My October Trip to Vegas
I'm home! :D Flew in from Las Vegas, Nevada late Saturday night and got home in the wee hours of Sunday morning. October is my mom's birthday month and my dad and I were there to celebrate her special day with her.
Monday, October 12: Arrival
Flew to Las Vegas early in the morning. We got to baggage claim and found my dad's hard shell luggage looked like an elephant had stepped on it. O_O The attendants offered us a roll of duct tape and a claim form. Thankfully he only had clothes in there and nothing was missing or dirty; aside from being smashed in, the outer part was flecked with mud. *sigh*
Because we made special arrangements with our hotel, we were able to get our rooms right away. This time we had a fantastic view of Mirage, Treasure Island, Venetian, and other resorts on the Strip. I was there last April, and I'm amazed at how much the skyline has changed with all the construction of new resorts.
After unpacking and eating a light breakfast, I went to confirm and/or pick up tickets for all of the shows and excursions we ordered. Because I was up so early, I didn't feel like doing much of anything. I spent the rest of the afternoon poolside, reading, swimming, and listening to music while relaxing in a shady spot.
We had a late dinner at the hotel's buffet before calling it a night. Since we had to be up at the ungodly hour of 4am to meet up with the tour, I thought it prudent to get as much sleep as I could.
Tuesday, October 13: Road Trip to Utah - Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park
We met up with Rick, our driver/guide, and our group of twelve headed out for Utah through Arizona. Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon were our primary destinations with a few photo op and meal stops along the way.
Zion was amazing. We were all given a set amount of time at the park to do our own exploring. You start out on the floor of the canyon, so you are looking upward at the majestic rock formations. They have a tram that takes you up to various hiking trails, and the three of us spent most of our time hiking around the last stop which is the Temple of Sinawava. It's autumn and the tree leaves are turning brilliant shades of gold, orange, and red. The bold colors added a touch of magic to the place as we strolled by the Virgin River. Saw a photographer standing in the water to get a perfect shot of the falls. I dipped my toes in and nearly shocked myself silly. It was absolutely frigid. The canyon is certainly a testament to the power of water which sculpted the canyons. If we had more time, I would have loved to have taken a horseback riding tour. We saw wild turkeys, squirrels, a tarantula, deer, and mountain climbers.
Bryce Canyon was simply breathtaking. I've seen many pictures of it, but they certainly don't compare to the real thing. The rock formations are called hoodoos, and to me they look like giant chess pieces. Millions of years ago, the area used to be under the sea. Earthquakes and other natural phenomena pushed the area high above sea level and Bryce Canyon was the result. The reddish color of the hoodoos are stunning, particularly when viewed as the sun is setting. As I said earlier, they remind me of giant chess pieces; the formations that are close together look like a castle for the chess pieces. I can just picture the canyon filled with water and scuba divers swimming around the hoodoos.
The other stops included more beautiful vistas from different vantage points. Both parks are open year around. It would be great to visit again during a different season. I can just picture the landscape frosted with snow and ice or grass dotted with the fresh blooms of spring. I loved viewing the places in autumn. The colors, particularly the blazing orange were so vivid and beautiful.
The tour was an all day event. By the time we got back to our hotel, it was 9:30pm and all I wanted to do was have a light dinner and go to sleep. I had calamari and a sandwich from the hotel's cafe.
Wednesday, October 14: Spa Day, Penn & Teller
It felt absolutely wonderful to be able to sleep in for a change, but I was still up and about around 9:30am. I had breakfast on my balcony while enjoying the skyline of the Strip.
Mom and I scheduled massage appointments at the spa when we arrived. After all the walking and hiking we did the day before, it was great to pamper the aching leg muscles with an 80 minute massage. We spent some time using the whirlpools and the sauna as well.
My parents and I then took the shuttle to Rio for an early dinner at Village Seafood. I enjoyed the crab and the lobster tails and the clam chowder. Dessert was a decadent espresso gelato studded with toffee chips.
I'm glad we ate dinner early. It gave our tummies a chance to settle before seeing Penn & Teller. I've been wanting to see this magic show for years, but it never quite fit into our schedule. Review will be at the end of this post to avoid having spoilers in my general sum up, but it was great fun for the most part.
Thursday, October 15: Shopping, The Lion King, Madame Tussauds
Mom and I were already planning to go to Fashion Show Mall which is right across the street from Wynn and Treasure Island from the other side, but this time it was a necessity. We had to buy new luggage for Dad after his was completely wrecked by the airline baggage handling machinery. The mall was just a short walk from our hotel; the heat and humidity are energy zappers, so we took our time.
