A big fan of the Hollywood kind of life? Las Vegas is the place to be! In Nevada’s Mojave Desert, this casino capital is known for its nightlife all over the world. This city is known for its gorgeous hotels which are themed and have fountains which are synchronized to music and one can see replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Pyramid and even the Venetian Grand Canal!
What was my experience like in this city which seems to come to life in the night? Here goes…
I took the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. It is about a seven-hour journey, through the Mojave Desert, to Las Vegas. As you get near the city, there are some casinos located on the outskirts of the city. I was staying at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, on the Las Vegas Strip.
It was in the news some months ago because of the Gunman who stayed there and shot dead so many people at a rock concert, with a machine gun from his window! (Couldn’t help mentioning it as the news shocked me since I was there just a few weeks before that incident took place). The lobby is a palatial hall, with glittering chandeliers and impressive decor. Next to it is the huge casino.
My room was on the 11th floor, overlooking the huge swimming wave pool with a sandy beach! They even have cabanas and bungalows by this artificial beach that you can rent. My room was amazing, with a huge glass window, impressive fittings, and a luxe bathroom. I checked out the casino next. A huge hall, with slot machines, blackjack tables, some electronic some manned, Roulette tables, and every type of gambling game.
In all the time I was there I never saw anyone winning bigtime. I played a slot machine, won a few dollars, lost them back again! After that, I left the gambling alone. Waiters were serving free food and drinks to the gamblers because they don’t want to stop gambling to go eat!
Lots of restaurants and cafes surround the casino, a lot of choices. Right at one end, there is a cheaper choice of sandwich and pizza places. This hotel has a shark reef aquarium which kids love. I saw the show, Michael Jackson One by Cirque Du Soleil, in the hotel theatre. Amazing effects! I took the Monorail from the hotel to check out the other Casinos nearby…Excalibur and Luxor.
More gambling, more shows being advertised, more restaurants…eat, drink, gamble, watch shows, shop for souvenirs….one never-ending party. The musical water fountain at The Bellagio was amazing….it plays at regular intervals.
Its beautiful lobby and botanical gardens are also quite a sight. At the Paris Hotel, I rode to the top of the Eiffel Tower, rode on a Gondola along canals at the Venetian, saw the volcano erupt at the Mirage, rode on the High Roller, giant Ferris wheel which turns slowly and shows amazing views of Vegas at night. At the MGM Grand, I took a selfie with the MGM lion statue.
I couldn’t do much as I was there only for one night. But in that one night also the taste of nightlife, gambling, people dancing to the tunes of the music from all the casinos and no one bothered about another person’s business kind of attitude made me feel like I was living in a Hollywood movie!
