chuckography

Oh Mickey...For Shame.

I've worked with Mickey Mouse before. I was in tourism promotion and he was quite the charmer.

He drew crowds and pleased children of all ages.

I guess it was a rule in the Disney hierarchy...Mickey in public did not speak.

Or groan. Saw this version in Las Vegas along The Strip.

He was sprawled out in front of the elegant Venetian Hotel & Casino.

I went inside and found a delightful air-conditioned indoor mall (Well, this place IS pretty warm all year long.)

This one had a simulated blue sky and - being Venice - the expected gondoliers.

I don't gamble and my skin doctor strongly suggests that I NOT sit around the pool in a desert.

That leaves lots of walking around, gawking at the sights.

And stopping in for a beer at B.B. King's place.

I missed going into his one in Memphis but I saw he was not performing tonight in Vegas.

A trio was onstage but took a long break right after I walked in an sat down. They eventually came back as I was leaving. My tab showed I had paid an additional 10% item listed as L.E.T.

My server explained that was a Live Entertainment Tax that clubs charged if there was music.


When you're sightseeing, it's good if you can get to a high spot for the best overall view.

The 108-story Stratosphere Hotel/Casino/Tower was just the place.

They call it "Vegas Without A Net."

Rides at the top jut you out into space, then suddenly jerk down at an angle, giving the illusion you're free-falling.

You also can REALLY free fall from atop the 1,149 foot observation tower (tallest west of the Mississippi) wearing an elaborate harness attached to a strong cable.

Even with a $4 discount for Seniors, I remembered I don't gamble.


The Bellagio Hotel & Casino has a striking visual soaring over its lobby.

2,000 hand-blown glass flowers - called the Fiori di Como - by world-famous artist Dale Chihuly grab your attention in an attention-grabbing lobby.

Many of the throngs sitting at slot machines probably didn't look up except to see if anyone was winning.

These hotels are not built and paid for by winning customers.

The clerks in this store explained I would have to go elsewhere to get a cold and refreshing beverage.

Nearby was P.J. Clarke's, the bar that's featured on Mad Men, the hit 1960s tv series.

"If they are in a bar, it's P.J. Clarke," the bartender told me.

He also encouraged me to take my "go cups" to the circular escalator and find my way back to The Strip.

I remember when the first escalator was installed in the 1950s in Charleston, SC, my hometown.

Not the first one ever built, the first one in Charleston.

My brothers and I went there to check it out. More than once.

Wow.

It was in Condon's Department store, downtown, across from where Joe Pasta's restaurant is now.

The stores - there were two connected by a skyway - were converted to student housing for the College of Charleston.

That's the beauty of travel -- it makes you appreciate what you have at home.

(Click on the pictures for more detail.)

Las Vegas is about 2,000 feet above sea level.

The "high desert" is about the 7,000 foot level at the Grand Canyon.


(Please click http://photo.meetup.com/687.)

Labels: BB King Blues Club, Bellagio, circular escalator, Condon's, Fiori di Como, gondoliers, hand-blown glass flowers, Joe Pasta, L.E.T., Mickey Mouse impersonator, Stratosphere Rides, Venetian Hotel

posted by chuckography @ 7:42 AM 0 Comments

A $5 Misunderstanding....

So, I'm walking along The Strip in Las Vegas a week ago, admiring the different street performers in costume.

There's a Fat Elvis and an Early Elvis; there are several Batman (but no Robin), a couple Michael Jackson and Spiderman as well as Mr. Spock.

I remember back in the 1980s when I was here on official state of Missouri business.

No, really. It WAS.

They arranged to have state travel directors pose with two VERY tall showgirls.

These two ladies reminded me of that so I was telling them the story and $5 was mentioned.

I wondered why they would pay ME money.

Hey. Turns out that's what THEY wanted me to pay to have them pose with me.

Later that evening, I'm standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, watching the lights come on in Sin City.

Wow.

What a sight.

I went even higher further up the strip at the Stratosphere.

The water fountain show at the Bellagio is free and offered every half hour at night.

It lasts about 4-5 minutes.

Draws quite a crowd.

I also rented a car and made a 24-hour side-trip to Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.

They had not changed much since I was last there but Vegas was completely different.

I spent my last night in town in the old downtown section, on Fremont Street.

In the elegant Golden Nugget.

I don't gamble nor lay around in the sun but I was impressed with their pool.

Even at night.

As an added attraction to the giant aquarium, there's a water slide "tube" that shoots you through, among all the fish and several SHARKS. Yikes.

Then I stepped outside to do the Fremont Street Experience.

This is an entire 4-block long part of the street covered by a huge, curved LED screen that pulsed with lights, sound and action.

On the hour, the other lights dimmed and there was an overhead salute to a major rock & roll band such as Bon Jovi and Queen.

Dazzling.

I guess the downtown merchants knew they had to come up with something compelling to compete with the glitzy glamour along The Strip.

Combined, it made for a wonderfully different few days.

As I turned in my rental car, I was reminded that "Elvis has NOT left the building."

(Click twice on the pictures to see amazing details.)

I saw many people lugging huge SLR cameras with equipment bags slung over their shoulder.

My Canon S90 - as usual - was up to the task.

Vegas is an interesting vacation (for a few days) if you don't give all your money to the casinos.

Guess how they pay for all that glitz.

Labels: Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, Eiffel Tower Experience, Elvis has left the building, Fremont Street Experience, Golden Nugget, gondoliers, Luxor, Paris, Sin City, Stratosphere, The Tropicana, Venetian

posted by chuckography @ 12:31 PM 2 Comments