I got a black leather Coach handbag and a pile of books. We shoved all of the purchases into Dad's new luggage and wheeled it back to the hotel.
I was excited when I learned that Mandalay Bay was opening a new stage production of The Lion King this year, and I absolutely had to get tickets for that. I saw it in San Francisco a few years ago here with my mom and mat_kat, but my dad had never watch it. It is one of my top five favorite musical stage productions. This show was even better than the San Francisco production, and I loved it. Review is at the end of this post.
After a late post-show pizza dinner, I briefly updated my journal before walking to the Venetian to see Madame Tussauds After Dark show. It was creepy walking around with only a single light for a guide. Even though you KNOW that the staff will be trying to scare you, it still comes as a shock. The chainsaw wielding Jason was most terrifying. I had a feeling they would have something like that, but the images and noise still made my heart pound.
Friday, October 16: Shopping at the Forum Shops at Caesars
Spent Friday at the Caesars Forum Shops browsing with my mom. Lots of high end boutiques and stores there like Harry Winston, Tiffany, and Dior. These two women behind me on the escalator practically bowled me over in their mad beeline rush to get to the Coach store. O_o I like Coach as much as the next person, but I'm not sure it warrants such impatience to see the goods when we're already there. Also, there was another woman hyperventilating as she beheld the shining Louis Vuitton storefront and a group of women posing for picture souvenirs in front of Dior. o_O *sigh* I know I can be like that when it comes to MY fan interests (e.g. Harry Potter).
Had lunch at Caesars. The lobster roll, calamari, and clam chowder were delish. I didn't really buy much of anything there. I just like to walk around and people watch. That place is humongous; you need to consult a map just to get around if you're unfamiliar with the place.
Dinner was at our hotel's steak restaurant which overlooks the Strip. I would normally order a steak, but I was just too full from lunch. I got a spinach salad and the salmon-both scrumptious. My parents ordered steaks and they shared pieces with me.
Saturday, October 17: Departure
After packing, we sent the luggage down with the bellhop to storage until we were ready to go to the airport for our late flight. My parents went to the casino while I read by the pool until it was time to leave.
The only thing I have to say about the airport at this time is that I found the restroom by our gate to be completely repulsive. It was clean enough, but when I leaned over to press the button to flush, the suction was so great that it created lots of splash. Some of the water hit me in the face. *gags* I spent ten minutes washing up and I STILL did NOT feel clean.
Here are my reviews of the shows. Uncovered spoilers behind the cut!
Show Review: Penn & Teller
I have a Penn & Teller book and I've seen some of their stunts on TV, and so I have been wanting to see them in person. My favorite acts were Teller's pennies and goldfish routine in which he kept pulling pennies our of the water and handing them to a random audience member. He then made the pennies turn into goldfish. It's easy to figure out how he might have done that trick, but the illusion is still stunning. I also liked Teller's ball and hoop act in which the ball behaved like a dog. It was cute.
Penn talks too much. I realize that he has to make up for Teller's silence, but Penn's voice got on my nerves at times. I do think he's a gifted magician though and his TSA metal detector act was inspired.
One major criticism is that some of their big ticket tricks don't translate well for an audience. The grand finale in which both fire guns and catch the bullets between their teeth was merely okay. Though they had people sign the bullets and authenticate that the guns had been fired, it was not visually appealing. It was mostly talking with very little to see. I enjoyed the show though.
Show Review: The Lion King
• Our seats were three rows away from the stage. We had an excellent view of faces of the actors and it was awesome to see them emote.
• This production was way more elaborate than the one Mom and I saw. Everything seemed to be bigger, brighter, and larger than life. It was a joy to see again, even more so watching my dad's face light up in wonder as he viewed it for the first time.
• The actress who portrays Rafiki was marvelous. Her beautiful voice has tremendous range and I just loved her entire portrayal from absolute joy at Simba's birth to sorrow at Mufasa's passing to her mischievous antics while speaking to Simba.
• I love Zazu as well. He is just so fussy and stuffy that you want to tease him just to ruffle his feathers.
• The puppet manipulations were pure genius. I loved how they depicted actions and interacted with the audience as the actors ran up and down the aisles with their puppets. It was magical.
• I highly recommend this show if you're visiting Vegas. Cirque du Soleil's KA is still my favorite Vegas show, but this one is also amazing if you like musicals.
