The Grand Canyon

I booked my Grand Canyon trip through Expedia so that I wouldn't have to look while in Vegas.  There wasn't much of a tour as we only received a video of its history on the way there.  The drive took a good 3-4 hours, which felt like forever (who knew it would be so far)!

The Hoover Dam

On the way, we made a pit stop for a picture at the Hoover Dam!  I'm still not quite sure why it's so famous.

After picking lunch up on the famous Route 66 and eating it on the bus, we reached the south rim of the Grand Canyon!  The view was breathtaking, the air felt fresh, and the weather was perfect.  There were gift shops filled with native artwork, as well as musical performances.

The Grand Canyon!

Around and about the canyon.

We left after two hours, and grabbed dinner on the way back at Wild West Junction in Williams Arizona, prior to getting back to the city.  Surprisingly, the food was really delicious!

The tour was a good price given it included lunch and dinner, though if I had more cash, I would have taken a helicopter to save time and for a better more in-depth, interactive tour.  A precious full day in Vegas is gone if you go on this trip, most of which is spent on a bus!

My lunch!!!  So much food!

Skydiving Vegas-style

I believe that you only live once, so why not do all the things you want to do before it's too late?  Skydiving counts in my books as one of the activities you should do when you're young, without commitments and with less fear.  A few years back, I went paragliding in Austria, and was a little regretful I didn't choose the skydiving option.  So I figured if I were to go skydiving, why not in Vegas?  

I found a few companies that offer skydiving around Vegas.  Given that my life is on the line and security first, I chose the company with the most trustworthy looking website, which happened to be Las Vegas Extreme Skydiving.  Initially, I wanted to skydive to a view of the sunset, but given there were only two pickup times for 7 AM and 11:30 AM from Tropical Casino, I settled for the earlier one, paid a deposit, and booked it!

After providing us with some safety instructions, suiting up, and signing a waiver, we were off for some tandem skydiving!  The instructors that jump with you record your jump from start to finish, in case you want to buy the video.  It was SO nerve-racking sitting on a long wooden bench in the little plane going up to 15,000 ft.  I could feel my heart beating so hard, I literally thought it would burst.  I ended up being the last person jumping out, after seeing all my friends go.

Getting ready to jump

It's quite interesting that you simply kneel close to the open door and simply let the wind draw you out.  The free fall was a crazy experience - the air, the wind, the pressure - in what seemed like forever (but really closer to 30 seconds).  Soon after, the parachute was out.  I got to navigate for a while and then we landed.  I hugged all my friends, and with the adrenaline rushing through my veins, it never felt so good to be alive!

A view of their mini airport

I received a certificate for my tandem jump.  Apparently, if you keep a record of all your jumps, after the 8th one, you are certified to make the jump yourself!  

After the jump!!!

Although I didn't get to catch a view of the strip on my jump, there was desert and mountains.  Aside from the waiting times (as only one group can jump at once), it was truly a phenomenal experience, and I would totally consider doing it again.  

Downtown Vegas and the Fremont Street Experience

The Fremont Street Experience

I'd never heard of the Fremont Street Experience until I saw my friend's photos in Vegas with a bright coloured lights in the background.  Intrigued, I decided I HAD to go here to check it out.

Fremont Street is located in what is known as Downtown Vegas, where the original casinos, lights, and glamour all happened.  The pedestrian only street is covered by a huge canopy covered in LED lights, that is host to a light and sound show, playing multiple times every night.

The Fremont Street Experience

I walked here on my way from the outlets, and on the way, I found bail bonds!  Who knew such a store existed?  Given as it does, makes you wonder what kind of area you're in.  

Bail bonds!  How scary!

In my opinion, the crowds here are grittier, the side streets off of Fremont more quiet, and overall a shadier environment.  However, it was quite an experience to see and feel the liveliness original Vegas, what it was like back in the day, and where it all started before the commercialization of the Strip.

The famous casinos of Fremont St.  I love the 4 Queens sign!

At the end of the Fremont Street experience, I found very dark streets with few people.  I was glad to live it, but let's just say that I was a little more than relieved to find a cab to take me back to the Venetian.

Las Vegas - The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay

I'm not entirely sure why I did it, but while buying my Vegas hotel and flight package from Expedia, I looked at what sorts of advanced discount tickets they had, one of which included the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay.  It was quite the trek to get there, given it's all the way at the other end of the strip.  Good thing we found light rail that ran from Excalibur to Mandalay Bay or we may not have made it there by walking all the way from the Venetian!

