Vegas Vacation (part two)
Although you’d never believe it, we didn’t go to clubs the entire time in Vegas. IN between sleepless nights that always ended at the marquee sun belt burger joints like Carls Jr., Sonic, or Jack In The Box, we made time for enjoying the Vegas scene during the day. One thing I have learned during this trip about getting around town is that you absolutely MUST have a car. I painfully remember staying in strip hotels and walking mile upon mile up and down Las vegas Blvd. It never occured to me that there was another option. Our local host revealed a secret network of back roads and parking garages that make the trips between casinos seem like a ride on the L. For the entire 4 days we made the best of our time using this method.
When people come to Las Vegas for their first itme, they are instantly drawn the the casinos and the fantasy of getting rich. However, at this point in my life, the gambling is very low on my list of priorities. The only table game I play nowaday sis craps, and I do not play it spontaneously. However, a weekend in Vegas in the fall means that placing bets on football games is unavoidable.I don’t know a whole lot about sports betting, but the casinos make it really easy (to give them your money) by providing simple parlay cards that you fill out (just keep the pencil in the circles, kids).
On Saturday our host took us to the pool at Mandalay Bay. Although he could enter as an employee of MGM Corporate (The Man), we were told to wear special wristbands that said ‘Casino guest only’. Apparently there is a penthouse casino above the pool that is open to the public, but you have to walk through the pool area to get there. In the pool, no one wears a wristband. WHy the hell were we wearing them? I smiled after figuring out the flaw in the corporate system and tore off the wristband. We founds some nice seats right in front of the wave pool and chilled out in the October desert sun.
After a bit of sunning, our host and I went up to the bar to get some drinks while the Irishman was midway through his burn. At the beach bar we met some cute girls from Oregon, watching the Ducks hand it to USC on the gridiron. I have always been curious about the state, so we ordered up some slurpee-style margaritas and cheered on the team while making some new friends. They were in town for the PBR event at Mandalay Bay, which made sense considering all of the cowboys we had seen there.
After the pool session we made our way over to the Treasure Island for lunch. Our host was bragging about the buffet, and in Vegas I NEVER skimp on the food. He turned out to be right, and we got out $16 worth by eating a four hour lunch. They had sushi, Mexican food, American BBQ, salads, freash meats and an awe3some dessert. I think I went up for seven servings! I finally finished off with an espresso and gourmet mini-donuts.
Sunday morning started off with another tradition: breakfast at the Victorian in the Barbary coast. Although the tradition was modified (we at at 10 AM instead of the usual 3 AM), the steak and eggs were still good and the coffee still strong. Then we went over to the Flamingo to watch Da Bears.
The Flamingo has long been a favaorite of mine. They have a bright, clean casino floor with multiple watering holes and TVs. The pool always features a daily party with of a young, fun middle-American demographic, and Jimmy Buffets Restaurant is a great place to hang out with friends and watch the action on the strip.