I've missed all of you. It's going to take a few days for me to get all caught up with my journal reading, so please let me know if I've missed anything important. I am WAAAAY behind with email as well; I'm doing my best to send replies.
Monday, October 12: Arrival
Flew to Las Vegas early in the morning. We got to baggage claim and found my dad's hard shell luggage looked like an elephant had stepped on it. O_O The attendants offered us a roll of duct tape and a claim form. Thankfully he only had clothes in there and nothing was missing or dirty; aside from being smashed in, the outer part was flecked with mud. *sigh*
Because we made special arrangements with our hotel, we were able to get our rooms right away. This time we had a fantastic view of Mirage, Treasure Island, Venetian, and other resorts on the Strip. I was there last April, and I'm amazed at how much the skyline has changed with all the construction of new resorts.
After unpacking and eating a light breakfast, I went to confirm and/or pick up tickets for all of the shows and excursions we ordered. Because I was up so early, I didn't feel like doing much of anything. I spent the rest of the afternoon poolside, reading, swimming, and listening to music while relaxing in a shady spot.
We had a late dinner at the hotel's buffet before calling it a night. Since we had to be up at the ungodly hour of 4am to meet up with the tour, I thought it prudent to get as much sleep as I could.
Tuesday, October 13: Road Trip to Utah - Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park
We met up with Rick, our driver/guide, and our group of twelve headed out for Utah through Arizona. Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon were our primary destinations with a few photo op and meal stops along the way.
Zion was amazing. We were all given a set amount of time at the park to do our own exploring. You start out on the floor of the canyon, so you are looking upward at the majestic rock formations. They have a tram that takes you up to various hiking trails, and the three of us spent most of our time hiking around the last stop which is the Temple of Sinawava. It's autumn and the tree leaves are turning brilliant shades of gold, orange, and red. The bold colors added a touch of magic to the place as we strolled by the Virgin River. Saw a photographer standing in the water to get a perfect shot of the falls. I dipped my toes in and nearly shocked myself silly. It was absolutely frigid. The canyon is certainly a testament to the power of water which sculpted the canyons. If we had more time, I would have loved to have taken a horseback riding tour. We saw wild turkeys, squirrels, a tarantula, deer, and mountain climbers.
Bryce Canyon was simply breathtaking. I've seen many pictures of it, but they certainly don't compare to the real thing. The rock formations are called hoodoos, and to me they look like giant chess pieces. Millions of years ago, the area used to be under the sea. Earthquakes and other natural phenomena pushed the area high above sea level and Bryce Canyon was the result. The reddish color of the hoodoos are stunning, particularly when viewed as the sun is setting. As I said earlier, they remind me of giant chess pieces; the formations that are close together look like a castle for the chess pieces. I can just picture the canyon filled with water and scuba divers swimming around the hoodoos.
The other stops included more beautiful vistas from different vantage points. Both parks are open year around. It would be great to visit again during a different season. I can just picture the landscape frosted with snow and ice or grass dotted with the fresh blooms of spring. I loved viewing the places in autumn. The colors, particularly the blazing orange were so vivid and beautiful.
The tour was an all day event. By the time we got back to our hotel, it was 9:30pm and all I wanted to do was have a light dinner and go to sleep. I had calamari and a sandwich from the hotel's cafe.
Wednesday, October 14: Spa Day, Penn & Teller
It felt absolutely wonderful to be able to sleep in for a change, but I was still up and about around 9:30am. I had breakfast on my balcony while enjoying the skyline of the Strip.
Mom and I scheduled massage appointments at the spa when we arrived. After all the walking and hiking we did the day before, it was great to pamper the aching leg muscles with an 80 minute massage. We spent some time using the whirlpools and the sauna as well.
My parents and I then took the shuttle to Rio for an early dinner at Village Seafood. I enjoyed the crab and the lobster tails and the clam chowder. Dessert was a decadent espresso gelato studded with toffee chips.
I'm glad we ate dinner early. It gave our tummies a chance to settle before seeing Penn & Teller. I've been wanting to see this magic show for years, but it never quite fit into our schedule. Review will be at the end of this post to avoid having spoilers in my general sum up, but it was great fun for the most part.
Thursday, October 15: Shopping, The Lion King, Madame Tussauds
Mom and I were already planning to go to Fashion Show Mall which is right across the street from Wynn and Treasure Island from the other side, but this time it was a necessity. We had to buy new luggage for Dad after his was completely wrecked by the airline baggage handling machinery. The mall was just a short walk from our hotel; the heat and humidity are energy zappers, so we took our time.
