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Thursday, July 18, 2013

What Happens in Vegas. . .

. . .sometimes really shouldn’t stay in Vegas. Because this fantasy-land city – often referred to as America’s Adult Disneyland is, in a word, fun.

 The temperatures are a toasty three-digits in this mid-July and the town is alive with tourists. The only summer trip it seems we had time to take was to this metropolis in the Nevada desert.  It was here I chose to celebrate the new decade – my new decade, that is. Where else could I have a before dinner drink in Rome and then dine in Paris within an hour?

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We sipped a celebratory glass of Pinot Grigio while sitting at a bar near Rome’s Trevi Fountain (okay, so it was the Caesar’s Palace version, but still good).

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And then had ‘birthday dinner’ at Mon Ami Gaby, at the base of Paris’s Eiffel Tower (honestly, it was the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Casino). If you are wondering, we did have a meal then shared this dessert.

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“The Strip” as Las Vegas Blvd is known is lined with mega-resorts and casinos. As nighttime blanketed the area with cooler temperatures, the street had come to life while we dined. So our walk back to our hotel was a light show to remember. It also reminded us why we like walking The Strip in lieu of driving on it.
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The two buildings with blue lights are The Cosmopolitan Hotel towers which just opened a few years ago. The building on the right is The Bellagio, home of the famous free water fountain shows that take place regularly throughout the day and evenings.

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Our walk took us under and around the bright lights of Vegas icons, like the Flamingo Casino and Resort (where you’ll notice Donnie and Marie Osmond are the headline act);  The Strip never fails to entertain.  It’s been a year and a half since we’ve been here and this famous stretch of road is undergoing some major changes. We’ll tell you about those in a future post.

That’s it for today’s Travel Photo Thursday. Don’t forget to stop by Budget Travelers Sandbox for more armchair travels.

11 comments:

  1. Nothing like having a big celebratory dinner in one of the fancy hotels and walking it off with all the glitz and neon. thanks for taking us there without all the calories!

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    1. I wish I had left those calories in Vegas. . .back to the gym today! Thanks for visiting Noel.

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  2. Hi Jackie, what a fantastic way to celebrate a new decade. Why celebrate in one city while you can do it in two at the same night! Thanks for virtually sharing your birthday cake. Looks really yummy. Your night shots are beautiful; they captured the glitter of the city.

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    1. Thanks much for stopping by. It really is a melting pot of countries (with a bit of imagination and wearing rose colored glasses :-) ) to walk the Vegas Strip

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  3. These night photos are great - wish I could take them like that. I can imagine the excitement of the night. The changing of cities - and what wonderful cities, topped off my a glittering walk home.

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    1. I just use a Fuji Finepix - basic point and shoot these days, Jan. So I have to credit that little camera with a lot of gusto - my old SLR was impossible to use at night. Thanks for stopping by today.

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  4. Las Vegas does indeed seem like a good place to ring in a new decade. I am VERY impressed that you like walking the Strip, especially when it's that hot outside. That birthday dessert looks yummy!

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    1. We actually walked that loop earlier in the day as well - the pedometer registered just under 12 miles and I earned two 'birthday blisters' along the way! The dessert was beyond yummy - but now back to the gym!

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  5. A belated Happy Birthday - a drink in Rome and dinner in Paris sounds perfect.

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