Viva Las Vegas

So! Time for a Vegas update.

In case you were wondering, we really had a great time. I have a TON of photos, but I'll try to keep them to a minimum on here. The rest I'm sure I'll post on Facebook.

The first day we were there, (Wednesday,) Geoff and I mostly stayed in our hotel (the Stratosphere) which was HUGE. Unfortunately, we were on the opposite side of the building than the pool, so it took like, years to walk across that place, but once we finally got there, it was worth it. The pool was my favorite part of the hotel. On the 8th floor, it was a really big outdoor pool with a bar and fitness room right next to it. We ordered a drink, and sat in the pool, basking in 90 degree weather. Afterwards, we explored downstairs in the Casino, got a bite to eat, and returned to our room to get some rest for Geoff's birthday the next day.

On Thursday, we slept in for 

a bit, and then prepared for a day of walking. We decided to walk the whole strip that day, down to Minus5, the ice bar I mentioned before. As it happens, the Stratosphere is at the top of the strip, and Minus5 is down by Mandalay Bay, which is at the bottom of the strip. Leaving us about 4 miles to walk, IF we walk

ed in a straight line. (Which, as some of you know, is impossible on Las Vegas Blvd.) Out of all the casinos we went into, the Mirage was EASILY our favorite. It was SO incredibly colorful and fantastic... I'm already planning to save money to stay there next time. Another thing to save money for: Love - Cirque du Soleil (the Beatles tribute). Or any Cirque du Soleil show for that matter. Zoomanity looks amazing also. Those first photos of the colorful place is my favorite spot in the Mirage, which was the room dedicated to the Beatles show, "Love". There was a store with all this really fantastic Beatle stuff, and I really wished I could get Maxx a shirt or something, but there was hardly anything there for less than $50. Figures. 

We also went to the MGM Grand and saw the Lion exhibit, where they keep a few of the lions they use for the roaring lions at the beginning of every MGM movie... you know, that lion. Anyway, there was a glass walkway, where you walk "into" the lion pen, protected by glass.. And while we were there, all the lions happened to be sleeping RIGHT over the walkway, on top of where all the people were walking. 

Sleepy, sleepy lions... 

Later down the strip, we found the Coca Cola store, where we proceeded to taste 16 different sodas from around the world. Very interesting... some tasty, some awful.

After an entire afternoon of walking and exploring, we finally made it to Minus5, and had a fantastically unique experience at the ice bar. The ice was so smooth! That was the coolest part for me, I think, since I went around and ran my mittened hands all over the finely crafted structures and statues. The drinks tasted better in glasses made completely of ice than they would have in normal glasses, too! But I definitely see why they limit people to only 3 drinks tops. I only had one, and I felt a little loopy after leaving that chilly room..

We then had to book it back up to the top of the strip for our dinner reservation at the Top of the World restaurant on the 109th floor of the Stratosphere. It was SO much fun getting all dressed up together, and riding the super fast elevator (3 floors a second!) to the top of the tower... I've never been to a fancier restaurant in my life. Nor have I spent so much money on a meal... but it was all quite worth it. We ordered a half bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for our wine, and then had the 3 course meal for two, which included a beautiful salad, a fat steak, mini sweet flavored onions, asparagus, garlic potatoes, artichoke heart, and some sort of creature that we didn't eat, but I poked at a little. Oh, and then there was dessert, which was some sort of chocolate raspberry mouse thing made in the shape of the Stratosphere tower. Beautiful AND fabulous tasting. 

We had our picture taken up there, but purchasing them was way expensive, and after having just spent a ton of my savings on dinner, I wasn't apt to spend $40 extra dollars on some cheesy photos. (Even though they were pretty cute.) We tried to take a few photos of us together, so these are the closest we could get.. A myspace-esque photo, and a classic camera-pointed-at-mirror shot. Hahah.. oh well. Better than nothing, right? I only wish I'd remembered to bring my camera to the restaurant!

We also went up to the observation deck to view the strip from the top (both outside and inside the building). There, we saw the rides that crazy people go on up there. There are 3. "The Big Shot", which is like Tower of Terror, except on the needle of the Stratosphere, "Insanity", which looks like an egg beater that hangs you over the edge of the building, (Geoff and I were going to go on that one, but ended up wanting to save money,) and then there's the "X-Scream", which I have taken a picture of for mom to freak out over. (It's the one you told me not to go on, Mom...haha.) It looks like a roller coaster, but acts like a see-saw sort of thing. You get pushed up the teeter-totter, 

and then it swings down until it looks like you're going to be shot out into oblivion, straight down onto the strip, but it stops you just in time, as you're hanging down over the edge of the tower. Horrifying, really. I took this picture of it on it's way down to the stopping point. (Which is way below that fence there, by the way.)

After a little rest in the room, we went out to a nightclub at the Mirage called "Jet", since it was Ladies Night, and earlier that day, we received some admission tickets to get us in for free. I also got tickets for being a girl that got me 3 free drinks! It was pretty fun, but I woke up the next morning with blisters all over my poor little feet from doing all that walking in heels, and my legs are still killing me. But all in all, it was worth it. We had a fantastic time, and didn't get into too much trouble, which I'm sure, was to the parents' relief, eh? 

Also, we didn't gamble at all! Which, I must admit, I kind of really wanted to try to play the penny slots just for fun (only a penny for one try, right?) but we didn't have any cash, and didn't want to use the ATMs at the Casinos, since it was like a $4 charge per withdrawl, you know... Oh well. Maybe next time.

Ahhh, I guess that is all the highlights for now.. There are tons of stories to this trip, and I've told all the ones I have photos for, and some that stuck out particularly for us, so I'm going to leave it at this for now. All in all, it was really a lot of fun, and I feel quite refreshed now. Had a lovely time at the Animal Shelter today, and I'm ready for Mayterm class to start on Tuesday!

Love to you all!