Fun on the Strip!

We went to the strip 2 nights. With the conference going until 5 every day and with the time change that meant it was 8 our time the boys were so tired. So we went Monday night for our first time. They tried to walk and take it all in. It was over whelming to them. Heck, it was to us our first time too. These hotels are like mini cities and walking through them isn't quick. So on Monday, we got dropped off at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino. We were quick to find the outside landscape and take in their beautiful fountains and then of course - flamingo's! Once we found our way to Las Vegas Blvd....we quickly walked up 3 casinos to Treasure Island. We waited not long for the Pirate show - and they LOVED it! We had to hold them each on our shoulders which probably ticked the people off behind us but oh well. We asked if they had a viewing area for kids and they said no. So on the shoulders they went. They loved every aspect. The girls on their ship - the guys come from behind the crowd on another pirate ship - they squabble and then the girls sink the guys ship (literally, it goes under water) and the guys swim to the girls ship. Now for the adults enjoyment - the eye candy is fantastic! The girls are all beautiful and in bikini's and the guys are super buff, tan and (gulp) you get the picture! After the show we found our way to the gift shop where the boys got to spend their money and the whole taxi ride home they talked about the show. Once we got back to the hotel it was all pirates!

We went back to the strip on Wednesday night. This time we went straight to Mandalay Bay to see the Shark Reef. Dylan loves sharks - he was a shark for Halloween, he has shark swim shorts and towel, he loves shark week on Discovery channel (which starts Sunday). We tried so hard to show him a shark last year in Niagara Falls but the huge exhibit they spoke of - was um very small. One nice thing was 4 and under were free. We were given what looked like a tv remote and as you came upon the exhibits you punched in the number and it was like a little guided tour. So we saw a yellow alligator - that was cool. Some other fish - then we walked through the tunnel. The first tunnel was filled with smaller sharks and other fish. Then we came into a viewing area and we saw some jellyfish (that was cool as the tank was full of them), a petting area where you could touch a sting ray. So I did - the men of my family were all to chicken! What a cool feeling that was - they are so slimy feeling. Then we got to the next viewing area. It looked like a pirate ship had been sunk and at the front of the ship was nothing but glass and all of these much larger sharks, stingrays, saw sharks, a huge (and I mean huge) turtle. The sharks swam in front of us - and above us. It was awesome! Then we went back into another tunnel (same tank) and they swam around. The boys loved it! We loved it! Worth every penny. We got some good pictures and then of course they take professional pictures of you - and we got those too. I'll have to scan them.

After the shark exhibit we went and ate at a buffet. Las Vegas is known for their fantastic buffets and this one wasn't any different. The food was great and you could get just about anything. It was a little pricey - $26.99 an adult - luckily 4 and under was free. So we did luck out with their age. Glad we did it. We ended up getting a really friendly waiter - his name was Tom - and he was super funny. The boys had a favorite drink for the entire trip (chocolate milk) and he brought them 2 right from the start. Cody found his favorite - pizza, and Dylan enjoyed the meatballs - and then they both got a huge chocolate ice cream cone.

So that was our strip experience. If we had had an entire day to just do the strip it would of been better. We wanted to take them to the Mirage but the volcano was under reconstruction and closed down. So that will have to be for another time. The time change was tough and they were tired early. Next time we'll have to do circus circus but most of the rides are for older kids.

More to come later.............