I wasn't really sure what to expect.  It turned out to be a mini zoo of reptiles and marine animals.  It was much bigger than I expected, and if you listen to the full audio guide it could take 2 hours to go through.  I was quite impressed at the shark exhibit.  It felt surreal standing on floor of the aquarium protected by a glass to see the animals/fish/reptiles going by (kind of like a scene from a movie/drama).

I got to touch the string rays, and the jellyfish exhibit was quite interesting as well.

Final Verdict:
Seeing marine life is wonderful and all, if you're into that kind of thing.  I don't think I would've went if I didn't buy my tickets in advance, given there's so much to see in Vegas and it just takes SO LONG to get to Mandalay Bay (depending on where you're staying).

Las Vegas - the food edition

With the large number of hotels packed densely on the strip, comes a wide assortment of restaurants.  Given the amount and the sheer variety, it was very difficult to narrow down to one that I really wanted to try. The choices are endless, so you really have to narrow down to a price range or cuisine.  I decided I wanted to go to one really good fancy restaurant and one buffet, with the rest of my meals a casual affair.

My meals were divided as follows:
Day 1:  Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (lunch), Picasso (dinner)
Day 2:  Lunch and dinner provided by the Grand Canyon tour company
Day 3:  Food court (lunch), Bellagio buffet (dinner)
Day 4:  Food court (lunch), Firefly Tapas Bar and Grill (dinner)
Day 5:  Brunch at airport

I'd really wanted to eat brunch at the Bouchon located at the Venetian, but I couldn't wake up in time! :(

PICASSO

Picasso entrance

I was brought up in a culture where food and eating are very important.  I did my research online, and I found that Picasso, a French-Spanish fusion restaurant, located at the Bellagio consistently came up on the top listings.  It had a 90% "like" rating based on 142 votes on Urban Spoon.  It is also a Michelin two-star restaurant nine-time recipient, and counting, of the AAA Five Diamond Award from 2002 to 2010.  Based on this, I had pretty high expectations of this restaurant.  It honestly exceeded them and more.

View of the Bellagio fountains

We made reservations ahead of time, and though it was half full when we entered, it was at capacity by the time we left.  From the moment you enter, you are immersed in the world of Picasso.  Its walls are decorated with authentic Picasso paintings, with french doors with a view to the Bellagio fountains, which plays every 15-30 minutes outside .  All the while, you are brought amazing and exquisite food, with a taste that's mind-blowing.  Are you excited yet?

Our menu for the night

Its menu changes seasonally and diners have a choice of the price fixe menu or the menu degustation.  The difference between the two is as follows.  Compared to the menu degustation, the price fixe:
- is slightly cheaper ($113 vs. $123)
- has 1-2 less number of courses
- diners can choose from a list of items per course, versus the menu degustation is fixed

You can also choose to pay more (an additional $63 to be exact) and get a wine pairing with each course.  Other than its food, Picasso is also famous for its wide selection of European wines, boasting more than 1,500 selections in its wine cellar.

I ordered the menu degustation because I figured if you were to go baller baller, you go all the way or you go home.  Although the menu states that it has four courses, it is really more like seven or eight courses due to additional chef selection items throughout the meal.  I also got a butterfly cookie packed away in lovely golden boxes for me to take home after the meal. :)

I'm not going to lie.  The meal was the most expensive I'd ever had in my life, and I didn't even have a drink!  However, if I had chance, would I go back?  HELL YES.  Without a doubt, and I know I can speak for my friends as well that it was one of the best meals I've had in my life.  There was an indescribable sensory overload in your mouth, that was just so amazing.

In addition, the level of service I received was unlike anything else I've ever had at any other restaurant.  Although they give you your space, they are very fast to responding to your needs.  My cup of water was consistently full.  When you go to the washroom, they actually fold your napkin and put it on the table for you.

I've had fancy meals where I've paid $50, or even $100 per person, but the quality is not the same.  In the grand scheme of things, it's true you pay more, but given it's a rare meal you don't eat every day, the experience was worth every penny.  I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone going to Vegas.  If you do go, go near the end of your visit as not to ruin your taste buds for other good food that's available, just not as good in comparison.  Remember to make reservations ahead of time!

BELLAGIO BUFFET
From what I heard about Vegas, you MUST go try a buffet there.  I decided to go to the Bellagio buffet, given the hotel is well-known and the buffet itself is also consistently on the top 10 listing.

