A Deeper Shade of Swank

Several days in the wilderness had exaggerated the novelty of the twinkling lights stretching from horizon to horizon as we approached Las Vegas. Our excitement was riding high as Vegas held the promise of a bed that wouldn’t transform into an awkward and angular pattern of folded car seats through the night. Moreover, we were sure we could win enough money to drive out of town in a top-of-the-line Winnebago. We weren’t due to check in until the following afternoon, and although we had no intention of driving down the strip, we were like moths drawn to the flashy neon.



After a quick loop through the city we decided the Hoover Dam at night might be an excellent spectacle. The counterterrorism measures around the dam were extreme; we’d have had an easier time driving into Gitmo. The engineering of the roads made for fun driving, but the dam itself wasn’t particularly well lit. While we could appreciate the scale of this concrete water-wall, we couldn’t distinguish anything more than black water and grey concrete. It certainly was not photographable! We found a parking lot with some fellow campers and hit the bricks.

We booked our hotel for four nights...somewhat of a vacation from our vacation. The Riviera was the bees' knees when it opened in the 1950s but now is somewhat past its prime. Yet the water pressure was fantastic, the rates within our budget and it is right on the Strip. Also, the room felt like a mansion to us as we easily quintupled our living space.

The Bellagio at night was a priority as they have a lake in front of the hotel with fountains that dance to a particular song every fifteen minutes. The shows go through the day as well, but are spectacular at night.

We were lucky as we caught Jared's mom's favorite song (Con Partido) on video. I'm still trying to figure out how to post that...it's just beautiful when you block out the sound of Jared and I arguing in the background!

While gambling makes Jared giddy, it has me chewing my fingernails. My favorite part of Vegas was walking about the fancier hotels. The Bellagio is just as impressive on the inside. An atrium with thousands of flowers fills the air with a sweet perfume. And the sites are simply magnificent: giant watering cans filling ponds nestled into the various beds, garden creatures made partly from meticulously arranged blooms, humongous gardening accoutrements positioned among the flowers.

On Easter Sunday we had planned to celebrate with brunch at this hotel, but the line was insanely long. We decided to try the Wynn's brunch but again were met with a wait we weren't willing to endure. Instead we walked about this resort and its newer, sister hotel the Encore. Nothing in these hotels fails to drop my jaw, but the impressive floors and ceilings make it hard to see where you are going.

The related Venetian and Palazzo hotels were the only other ones we spent time marveling at. A portion of the Venetian is modeled after its namesake city complete with canals, building facades and singing gondoliers.

But the spectacle didn't end there:

The décor of the Wynn and the Encore is simply exquisite and astounds at every turn, but when it comes to over-the-top extravagance, the Venetian wins if only by a hair.

Despite its seedy reputation, downtown Vegas wasn’t too shabby. A good deal of money must have been poured into that area as the hotels along Fremont Street certainly rivaled any of the mid-line Strip hotels in both amenities and oddities. The Golden Nugget has a pool-side gaming area with private fireplaces and chaise lounges topped with plush cushion. A water slide travels from thirty feet above the water, through a shark-filled aquarium and into the pool.

Every hour along Fremont Street, an archway that spans three blocks transforms into a massive light show; the one we saw featured The Doors.

On our last day and after two previous failed attempts we were finally on our way to have our Easter dinner. This time the line at to get a table was manageable; we were seated and I had my first of the unlimited bloody marys in front of me within twenty minutes.

The buffet was nearly indescribable. Luckily, I took this picture:

We could have populated both a small zoo and the produce section of your local grocer with the variety of foods in which we indulged. I had little more than a bite of everything I wanted to try and was slightly achy in the end. Jared tried several foods as well, and then he ate approximately five pounds of king crab:

I hadn’t heard him cry like that since the time he made me swear to never let him go to The Golden Corral again, “No! I’m going to ask you. Just remind me of this moment.”

As with any other room or hall in this resort, the décor is worth mentioning. Floor to ceiling flower arrangements adorned with various fruits, vegetables and succulents align the main dining room. I’m not that well-traveled, but if I had to guess I’d say this place is world-class.

Vegas provided a nice respite from "roughing it" although by the last day we were feeling pretty lazy and ready to leave.  And while we didn't drive out of town in a Winnebago, at least I learned why they call the game "craps."