Vegas, Baby!

Tim and I traveled to Las Vegas last week for an AP National Conference and for some R & R. I don't remember the last time we went away for a few days with just the two of us. It was a great time for us to reconnect and just have fun. The first day we walked through many of the hotels on the strip; they are like little towns on their own. While I was at the conference Fri. and Sat., Tim gambled (played in some poker tournaments) and layed out by the pool in our hotel...It was only a "cool" 107 degrees! At night we ate at wonderful restaurants, shopped, and gambled a little more. We even were able to buy third row seats to Cirque de Soliel's Mystere. It was a wonderful show!

All in all we had a great time, but I don't think I would choose to go back for vacation. I much prefer the beach and only 95 degree weather. :o)

Tim and I ate at a wonderful Mexican restaurant in The Venetian, the hotel we stayed at. This was our first night in Vegas. If you look closely, you can see the canal behind us where singing gondola drivers carry people through the streets.

This is one of the singing gondola drivers. In the background you can see the streets of the Venetian where many shops resided...including Ann Taylor, my favorite.

Our room was a suite, very nice. This is the king-size bed we had.

This is a view of our room from our bed. The suites were very nice and spacious.

The photo above is just a small portion of the outside of the Venetian. It was beautiful, but also gaudy...a little like Disney World.

Above is just a small piece of the famous Ceasar's Palace. Hotels went on for blocks.

The Mirage is the hotel where Sigfried and Roy used to do their famous animal act. When you enter the hotel, you see this beautiful white tiger.

Sigfried and Roy also developed the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage. They actually had their first live dophin birth there this year. Above, you can see Duchess, the mother, and Seargent Pepper, the baby dolphin. You can sit right on the edge of their tank to view them.

Lions were also at the exhibit...

...as were beautiful tigers. See how close I got?

Tim and I ate at Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffet's restaurant, the second night we were there. The atmosphere was great; people ate in boats....The food was good too.