May 22 - 28, 2005 Las Vegas
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For our 11th wedding anniversary, I decided it was time to go somewhere warmer this year. Not that we didn’t enjoy the snow flurries at Yellowstone last year or the cool temperatures on the coast, but it was time for a change. I chose Las Vegas and we definitely saw warmer temperatures – 104 F everyday (40 C).  Yes, I went in an airplane!

The first night we stayed at the Sahara, which used to be one of the major casinos along with the Sands (now the Venetian) and the Dunes (now the Bellagio). On the next morning we took a small twin engine plane to the north rim of the Grand Canyon at the point where the rafts complete their trips. We got some great pictures, but the heat and the long delays between plane rides were very tiring.

That night we returned to the Sahara and saw performances by the Drifters, Platters and Coasters. The music was wonderful in a small, intimate theatre. I felt old fashioned, as it was great to follow a melody and hear all the lyrics clearly. Louis Lymon of the Drifters was inspirational. Despite the grey hair, Louis was slim and agile, out dancing all the newer replacements and bounding about the stage with zealous enthusiasm. Truly an inspiration!

The third night we spent at a celebrity suite at the MGM grand. We had great views of New York New York and the strip. It was our most expensive night and it was all we had hoped for. The fourth night we spent at the Bellagio and this hotel exceeded everything we could have expected. We had a view from the 27th floor straight on the fountains and the strip. The fountains shoot up higher than 27 floors and the regular displays are set to music that plays on your TV as well as on speakers surrounding the lake. The display was truly amazing. We also enjoyed the Bellagio gardens which are continually changed for the seasons and holidays. It was several days before Memorial Day and the gardens had moving 20 foot baby eagles and fountains that also were set to music. The hotel was very classy, the staff were tremendously professional and courteous. Grand pianos were being played in the lounges. All in all, it didn’t seem like a casino in any way. We became enamoured with the Jean Philippe Patisserie, where we bought paninis, palmiers and crepes on several occasions.

The last night we spent at Caesar’s Palace, which was a disappointment after the Bellagio. We watched Celine Dion that evening. Celine has been performing there nearly every night for 2 years now and it was an excellent show. Overall, we preferred the Drifters show though. After Celine’s show, we went back to the Bellagio and watched several fountain displays while we enjoyed the warm evening air and the crickets.

On our way home, a flight delay caused us to miss our connection. We ended up staying a night in an inexpensive hotel in Seattle at the airline’s expense, which is where we spent our official anniversary.

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