I spent the second week of December in my favorite active vacation destination: Las Vegas. While I was primarily there on business to attend a convention, I did manage to make some time for fun. Despite my pre-planning, I had more than a few quirky “learning experiences”. On the other hand, I managed to have some good luck as well…even in the casino.
Upon arrival at Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport on Sunday, I was able to retrieve my luggage quickly…although “quickly” is a relative term at this airport. I passed by many casino slot games – which are said to collectively have the worst odds in the Las Vegas area – on my way to a free tram which transported me to the baggage claim area.
This would be a good time to give an advisory/reminder that Las Vegas is a big place. Its airport is no exception. If wheelchair assistance would be necessary at your departing airport, you would definitely benefit from it here as well. I admit that I have not yet seen anyone in a wheelchair utilize the tram service. As there are four domestic terminals, the odds of utilizing a tram are roughly only 50%. Arrivals into the international terminal have a 100% chance of partaking in the tram.
I retrieved my luggage and soon entered into my first “learning experience”. I had considered a slight splurge in hiring a walk-up limousine to take me to a local market to pick up some snacks and sundries before dropping me off at the hotel. But I decided the convenience stores on the Strip would suffice and instead got in the taxi line. I thought I lucked out when I was able to get a taxi so quickly…but that’s when the fun began.
The driver, whose accent made him a bit difficult for me to comprehend, tried to tell me that something was happening on the Strip that would require him to take the tunnel route. Now, I had heard of this (in)famous tunnel. There are cases where traveling through the tunnel is to one’s advantage: when traveling towards the North Strip towards downtown Vegas or when dealing with the aforementioned traffic. I was skeptical at first as I had heard stories of people being needlessly “tunneled” by unscrupulous cab drivers looking to pad their fares. But as we traveled along the alternate path, I did indeed notice that traffic was backed up. In the end, what I predicted would be a $15 fare turned out to be double the amount. I continued to be suspicious until later in the day when I saw the TV news mention a half-marathon whose route included…the Strip.
My hotel destination was Bally’s a mid-level hotel located in the Center Strip area. Meanwhile, the convention I was attending was actually at Mandalay Bay, a moderately upscale South Strip property. I chose Bally’s for many reasons, not the least of which was its convenient location for all the things I wanted and needed to do. However, I would later find that not everything turned out to be as convenient as I thought it would be.
Bally’s has two towers of room: North and South. I stayed in the relatively newer North Tower in an ample 450 square foot room. There was a comfortable sofa chair with low arms and ottoman. Over at the business desk, one plastic chair has prominent arms while the wooden chair did not. The flat screen TV was appreciated although, typical of Vegas hotels, the station selection was limited to about two dozen channels. The hotel showed particular respect to their Asian and Hispanic guests as there were at least a couple channels in those respective languages. Although the North Tower doesn’t have direct views of the Strip, I thought I had a decent view of the sides of several casinos looking northward. It certainly made for a pleasant sight in the evening.
I intended to kick off my stay with a celebratory Cuban sandwich lunch at Margaritaville, a Jimmy Buffet -themed restaurant located nearby at the Flamingo casino. However, I managed to arrive there around noon at the heart of the first NFL football game of the day. With no seats to be found,I settled for my second choice, Le Burger Brasserie, an interesting twist on a sports bar that was located at Paris but easily reachable through the connecting retail boulevard with Bally’s. In fact, it is essentially the first Paris establishment one will see when walking from the Bally’s side.
It was fairly crowded here as well but I managed to find a seat at the bar. After walking through Bally’s, Flamingo and now Paris, I noticed a common theme of all staff members wearing football jerseys. It occurred to me that they were really encouraging people to get into the games and therefore place some sports bets. I ordered a turkey burger and skinny fries...or as they apparently say in France, Le Turquie et Les Petit Pommes Frites. While I ate and enjoyed the football games, I chatted a bit with three people near me at the bar: a marathon participant, her supportive friend, and a third lady who had just befriended us all. After finishing my meal, I waved my new acquaintances goodbye and decided to settle in for some minor slot machine action.
Those of you who have read my previous blogs know that I have a slot favorite called Village People Party. Despite my bit of research showing that the machine was at Paris, I was never able to locate it. Instead, I found the first of an eventual duo of substitutes: Jackpot Block Party and Super Jackpot Party (or something like that). Like the Village People version, both slots played generic dance/disco music while “spinning” and offered the occasional bonus round where one pressed the touch screen to pick as many hidden bonuses as possible before inadvertently choosing the “party pooper”. I stuck in a twenty and went to work. It would turn out to be a short work session as I had little success before calling it a day with ten bucks left.
I returned to my room to rest up a bit before heading downtown to Fremont Street for a meet and greet with some Internet forum acquaintances.
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