Last Friday was my 22nd wedding anniversary. We celebrated by going to Las Vegas for a few days.
The trip did NOT start out well. We arrived at the airport with what should have been ample time to get thru security and catch our flight. Unfortunately, this was wishful thinking. The line was the longest I have ever witnessed at Spokane International, and I’ve lived here since 1968. According to folks I chatted with it had been the same length at 4am.
Our flight was scheduled to leave at 6:05am, but we didn’t even get thru security until 6:15am. Things were so bad that the Southwest crew hadn’t even buttoned up the plane because so many of us had been held up. And don’t even get me started on the so called “random” security screenings that I have been subject to the last three times I’ve flown. So much for TSA pre-check…
Things got better when we landed in Vegas. It was 70F in Spokane, 99F in Sin City. That was the coolest it got whilst we were there.
The wife requested that we stay at Caesar’s this time, so I had booked us into a nice suite in the Augustus Tower. It had a view of the strip, king-size bed, and most importantly a separate shower and jetted tub.
I’ve stayed in The Mandalay Bay, Bellagio, and the Park MGM on previous visits, and each have valid reasons to book there, but I have come to realize that staying in a hotel that is central to most of the restaurants and other places you want to go is essential.
Thursday evening we took a helicopter flight out to the Grand Canyon. It was operated by Papillon out of Las Vegas. We opted for the sunset package and departed around 5:30pm. This was not my first flight on a helicopter by any means (5 years in the Army with UH-60 Blackhawks and CH-47 Chinook’s), but it was my first time on such a small craft.
The route takes you past Lake Mead and Hoover dam, then lands on a small mesa within the Grand Canyon itself. Snacks, water, and champagne are served whilst you watch the sunset, then re-board for the flight back, and a night-time pass along the Strip. All-in-all it was a great experience.
Peckish after our tour we wandered over to the Linq plaza, .and ate at a Mexican restaurant called Chayo. The taco’s were amazing, and the margarita’s definitely hit the spot.
. Friday, our anniversary, saw us dining at Best Friend in the Park MGM. I have eaten there a couple times before, on solo trips, and the food is always amazing. Make reservations well in advance as it is nearly impossible to just show up and get a table.
The wife got to shop to her little hearts content, we ate some great food, had a memorable trip to the Grand Canyon, and I even got to play some slots. The only real downside is that my daughter passed along her summer cold to me prior to our departure and I was sick the whole time…ah well, c’est la vie.
