Las Vegas, Part II

Las Vegas has brought in sights from around the world to one location. Here's a shopping center that resembles the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Yet look at the different shapes standing around it. The conflict of straight versus rounded versus angular really works.

The Paris Hotel was beautiful, and I felt immersed in France as I walked past the charming shops and gazed at the offerings within. Gorgeous, day or night.

Ornate decor surrounds you from all sides.

This famous bridge was recreated within the open mall-like area, and as we walked beneath it toward the restaurant, I snapped a quick picture.

Europe always has these lovely fountains, so I had to strike a quick pose.

A massive stained glass windowed dome was impossible to miss. Wow, what a lot of work!

Spotted in one shop, I just had to wonder why. Seriously.

If you wander too far, you'll end up entering a different hotel. They are interconnected. Here's a transitional spot, with a massive landmark.

On the streets, you may run into a few street performers. Like this guy.

If you seek very fine dining, Fleur in Mandalay Bay is ready to serve. It's quiet, it's private, and the menu will not dissapoint. The wine menu is provided on an iPad. And they have wine angels ready to retrieve your favorite bottle, upon request.

Your angel will rise on cables, do some acrobatics and pull out that bottle as you watch, and bring it to your table.

And if you feel like gambling, here's the sports betting area within the Mandalay Bay. Baseball, basketball, Nascar...

The Encore hotel is just north of the Wynn. While they have a similar look, interior-wise they are different. One section was abundant with the color red. Red fixtures, red chandeliers... it was powerful. Look at this golden tree, which is actually a chandelier.

An extravagent peacock with lighted plummage.

I have no idea what these things were, but I still liked 'em.

I had to make a stop at Treasure Island to see the pirate ships. The blackened area is from the explosive shows that happen every night.

The spiral staircase is not typically part of the pirate ships I've seen; this one has a red curtain bunched at the top that must be used during performances.

These guys were wiring up pyrotechnics for the next battle.

;

There are plenty of places to drink in Vegas. But drink while cannons are going off around you? Only here.

Here's a unique ride spotted inside the casino. Imagine that on a highway.

Inside the Venetian Hotel, you should be very impressed. Lovely spacious courtyards, gondolas traveling down sepentine 'canals', and plenty of shopping and places to eat.

As timing would have it, a short act was performed for the unsuspecting audience.

Musicians adjacent provided the perfect tone to the performance.

Even from up high, an actor bellows his role over our heads, making us feel like we are also on stage.

The costumes are beautifully made.

You can enjoy a ride on the gondola either indoors or outdoors. The gondolier will sing a few songs as he navigates the canal, ducking down each time the craft passes beneath a bridge. It's quite romantic.

As I wandered through the shops, I saw some interesting items like these croaking frogs (motion sensitive).

This one restaurant had their menu available on a massive touch screen, and each plate was viewable with a single tap.

There is so much to see and do in Las Vegas that it can't be done in a single trip. I mentioned several hotels I didn't get to explore. I'd like to see The Cosmopolitan since their commercials look so good, and I'm going to have to see The Mob Experience tank built by ATM at the Tropicana. I'd love to just have the time to wander around and see where I end up, to discover more fun things that are available for the tourist in me.

Meals are expensive in Vegas now-a-days, but you get so much food with each serving that it's actually priced appropriately. Every plate placed before me had much more food than I could consume, and I had to leave it simply due to logistics. If I'm carrying around a bag, it's harder to keep my hands free to take pictures and enjoy myself. Before I left Vegas, I'd amassed plenty of chocolates that caught my eye, which lasted me weeks afterwards.