Fremont Street shows. I might consider staying in the old heart of the city on the next stay. The Duece, double-decker bus plying Las Vegas Boulevard is easy. It cost $5 for unlimited travel for 24 continuous hours.

It's Literally Off the Strip Now

I wasn't going to just paste in another photo today. We have a few hours before we have to drive across the US border to the airport in Bellingham, WA. I was going to write something breezy and topical. Instead, I'll post another picture. I just finished uploading the original to Flickr.


This relates well to yesterday's entry where I mentioned the importance of backing up old digital debris. I looked on my external J drive. I have a bunch of folders which contain images taken with my first digital camera. I knew that I should have a few 'cooped up' there that might be better shared. The photograph above was taken in 2002. At the time, we stayed in the Boardwalk. It's no more. Google Earth shows the area as a huge construction zone now. I guess we can take a look with our own eyes tonight.

Shopping Half Naked

Next week, it'll be time to truly see what happens in Vegas and if it stays there. As I booked on Allegiant Air earlier in the month, each segment of my trip to Vegas was US$ 28.00. All together with taxes and fees it came to US$ 88.50. I do wonder what the 9/11 tax does for the tiny, little Bellingham, WA airport. At last, yesterday, Jay got time off in order to come along. As it was more of a last minute purchase, he had to come up with an additional hundred bucks for the same Monday and Friday flights.

Seconds ago, I booked a car for Wednesday of next week. Although we poked around a bit of the desert on a one-week trip in May, we didn't swing by the Hoover Dam. That's why I just visited the Dollar site. The company offers rentals directly from Circus Circus. That's pretty convenient as it's where we're staying.



We hardly notice how easy many things are nowadays. For example, I didn't think twice about the fact I just chose a rental car company and reserved without lifting a finger, with the exception of my mouse button one. Should I mention I was only wearing my underwear? That's the ultimate of convenience too!

I'll Not Even Spend $5 Gambling

I was contemplating it yesterday. I blogged how getting away to Vegas was a deal I could hardly afford to pass up. I thought $29 a night for a king bed on the strip was bargain enough. Then, I noticed Expedia Canada was offering a special promotion for booking through them. They are providing a bonus $50 Petrol Canada gas coupon after the travel is completed. The hitch was the offer expired tonight. So, earlier I entered my credit card and hit enter a few times. I give my final examination on November 28th. That should give me sufficient time to get 'em corrected before heading south. The stay will be from Monday, December 1st until Friday, the 5th. I'm grateful for cheap Allegiant flights from Bellingham.

I was trying to remember when we'd last visited. It was easy to check on the very first visit as I recalled that US Forces entered Afghanistan. It was on the news and it was in October of 2001. The following year we went again. After disruptions due to 9/11, it was considered patriotic to get back into the air. We went that time in November and that's when the following picture was taken. Six years is too long to have stayed away from that fun little city.

What Happens in Vegas ...

Damn. I don't really need to get away on another vacation yet. So far this year, we've been away on a Mexican cruise, a road trip in the US Southwest, and three weeks in Italy. Yet, knowing that I have time off in December goaded me into checking online flights and hotels. It's a hobby, I guess.

It's almost too cheap NOT to go to Las Vegas in December. There's a traditional slow season before the end of the year. There's that plus possible effects from the financial slowdown.

If I pick dates carefully I could go to Las Vegas for four nights. Flying with Allegiant from Bellingham, WA would amount to just $US88.50 round trip. Of course, I'd need to pay $US35 to park at the airport for five days. Circus Circus is not the most prestigious hangout on the strip but I could stay Monday through Friday during the first or second week of December for less than $US28 per night with taxes included. One gross breakfast buffet could fill up me for an entire day.



Jay might not be able to go due to work. He can check. I haven't travelled by myself for decades but with deals like this how can I not, even if alone?