Anticipation

They say that the anticipation is half the fun. Well, I don't know if it's exactly 50%, but I'm having a ball reading all the websites for my upcoming Las Vegas trip. Only a few more days to go and I'm off!

The first part of my trip is for business (yeah right, business in Las Vegas, duh!) but I'll hang around a few more days on my own dime. I decided to go all out and I've booked at the Wynn Las Vegas, the new resort by Steve Wynn who formerly owned the Mirage. The building itself looks pretty sleek, and I've been in it the last time I was in Las Vegas so I know the interior is as swanky as it comes! I booked myself a Panoramic View room - should be good. The pictures on the site www.wynnlasvegas.com are not really revealing, but just the idea of having an LCD TV in the bathroom makes me feel like a High Roller. And they have floor-to-ceiling windows. As I read somewhere: Great if you want for your feet to see.

I'm also looking forward to owning a Wynn Red Card - it's the doorkey but also doubles as the access card to everything else. The players club (as if I would play at a $25-minimum-a-hand game), the restaurant, and all other things that can be billed to your room. Sorry, MY room! Boy, is anticipation fun!

Vroooooooom!

In the Imperial Palace Casino there's a museum of old cars (you might call them vintage) on the top floor, or anyway, above the casino. I wonder how they got the cars there.

First, before you rush over there, flip through some of the Las Vegas magazines, or just plain ask for a free entrance coupon. They charge a couple of dollars (7 or 8 or so, from memory) but there's free entrance vouchers everywhere. So if you actually paid to get in - shame on you and your flat wallet.

They got over 350 cars, including Ferrari, Maserati, Ford Shelby, Cadillac... the lot. Most of them have price tags, just in case you won big downstairs. Oh by the way for Elivis fans - they got a car that apparently once belonged to The King himself.

There's also a memorabilia shop. Old car books, licence plates, you name it, they got it.

Should you be more interested in newer cars, check out the Ferrari-Maserati dealership n the Wynn Las Vegas. I briefly visited it last time (may 2005) and they had about 12 expensive cars there, including a Mercedes. The top attraction was a black Ferrari Enzo, property of Steve Wynn. A nice hand-me-down!

In the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace there's also a modern car exhibition. I haven't seen it yet, but I'll check it out next time I visit Las Vegas. And that's in 3 weeks, so stay tuned!

Las Vegas - The TV show

Just saw another episode of the TV series Las Vegas. I like that series very much, even the reruns. I love those woosh-camerashots where they fly through wires, keyholes, over streets, and through the casinos. Yeah I know, CSI does them too, but still I like them and I saw them on Las Vegas first. Plus I like the storylines, the characters, and the general Las Vegas surroundings.

Ofcourse the Montecito Casino that the show plays at doesn't exist, but if it would, it would be located across the Luxor, next to the Tropicana. I just saw it clearly on TV. But then, when Sam comes out the front door onto the street, she's standing in front of the Monte Carlo. And then she gets in a car to go to the airport, and you see her drive past Paris Las Vegas, Bally's, Mandalay Bay, and the Bellagio - in that order.

So... never trust what you see on TV. It's kinda fun when you know the layout of the strip and then watch that TV show. They make a mess of it. Still, it's my favorite show. Next week I'll check the stores if they sell it on DVD. Then I can plan my own reruns.

Mandalay Bay Beach Report

When I was in Hawaii I met this guy who's Internet name is "capnhans". Here's what he wrote about his trip to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, last weekend:

"I just spent my 4th of July weekend in Las Vegas and stayed at the Mandalay Bay. The whole reason I stayed at this resort is because of the pools. They have a wave pool, lazy river, three separate regular pools. Now, the wave pool area has a sandy area called, "The Beach". Except "The Beach" is overpopulated with beach chairs to the point that you can't even see the sand. But I wasn't there for "The Beach", I was there for the cool wave pool and lazy river. If I wanted to go to the beach, I would've stayed in San Diego and gone surfing. Actually, to tell you the truth. The beach area was pretty crowded and we joked about maybe just sitting in the tub in the room and pretending it was a jacuzzi."

So there you have it. Unless someone offers me a free room I probably won't be staying at the Mandalay Bay myself, since it's on the far south end of the strip. So all say thanks to capnhans for this report!

The Las Vegas Monorail

This thing is more an attraction than a usefull way of getting around. I mean, let's be fair, it runs from the MGM to the Hilton, but in order to get to the stations you have to walk all the way through the casinos, all the way to the back. The walk from the entrance of the MGM to the monorail station is about 10 or more minutes, depending on how fast you walk. The Las Vegas Hilton is the only stop where it stops at the hotel entrance.

The good thing is, that it's cheaper than a cab. Just a few dollars for a roundtrip, and there are discounts for daytickets or multiple people. Just a tip: the ticket doubles as a coupon for a number of things. At the Las Vegas Monorail stations there are little booklets (like there are everywhere) with Las Vegas shows and attractions, many of which offer a discount or even free entrance when you present a monorail ticket. For example, you get a few dollars off the entrance price for the Las Vegas Hilton Star Trek Experience. If you like to go there, the monorail ticket is free, then, as it were.

There's also a little monorail that runs from the Excalibur to the Mandalay Bay. This one is even more inconvenient - if you want to go from the Excalibur to the Luxor, you first have to go to the Mandalay Bay, take another train, and go back to the Luxor. Walking is faster for most people.

Hey, I told you... if it's good I let you know, but if not... also.