Las Vegas, Nevada
March 11, 2004 - March 13, 2004

Vegas baby! Not a place I'd go again, but that doesn't mean I didn't LOVE it while I was there! What's there to say that everyone doesn't already know? No, you won't win. You'll lose, and go home miserable! But you knew that too.

I came here because I knew it was an important piece of "American culture".  I didn't gamble, but had a great time just wandering the casinos, and The Strip.  After 23 hours straight of wandering The Strip, I checked into the USA Hostel, and caught some Zzzz's.  The next day I went to the Grand Canyon via the Hoover Dam.

Lights! Glitter!! ACTION!!!

Treasure Island, and their free Pirates vs. Sirens show

Some of the best things about Vegas are the free attractions.  In front of Treasure Island Casino, they have a pirate show 3 
times per night.  It's probably the biggest free show in town, complete with about 30 actors, fireworks, music, and A/V displays.





In come the pirates on their pirate ship



They see another ship full of beautiful women.  They know the women to be sirens, and avoid them.  But one pirate 
can't resist, and swims over.  The sirens take him prisoner which causes a battle between the 2 ships.





And the pirate ship loses, so they swim over to the siren's ship.

...and a sort of corny pop-dance song ensues.







The set with the sunken pirate ship to the right.


The Strip

Mirage Casino - Dessert themed

Mirage volcano eruption



The Venetian - Venice, Italy themed






The Bellagio - "this is the most expensive casino in Vegas" themed

$26 Million Tiffany ceiling... a mistake to say the least




The Atrium at the Bellagio




Famous Bellagio water show - really is the best show in town!








View of Paris Casino from the Bellagio



Paris Las Vegas




















Aladdin Casino
















View of Monte Carlo Casino


New York New York Casino








St Patty's day celebrations... in NYNY






Tropicana Casino puts on an aerial show for free every Friday









MGM Casino








Excalibur Casino




The crap "dinner theater" I went to at Excalibur





Sphinx Casino








Mandalay Bay Casino


The architecture at Mandalay Bay shopping and dinning area was amazing



Aureole Restaurant


Holy Shit! 5 stories of wine!! 





(staff meeting/wine tasting... all with their tablet PC's... Waiter heaven!!!)









"The Hotel" at Mandalay Bay












Cirque de Soleil - Zumanity
I wanted to see a real show while I was in Vegas, so I scouted out the Cirque shows.  There's 5!  
The newest one was this.  A "Vegas" show in Cirque style.  Lots of sex jokes, and erotic routines.  
Very funny, and beautiful.  Expensive, but not nearly as expensive as Cirque's "O", which goes for $175 per ticket!