What happens in Vegas

Our 2011 holiday plans were made well in advance.   Well, by that it means that we had used our RCI points to book a week - a week in The Netherlands Antilies no less.  Of course - just the week was booked and nothing else.   Cut to October when we started looking for flight tickets.  Sticker shock played its part and we had to drop the island plans in favor of saving some money. We then chanced upon a deal in las Vegas that seemed to be too good to pass up.  We checked flight tickets and they seemed reasonable too.  So the trip was on!  Now it was just a matter of gathering people to go with us.  We asked the Pethes and Avantsas.  While the Pethes declined regretfully, the Avantsas agreed to go with us to our delight.  Even better news came in when Prakash agreed to join us!  This was great and we were all looking forward to the holidays.  We had my Rio trips and the kids' semester finals to go through.  The days flew by faster than we could keep up.  Plans for the trip were afoot as the We tried to figure out the right shows to catch and what to do. Decisions were made and excitement was in the air.  Soon packing day was upon us and before we knew it we were on the flight. It was serendipitous that we were all in neighboring rows on the way over.  The parents took a row and the kids had another.  I introduced Priti to the joys of iPad ownership on the flight while the kids accused us parents (well the moms) of being loud!  We landed in great spirits, a harbinger of good times ahead. Las vegas is the city of bright lights where everything seems to go.  Gawkers and players alike live in their own worlds and try to take in as much as they can.  The lights were mesmerizing - millions of them lining the streets and buildings sometimes garish and sometimes tasteful.  Shows, some for the family and some not, were available in abundance all waiting for an audience. Prakash wasn't interested in roller coasters and so we tried to cover Circus circus and stratosphere the first day.  The girls and Suvedh were the coaster fiends wanting to try everything.  Akshay went along for the ride patiently tagging along and quietly influencing the others to try the milder rides.  The kids had much fun.  We walked to the Stratosphere - a deceptive walk (as is much of Vegas).  It seemed so much closer!  Unfortunately the rides at Stratosphere were cost prohibitive.  The kids were happy enough to watch the 'crazy' people jump off the building and just imagine the thrills up in the 'Stratosphere'.  The walk back to circus circus was interminably long.  Note to self - always were tennis shoes on the lv strip! That evening we adults went to catch a show - we had ordered pizza for the kids.  This was a burlesque show that we would never think of catching outside of LV - Srikanth and Srini enjoyed themselves tremendously :p. Of course they treated us girls to a fabulous dinner at Wolfgang puck to sweeten the pot for us. The next day saw Srikanth and Srini trying their hand at golf in las Vegas while the moms took the kids to a hearty brunch at I hops and then casino "gawking".  Where else can you cover so much with so little!  We saw the western end of the trip which also included a lot of walking.  By the time the men joined us we were quite casino'd out.   Prakash drove in late in the night from Cali.  Although he tried hard to have them place them in a room in our building,  it didn't work out.  It wasn't too bad as they were in a building just across from ours.  The next morning was witness to a noisy re-union come introduction session.  We drove up to Hoover Dan where the engineers (past, current, and budding) could marvel open mouthed and wide eyed.  We got some beautiful pictures of several combinations of people and families on the bridge.  Pictures posted on my Picassa site https://picasaweb.google.com/104999643872745216464/VegasDec2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCJu11ZX86vfGEA. That evening saw us at cirque du soliel show which was a wonderful demonstration of incredible and breathtaking acrobatics.  The kids were convinced they were going to a different show "circus of souls" and came with some trepidation.  We adults had managed to convince them that they were going to a different show :p.  We got to have some fun at their expense! All except the three moms went skiing the next day.  We decided to work the east side of the strip.  The Venetian and palazzo to me we're the best casinos of the lot.  This could be because this was the first of the "clouds in the ceiling" casinos that we saw. The clouds made you feel like you were literally outside especially along the canals and the shops.  However upon closer scrutiny you could see the seams and the bearings that held the structure together which gave it a "Truman show" feeling to it.  I also liked the waxed "live" figurines unique to the Venetian.  These people/actors are admirable as they stand entirely still while they being are stared at - something I don't see myself being adept at or able to do.  The gondoliers belting out beautiful operatic "volare" or "o solo mio" added to the beautiful ambience of these magnificent buildings. Caesars palace, bellagio, and other casinos,  although impressive did bring upon a "been there done that feeling".  We did find things very unique and magnificent at each venue.  The fountains and the immense buildings were a sight to see.  We also came back with the skiiers to catch the Bellagio fountain show and to catch dinner at Caesars palace.   The next couple of days saw us back at the strip catching different sights.  We did catch the "penn and teller" show - which was just fantastic.  Their lively banter (teller only mimes!)  kept the audience in awe from the get-go. Too soon it was time to return to reality.   We were fortunate that anu watched scamp for us and so we didn't need ti worry about him.  What happens in Vegas this time is shared with all.  What wonderful memories. Thank you for reading.