Las Vegas - The Circus and the Siblings

They had to make a decision yesterday regarding the shutdown so first thing this morning - google 'shutdown''yosemite' 'open'. And the first response - Yosemite is open!! Hoorah!! Just in time - I'm heading that way on Saturday. And Alcatraz is open too, so it's all good. Stupid America.

The morning is spent driving Nikita to school (with more laughing at nothing but our own silliness), sorting luggage, cleaning out the satchel and some Pet Rescue and Candy Crush. I also take a few old photos off the iPad cos they're taking up too much space. And they are still on the chip thingy, I'm hoping.

At midday, we head into town to Circus Circus - the hotel I am to pick up my tour. Sad goodbyes to Leigh-Anne and Gilles. It has been soooo great to see Leigh after so long and to finally meet Gilles other than through photos and phone calls. Leigh and I just picked right up where we left off the last time and hopefully it won't be seven years before we catch up again.

Into the line for checking in at the hotel. I can't check in, but can check my suitcase, which I do. Then for a long walk down the Strip. Circus Circus is right down one end so it's a long and interesting walk.

Down to Treaure Island, through to the Mirage cos I'm thinking I'll go and see the Secret Garden and Dolphin Cove. But when I get there, it's 20 bucks and I don't have the time and I have seen dolphins before. So through and into the Bellagio - this is lovely.

I'm trying to find half price tickets for tonight but they don't have them today! I hit a couple of different booths, then start the walk back on the other side. There are lots of people dressed up along the way. Saw a really good Dr Evil from Austin Powers, a black Elvis. Liked these guys...

There was a group of showgirls and I did wonder what group name they would have - gaggle, feather... I like a sequins of showgirls... As in a 'sequence'...

Stopped at Paris (I think it's just called Paris) for lunch. It's amazing - you walk in and it's like the sky is above you. And the reception is gorgeous!

Another thing I REALLY liked was this...

An actual lock on the toilet door. Haven't seen this for weeks. And on the outside - red and/or green depending on whether it was occupied or not (nothing clever about this but now you will know if someone is in a stall and you don't have to bend down and look for their feet). It's such a novel concept here, though, that they actually have an attendant there to say, "green is empty".

Next is the famous Venetian. This is hilarious too - love it. If you were in a gondola and it tipped, you could pretty much just step out and walk out, it's that shallow.

The Palazzo is next - gorgeous also.

I have no photos to prove my point but anyone who has been here will testify that Vegas is the city that fashion forgot! Shocking! And it's noisy. As you walk along, there's music blaring out of this shop, loudspeakers coming from that casino, horns blaring. And then there are the street people handing out pamphlets and cards and they slap them against their hands. They are for girls' clubs, which is why I'm not being offered them, I guess. 

Back to Circus Circus to check in - in the longest line ever. And I found out later I could have checked in at the tour desk! Now compare this foyer to the Bellagio and the Palazzo...

This is the queue!

At first I thought Circus Circus was fabulous in its tackiness but now I think it's just sad.

Finally check in and get my room key - number 26732!! It's level 26, room 732. Find the room - cos you can't take this lift to get to this floor, have to take this lift to level 2, walk across to,the other lifts and take this lift to level 26.

As I walk towards my room, a lady in front of me goes to my door, knocks, unlocks the door and walks in. So I knock on it, all ready to get fired up and complain because I have most certainly paid the single supplement - I'm not sharing with anyone! Turns out she is the tour director, Joan. She has the key to all our rooms and was simply putting my welcome pack in my room because she was about to head out on an evening tour. So that's good. Anger back in the box.

I take an hour to sit and rest the feet before heading back into town. I'm going to go direct to the nightclub to see if I can get tickets. I do have a bit of a wander through the hotel/casino on the way out. There's a whole arcade area with circus games and another section with scary rides. This is all besides the casino and wedding chapels and restaurants.

Down to the Flamingo...

..to get tickets to Donny and Marie Osmond! How very exciting. I have time beforehand to go across to the Bellagio to see the fountain show, which is great. All choreographed to Proud to be an American.

And then on with the show...

I'm at a table on the left side - I was lucky to get this. There was this or one of the seats at the back of the circle - miles away. This was only $15 more so I took it. They had big screens on either side and before the show, they projected multiple choice questions and photos and stuff, so people were kept I the rested. 

They also had a countdown clock. The band started to play and the curtain dropped and there they were. It was pretty exciting, have to say. They sang a couple of songs. Donny had injured himself a couple of weeks ago so was either walking with a cane or sitting, still bopping though.

Then they showed some footage of Marie and film clips of her singing Paper Roses and then she appeared singing that. She sang a few more, spoke to people on the audience, then Donny came up in a spotlight singing Puppy Love and the audience went wild.

It was a great concert - lots of songs, lots of banter between them, like Donny saying how he had won the trophy on Dancing With The Stars and Marie did not. He cracked in a note and she laid into him. Marie sang a great variety - Nessun Dorma, Cabaret and a bit of country/rock and roll. Some stuff she sang, I didn't like her version but not a lot. And she looked fabulous - lots of work but good work. Donny sang Moon River and Close Every Door from Joseph and lots of other stuff. It was just great. And I broke the rules and snapped...

That's his sparkly cane he's holding. 

So very good. Then back to... 

..where I exchanged $1 for a chip. Here's the chip disappearing...

..pressed the spin button and that was that. Stopped for some ice cream then back to 26732. Here's the view.

Now to set the alarm for early...