Las Vegas Vacation 2007

For Rob's 21st birthday, I took him on an all-expense-paid vacation to ...Vegas!
I took about 650 photos over the four days. Many of the photos are at http://picasaweb.google.com/len.humbird.

Day 1 - Sunday June 17th, 2007:

1pm: Left PDX airport.
3pm: Arrived in Las Vegas.
4pm: Checked in at the Tropicana Hotel (I like to call it the "Sunny Delight"). The Tropicana is one of several large hotels, where you literally need a map and someone knowledgeable to explain it just to reduce the number of wrong turns in order to get to your room.
The hotel is 50 years old this year. After numerous expansions and renovations, it still shows (and smells) it age. When you turn on the bath water and momentarily see rust-colored water, you know it's way older than you.
6pm: Walked the strip - from Tropicana, heading north; MGM Grand, New York New York, Paris, Caesar's Palace, The Forum Shops, Bally's, Flamingo, Bill's.
10pm: Realized that by now all the feeding troughs are now closed, so we'll have to find another place for dinner.
11pm: Dinner at Margaritaville. Rob had his first mixed drink there: a Hurricane, plus a sip of my Margarita (on the rocks, no salt).
12am: Walked to Bellagio but it was well past the last fountain show.
1am: Taxi back to hotel for sleep.

Day 2 - Monday, June 18th, 2007:

12pm: Lunch at Pyramid Cafe at Luxor Hotel.
12pm: Walk to Excalibur, then to Luxor.
1pm: Toured King Tut's Tomb at Luxor.
2pm: Walked to Mandalay Bay. Took tram back to Luxor. Picked up rental car.
4pm: Toured Boulder Dam.
7pm: Lunch buffet at Spice Market Buffet in Planet Hollywood Hotel/Million Mile Mall. Entry was $25/person, which is the most I've ever paid for a buffet. However, it's been called "The best dinner buffet in Las Vegas!" It was certainly the biggest buffet selection I've ever seen. My first plate: halibut fillet with crab filling, with a side of king crab legs. That was pretty awesome, but all the other offerings seemed to be average or below average.8pm: Finally saw Bellagio's fountain show.
11pm: Toured observatory at top of Stratosphere Hotel. Waited in corral line 45 minutes. Watched the new rides there.
1am: Back at hotel for sleep.

Day 3 - Tuesday, June 19th, 2007:

1pm: Lunch buffet at the Sunny Delight hotel.
2pm: Toured the dead Bodies exhibit at the Sunny Delight hotel.
4pm: Toured Auto Museum at the Imperial Hotel. Was yelled at from the security guard because I jumped the rail to take a photo.
6pm: Drinks at Paco's at Sahara Hotel.
7pm: Dinner buffet at the Main Street Station. Got a 2-for-1 coupon, plus had the parking fee validated. Turned out to be the best buffet we had in Vegas.
10pm: Saw The Amazing Johnathan at the Sahara Hotel.
1am: Back at hotel for sleep.

Day 4 - Wednesday, June 20th, 2007:

11am: Checked out of Tropicana hotel.
12pm: Lunch buffet at the Excalibur hotel.
1pm: Toured Red Rock Canyon.
3pm: Drove through West Vegas and Fremont Street.
4pm: Toured the Secret Garden and the dolphin conservatory at the Mirage Hotel.
7pm: Tried to see the pirate battle at Treasure Island Hotel. Was canceled due to "high wind".
8pm: Returned rental car at airport.
9pm: Left LAS. Rob had a beautiful early evening view of the Strip as we ascended. (Right side of the plane, in case you're wondering.)
11pm: Arrived in Portland.
12am: Taxi to my car at Lynna's house, where my car is parked. Drive home.
1am: Sleep.

Day 5 - Thursday, June 21st, 2007 (bonus day):

12pm: Introduced Rob to his newly purchased car - 2004 VW Passat.
1pm: Visited Grandpa Humbird.
2pm: Parted with Rob so he could pick up Grandpa Denny at the airport and drive back to Spokane.