TR 1/9/05 – 1/16/05
Airline
America West out of Philly 7:40 AM left on time, got in early 10:15 AM
Laughed hysterically at the lady next to me asleep on her tray table
America West out of McCarran at 4:04 PM arrived in Philly at 11:30 PM
I was on the crazy people plane…I felt like I was in one of those What Happens In Vegas commercials
McCarran
Baggage arrived ok, nothing lost and no searches
Picked up by Kathy with Presidential Limo
My sister and I turned tourist and asked to be taken to the LV sign for pictures
Managed to finish the whole bottle of champagne that came w/the limo w/in the 15 minutes it took to get to the hotel
Hotel
Excalibur
It was cheap and we like South Strip best
We were also slightly toasted from above champagne
Wove our way out of the limo to self check-in, couldn’t quite manage to figure out how to get through the casino to the elevator in our state, but we finally figured it out
Room was 12267 Tower II. It was ok. It was a room. No complaints other than we needed to Febreze it. It was better than I was expecting.
Other Stuff
We’re low rollers. This was our second time and we came back because we love the city, gambling or no. Did the usual casino hopping on the Strip (18 this time) playing slots here and there. Took lots of pictures. Despite plans to eat at different places (Craftsteak, Burger Bar, Mesa Grill), appetite took backseat to everything else (as usual), so we ate at Mandalay Bay Buffet the morning we got there which was good (I think…. it’s hazy). Most other breakfasts were at House of Blues at Mandalay because they give you a 2-for-1 coupon on your receipt each time you come. We did the Excal buffet for breakfast one day (not anything else, since we were warned). Other meals, when we ate, were mostly quick – Sherwood Café, Little John’s Snack Bar, Wolfgang Puck’s Bar & Grill, Rainforest Café. I purposely went to Bellagio to try the Lemondrop Martini I’d heard about. Also started testing out Bloody Marys (Monte Carlo and Wolfgang). Did touristy stuff like visit the fountains at Bellagio, Desert Passage at Aladdin, and Forum Shops at Caesar’s (wanted to see the spiral escalator). And then went to a few Thunder From Down Under Shows (yes I’m obsessed – so what).
So by the end of this trip of course I was obsessing over when I would return. And wouldn’t you know, my birthday’s in April and I’m off the day of my birthday anyway sooo…a nice 5-day trip will be in order then.
Edited to add picture links
http://community.webshots.com/album/253383108VmTcBK
http://community.webshots.com/album/253686593UplRdm
http://community.webshots.com/album/253760632iOzxNp
[ January 19, 2005, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: bshowell ]
Airline
America West out of Philly 7:40 AM left on time, got in early 10:15 AM
Laughed hysterically at the lady next to me asleep on her tray table
America West out of McCarran at 4:04 PM arrived in Philly at 11:30 PM
I was on the crazy people plane…I felt like I was in one of those What Happens In Vegas commercials
McCarran
Baggage arrived ok, nothing lost and no searches
Picked up by Kathy with Presidential Limo
My sister and I turned tourist and asked to be taken to the LV sign for pictures
Managed to finish the whole bottle of champagne that came w/the limo w/in the 15 minutes it took to get to the hotel
Hotel
Excalibur
It was cheap and we like South Strip best
We were also slightly toasted from above champagne
Wove our way out of the limo to self check-in, couldn’t quite manage to figure out how to get through the casino to the elevator in our state, but we finally figured it out
Room was 12267 Tower II. It was ok. It was a room. No complaints other than we needed to Febreze it. It was better than I was expecting.
Other Stuff
We’re low rollers. This was our second time and we came back because we love the city, gambling or no. Did the usual casino hopping on the Strip (18 this time) playing slots here and there. Took lots of pictures. Despite plans to eat at different places (Craftsteak, Burger Bar, Mesa Grill), appetite took backseat to everything else (as usual), so we ate at Mandalay Bay Buffet the morning we got there which was good (I think…. it’s hazy). Most other breakfasts were at House of Blues at Mandalay because they give you a 2-for-1 coupon on your receipt each time you come. We did the Excal buffet for breakfast one day (not anything else, since we were warned). Other meals, when we ate, were mostly quick – Sherwood Café, Little John’s Snack Bar, Wolfgang Puck’s Bar & Grill, Rainforest Café. I purposely went to Bellagio to try the Lemondrop Martini I’d heard about. Also started testing out Bloody Marys (Monte Carlo and Wolfgang). Did touristy stuff like visit the fountains at Bellagio, Desert Passage at Aladdin, and Forum Shops at Caesar’s (wanted to see the spiral escalator). And then went to a few Thunder From Down Under Shows (yes I’m obsessed – so what).
So by the end of this trip of course I was obsessing over when I would return. And wouldn’t you know, my birthday’s in April and I’m off the day of my birthday anyway sooo…a nice 5-day trip will be in order then.
Edited to add picture links
http://community.webshots.com/album/253383108VmTcBK
http://community.webshots.com/album/253686593UplRdm
http://community.webshots.com/album/253760632iOzxNp
[ January 19, 2005, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: bshowell ]
Well it wouldn't be Vegas w/out the hazy lol.