There's the normal buffet, and then there's the gourmet buffet on Friday and weekends.  I paid extra for the gourmet buffet.

The buffet entrance from the casino and the lineups outside.

We went at 5 pm to avoid the dinner lineups, and it was already quite busy.  There was a wide variety of selection, from buffalo and ostrich meat to sushi, as well as a scrumptious dessert bar.  I would definitely say that it was one of the better and higher quality buffets I've ever had.

A sample plate

However, the only downside is that I ate at Picasso on my first night, so I was subconsciously comparing the quality and taste which was obviously not the same. :(  In fact, I think Picasso unfortunately ruined my taste buds for the rest of the trip.

A view of the buffet

As a side note, I was slightly disappointed in the decor for such a high standard and famous buffet.  At the time when I went in the fall of 2009, it felt a little old and the lighting could have been better.

FIREFLY TAPAS KITCHEN AND BAR

I don't remember how I heard about this place, but I saw it somewhere for its high reviews.  Food always tastes better shared, plus you get a wider selection of tasting, so I was quite excited for Firefly.  They actually have two locations, one located off the strip and the other in the Downtown area.  We went for the Downtown location, so we could see Fremont street on the way.



Reservations were not accepted, and we ended up waiting an hour to get seated.

View of the Fremont St experience from the restaurant.

Menu items are not too expensive, and selection is wide and varied.  Some of the items I had included the paella, stuffed mushrooms, baby back ribs, calamari, and the baked tilapia. 

Our food!

Although it took us so long to get seated, they had a waiting area by the bar while you wait.  The view of Fremont St. is spectacular, particularly when the light show is on.  The food was good for its price, so it's worth taking a look if you're in the area.  Make sure to go early/later to skip dinner lineups!

JIMMY BUFFETT'S MARGARITAVILLE

Why hello Jimmy!

Located near the Venetian and across from the Forum Shops, I would think that this would be good given its prime location and its large appealing sign with speakers blasting music to a tune of a relaxing Beach Boys vibe.  The atmosphere was nice, and the theme of being stranded on a desert island is pretty convincing. 

Inside the restaurant

I ordered the calypso mahi-mahi, which came with rice, vegetables, and a pineapple-mango salsa. 
I think this place was pretty good, but I wouldn't go back as it was kind of pricey for what you get.

Las Vegas - the shows and shopping

Other than seeing the different hotels which is an attraction in itself, a trip to Vegas would not be complete without seeing a show and shopping! 

 O - Cirque du Soleil

Poster for O

From my experience, it often pays off to pay a little more to get better seats as it makes the experience just THAT much better.  I love Cirque de Soleil, I decided that I had to see one of its long running shows while in Vegas.

The story's main character.

I decided to go to O - water circus show!  Given as such, instead of the normal circus jumps and acrobats (which were more rare in this case), there were dives and synchronized swimming!  Eeks!  I sat in the left of the stage on the 3rd row and the view was fantastic!  I actually got splashed from the fire dancer too.

Before I knew it, the show was over.  I had a great time seeing such a wonderful and unique show found only in Vegas.  However,  I prefer the tent shows more personally.  It's more "circus like".

OTHER FREE SHOWS:


Fountains of Bellagio:

The beautiful fountains in motion.

Playing multiple times a night, I actually watched this 3-4 times during my visit in Vegas.  The waves shooting and moving to the sound of music was so spectacular, it is definitely worth going to.  It is probably the best free show in Vegas.  People actually start waiting 10-15 minutes ahead of the actual show to get the best views.

Watching it gave me great memories of the Hangover (movie)!

Sirens of T.I.:
This is a new show since the last time I'd been to Vegas, replacing Treasure Island's pirate fight to scantily clad women lip syncing to pop music.  It's a hit or miss.  I found the pirate fights to be so much more interesting though.

Jack Sparrow, where are you?

Mirage's Volvano:
In front of the Mirage hotel is a very large man-made volcano.  With smoke, lights and sounds, the volcano comes alive at night, and builds up toward the final ERUPTION!  It's nice to catch if you're in the area.

BOOM! WORGH! BLAST!

Circus Performers at Circus Circus:
Circus Circus casino features free circus shows throughout the day, located in the centre of its arcade. I saw the acrobats.  It was pretty good given it was free, but it was a little sad to see the age of this casino compared to some of the newer ones.  I wouldn't bother making the trek if I were not in the area as it's quite far away from the main strip!