I got a black leather Coach handbag and a pile of books. We shoved all of the purchases into Dad's new luggage and wheeled it back to the hotel.
I was excited when I learned that Mandalay Bay was opening a new stage production of The Lion King this year, and I absolutely had to get tickets for that. I saw it in San Francisco a few years ago here with my mom and mat_kat, but my dad had never watch it. It is one of my top five favorite musical stage productions. This show was even better than the San Francisco production, and I loved it. Review is at the end of this post.
After a late post-show pizza dinner, I briefly updated my journal before walking to the Venetian to see Madame Tussauds After Dark show. It was creepy walking around with only a single light for a guide. Even though you KNOW that the staff will be trying to scare you, it still comes as a shock. The chainsaw wielding Jason was most terrifying. I had a feeling they would have something like that, but the images and noise still made my heart pound.
Friday, October 16: Shopping at the Forum Shops at Caesars
Spent Friday at the Caesars Forum Shops browsing with my mom. Lots of high end boutiques and stores there like Harry Winston, Tiffany, and Dior. These two women behind me on the escalator practically bowled me over in their mad beeline rush to get to the Coach store. O_o I like Coach as much as the next person, but I'm not sure it warrants such impatience to see the goods when we're already there. Also, there was another woman hyperventilating as she beheld the shining Louis Vuitton storefront and a group of women posing for picture souvenirs in front of Dior. o_O *sigh* I know I can be like that when it comes to MY fan interests (e.g. Harry Potter).
Had lunch at Caesars. The lobster roll, calamari, and clam chowder were delish. I didn't really buy much of anything there. I just like to walk around and people watch. That place is humongous; you need to consult a map just to get around if you're unfamiliar with the place.
Dinner was at our hotel's steak restaurant which overlooks the Strip. I would normally order a steak, but I was just too full from lunch. I got a spinach salad and the salmon-both scrumptious. My parents ordered steaks and they shared pieces with me.
Saturday, October 17: Departure
After packing, we sent the luggage down with the bellhop to storage until we were ready to go to the airport for our late flight. My parents went to the casino while I read by the pool until it was time to leave.
The only thing I have to say about the airport at this time is that I found the restroom by our gate to be completely repulsive. It was clean enough, but when I leaned over to press the button to flush, the suction was so great that it created lots of splash. Some of the water hit me in the face. *gags* I spent ten minutes washing up and I STILL did NOT feel clean.
Here are my reviews of the shows. Uncovered spoilers behind the cut!
Show Review: Penn & Teller
I have a Penn & Teller book and I've seen some of their stunts on TV, and so I have been wanting to see them in person. My favorite acts were Teller's pennies and goldfish routine in which he kept pulling pennies our of the water and handing them to a random audience member. He then made the pennies turn into goldfish. It's easy to figure out how he might have done that trick, but the illusion is still stunning. I also liked Teller's ball and hoop act in which the ball behaved like a dog. It was cute.
Penn talks too much. I realize that he has to make up for Teller's silence, but Penn's voice got on my nerves at times. I do think he's a gifted magician though and his TSA metal detector act was inspired.
One major criticism is that some of their big ticket tricks don't translate well for an audience. The grand finale in which both fire guns and catch the bullets between their teeth was merely okay. Though they had people sign the bullets and authenticate that the guns had been fired, it was not visually appealing. It was mostly talking with very little to see. I enjoyed the show though.
Show Review: The Lion King
• Our seats were three rows away from the stage. We had an excellent view of faces of the actors and it was awesome to see them emote.
• This production was way more elaborate than the one Mom and I saw. Everything seemed to be bigger, brighter, and larger than life. It was a joy to see again, even more so watching my dad's face light up in wonder as he viewed it for the first time.
• The actress who portrays Rafiki was marvelous. Her beautiful voice has tremendous range and I just loved her entire portrayal from absolute joy at Simba's birth to sorrow at Mufasa's passing to her mischievous antics while speaking to Simba.
• I love Zazu as well. He is just so fussy and stuffy that you want to tease him just to ruffle his feathers.
• The puppet manipulations were pure genius. I loved how they depicted actions and interacted with the audience as the actors ran up and down the aisles with their puppets. It was magical.
• I highly recommend this show if you're visiting Vegas. Cirque du Soleil's KA is still my favorite Vegas show, but this one is also amazing if you like musicals.
I've missed all of you. It's going to take a few days for me to get all caught up with my journal reading, so please let me know if I've missed anything important. I am WAAAAY behind with email as well; I'm doing my best to send replies.