On my recent visit, I took a variety of pictures during a walk down the famed strip. It was very crowded, even in the middle of August, with temperatures soaring above the 100 degree mark. For the first time, I noticed that there were as many water vendors as stripper vendors.
Oh, I'm sorry, they aren't strippers. They are "adult entertainers". This is Clark county after all. If you want the really tawdry stuff, you have to go next door to Nye county.
Up first, we have the addition to Caesar's palace. I'm not a big fan of this part of the Caesar's empire. I find the shops far too upscale for my beer budget. The architecture, however, is stunning.
And right next door is the Venetian. There have been some casino disappointments in my mind--Bellagio, Luxor, Excalibur and the Treasure Island--but the Venetian is truly beautiful inside and out.
You can take a gondola ride and have the rower sing to you. It's a little cheesy but I must admit there is a certain appeal, especially at night.
Inside the Venetian, there is a Madame Tussuad's. If you've never been to a Madame Tussuad's, it's actually a lot of fun. They have life size wax replicas of celebrities and you can pretend as if if you are hobnobbing with your favorite A-lister.
Sometimes they get the likeness perfect. Other times, it's a serious miss. Here is Harrison Ford. If I were him, I would demand a re-do. He just doesn't look right.
And it looks as if he's doing a little pocket pool. Tsk. Tsk.
Whoopi is much better. I'm not sure why she is posed with her hand outstretched like that but I'll go with it.
And that's me beside her.
Ebony and Ivory. Living in perfect harmony.
Many years ago, there wasn't much free entertainment in Vegas. I remember you could take a picture of yourself in front of a million bucks at Binion's. And there were also the moving statues in Caesar's palace.
Then came the Treasure Island with the ship battle and the Mirage with the exploding volcano.
The ship battle still goes on (but I think it's now called the Sirens of TI) and the volcano explodes nightly. Both are worth a visit. Both are worth what you pay for them.
Kid looking out a window at Caesar's. Isn't it past your curfew??
And a fountain at Caesar's. I'm not sure why more people don't jump in and cool off.
Remember that fountain scene in La Dolce Vita? I've never seen anyone recreate it but this is Vegas after all. I'm sure some people have tried.
This photo is just a happy accident. There is excellent people watching in Vegas. Everyone comes here eventually so there's a never ending parade to view.
The atrium at the Bellagio. This is an amazing place, perhaps one of my favorite places to visit in Vegas. I just wished they had made it BIGGER. Sometimes it just seems small.
This time, they had a gardening theme going on.
I felt like a little bug.
And looking across from the Bellagio, there is a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower reflected in the Bellagio lake.
And if you come to Vegas, you HAVE to see the dancing fountains at the Bellagio. It's a FREE spectacle and they rotate the music every hour. I'm not a big fan of the Bellagio but they did a great job with the fountains.
It's all very romantic, especially if you're drunk and just won some money on the slots.
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