Hello guidos! hehe

SHOPPING
Vegas shopping is amazing!  It had all the stores I am interested in and more!  Malls could be found everywhere and within all the major casino resorts.  High end stores were everywhere, making me wonder if this is where people go when they win the multi-million jackpot.

Aside from the shops at the casinos I'd frequented, I also went to The Forum Shops at Caesar's, Fashion Show Mall, and Las Vegas Premium Outlets, which are basically all the major malls.  Yes I am a shopaholic. :P

The Forum Shops:

The Forum Shops!  It's cute in a way, especially with the ugly dolls!

The Forum Shops was a humongous indoor shopping complex (perhaps as it is associated with Caesar's, everything is larger than life), specializing in mid-higher end stores.  In a way due to the marble-like detailing, it reminded me a lot of the Venetian.  There were several open areas with nice displays, such as a huge trojan horse in front of FAO Schwarz, a huge aquarium that contains a mermaid during certain times of the day, and a talking moving statue show, complete with music, smoke and lights.

Fashion Show Mall

The UFO thing above of Fashion Show Mall is really just for show.  The actual mall is behind it. =_=

In comparison to the Forum Shops, Fashion Show Mall was more modern, less wow glamour and contains more mainstream stores.  It also hosts many the department stores.  Unfortunately for me, I had spent all my cash at the former so I didn't end up buying much from here.

Las Vegas Premium Outlets

View of the outlets.

My favourite mall however, would be the Premium Outlets located close to Downtown Vegas.  It had a good mix of designer and mainstream stores, along with competitive prices.  I couldn't help but buy myself a pair of beautiful Ferragamo heels!  Take a cab here as it's really far!

The Coca-Cola Store

How can I forget writing about this one?  Coke is my drink of preference, soft drink wise.  Something about it always keeps me going back for more.  The Coke store in Vegas is a huge 2 story complex, close to Hard Rock Cafe Hotel.  It sells all sorts of coke merchandise such as cups, mugs, clothes, bottle openers, lunch boxes, and practically everything you can think of with a Coke label on it.

What was cool about the store is that on the upper level, there is a small cafe area where for a small cost you can sample the cokes from around the world.  What does it mean by around the world?  I was quite curious as well.  It turned out it's not the coke around the world, but it's the different Coca-Cola company drinks, marketed and sold on a country specific level based on their tastes and preferences.  I shared one serving with 3 of my friends and there were close to 20 different flavours, complete with a guide to see what they were.  Some were really nasty, but some were amazingly good!  YAY

Las Vegas - The Entertainment Capital of the World (so true!)

Welcome to Las Vegas! <3

Location:  The Venetian
Date:  September 2009
Length: 5 days 4 nights
Booking:  Expedia.ca

WHY VEGAS?
Truth is, Vegas is one of the cities I've visited the most in my life.  I've been there twice before prior to this trip, once in elementary school and again in high school.  However, going as a child with your parents is way different than with your friends, so my friends and I coordinated our schedules and decided to go!

I'd heard from other people that early September was a good time to go to Vegas given it's back to school time, and down season which meant it would hopefully be cheaper. We actually ended up finding a very good deal, for stay at the Venetian a 5 star hotel relatively close to the middle of the strip, with an early first day departure (arrival before 10 am) so that we can make the most of the first day!

LAS VEGAS:

View of the Venetian from the outside.

Who has not heard of Sin City aka Las Vegas?  It's also pretty close to the city that never sleeps, at least on the strip as there's always something happening every night.  Maybe I watched too many movies, but the glitz and glamour can be felt by the luxury cars, the lights, and the beautiful displays at the resorts.  It's hard to believe that not that long ago, this was just another desert town.

A double decker bus frequently takes visitors up and down the strip for a minimal cost per ride, but if you have enough people, taking a cab may be cheaper.  I discovered that looking at the hotels on the strip via Google maps was not representative of the actual distance between hotels.  Each hotel is like a resort - HUGE.  Furthermore, it takes even longer to walk due to the sheer amount of people everywhere.  However, I am a true walker, so my friends and I actually walked from the Venetian (our hotel) all the way to Circus Circus (at the north end of the strip), and down all the way to Excalibur (on the south side) which was followed by a train to Mandalay Bay (on the end of the south of the strip).

I contemplated walking  from Mandalay Bay to the famous "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign located further south, but even for me, it was just too far!

Note that the weather in early September is still scorching, particularly in the daytime with no wind!

THE VENETIAN:

The view from the night.

The Venetian is located on the strip only 10 minutes away by taxi from the airport.  It was pretty exhilarating to see the strip and its key landmarks as you are landing.  Within the Venetian has multiple pools, multiple restaurants, the famous TAO club (which I regret not going to), a man-made canal where you can go for a gondola ride (just like in Venice), a theatre for shows (which at the time was the Blue Man Group), and of course, a very large casino area.

TAO's ad was so sexy.  Can I have a happy ending too?

It is also connected to its sister hotel, the Palazzo, the even higher end version of the Venetian. Given all these facilities, it is actually quite a walk from the entrance to the elevators toward the rooms.

I chose to stay in the Venetian due to the following reasons:
- 5 star hotel (while in Vegas, might as well be baller baller)
- It's rooms are larger than standard from other hotel chains.  We actually had an entire sitting area outside of the beds, and a very large bathroom with a separate door for the toilet.  The bathroom was also equipped with a TV!  I can watch MTV while brushing my teeth?  Super fab.
- Relatively central location

The room on one side

The sitting area portion of the room.

During my short stay, I found the time to hang out by the pool and that was pretty amazing.  Guests are given both a beach towel and one to put over the beach chairs.  There were multiple pools and a jacuzzi.  It's difficult to describe, but the environment was perfect and if I had more time, I definitely would've stayed longer.  Did I mention they also have a club beside the pool called TAO Beach?

How does it feel to be in Venice? Fucking amazing!

THE REST OF THE STRIP:
Given Vegas is a desert town, the hotels must have things to see and do to attract guests, and boy do they.

Bellagio's glass ceiling was breathtaking.  The garden exhibit was also super pretty.

At MGM Grande, we caught the lions during feeding time!  Eeks!

Wynn and Encore were a little quiet in my opinion, but the decor is fabulous.

Caesar's was HUGE!  Just like in Rome.

New York New York!

PARIS! And Planet Hollywood... featuring Holly Madison's Peepshow!

I think my favourite hotels were the Bellagio and of course the Venetian.  The Wynn and Encore comes a close third.  The views, decor, detailing were stunning.  I wasn't overly impressed with New York New York though that may be due to the fact that I'd gone to NYC just recently, and the copies aren't quite the same as the real ones.  The same reason applies to Caesar's.  I'd been to Italy, seen the Trevi fountain, the statue of David, the Colosseum, the Spanish steps... the real ones are so grande and amazing that the copies couldn't compare.  Sadly... I'd also gone to Paris, so this Eiffel Tour was still nice just a little small.  Apparently there is a restaurant outside the Paris hotel featuring a Parisian patio restaurant, just like in Paris!  I didn't have time to go though.

I went hunting for Flamingos at the Flamingo.  Unfortunately this was the best I could find.

MY ITINIERY:

Personally, when I am on vacation and traveling to far away places I like to be prepared, know what and where I am going to make the most of my time there, as I am assuming I won't come back for another while.  Given as such, I did a lot of research prior to getting to Vegas and booked activities where I could, and planned my route to maximize the sights.  My aggressive 5 day itinerary was follows:

Day 1: Land. Eat lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.  Walk to Circus Circus.  Walk back to the hotel.  Go to the pool to hang out.  Eat at Picasso's.  Watch the water fountain show at the Bellagio.  See the Treasure Island Sirens AND Mirage's volcano exploding.

Day 2: Grand Canyon and Houver's Dam day trip

Day 3: Shopping at Caesar's (The Forum Shops).  Shopping at Fashion Show Mall.  Buffet dinner at Bellagio.  Try the cokes around the world sample at the Coke store.  Watch O (Cirque de Soleil water show).  Go to Mandalay Bay to see the Shark Reef Aquarium. 

Day 4: Skydiving.  Shopping at Las Vegas Premium Outlets.  Head to Vegas downtown (i.e. the old Vegas) for dinner.  Walk through Fremont St.

Day 5: Departure

Not exactly your relaxing vacation, but you do see all the sights!  

More on the details later.  

I suppose given the above, it makes sense I did not have the energy to go clubbing! :(

FINAL THOUGHTS
Would I come to Vegas again?  Most definitely!  I was a little disappointed at the time of my visit, Aria (the new resort) had no yet opened.  There's so much to do, see, eat, shop!  Funny thing is, I didn't even really gamble.  Maybe next time...

I will also go to the Gun Store, where you can pay a minimal fee and test out firearms at a shooting range!  I always wanted to try an SMG, desert eagle or AK-47.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas ;)