It was so nice to get away. Las Vegas is not my favorite place in the world, but the weather was terrific, the hotel we stayed at had an indoor pool as well as an outdoor hot tub so we swam every day, and I took the children to do some fun things around town while Kent worked.
The first night we got there (Monday), Kent suggested we take our Buccaneer Brandt to see the pirate show at Treasure Island. I say "pirate show" loosely. The show is called "The Sirens of TI" and features a number of scantily clad girl pirates mouthing off and shaking their booty at boy pirates. The boy pirate ship sinks and the whole group end up together on the girl pirate ship singing and shaking together. I spent most of the show saying to Brandt, "Don't look at the girl pirates. Look over here at the boy pirates." I hope we were standing far enough away that the bumping and grinding was not so obvious to our sweet and innocent boy.
In this picture, Brandt is looking at the girl pirates, but we were closer to the boy pirate ship, so I think he watched them more.
I hope.
Blythe was not really interested in the show.
She was so tired, she fell asleep in my arms as we waited at valet parking for our car.
Poor thing.
Mandalay Bay has a wonderful aquarium, The Shark Reef. We spent Tuesday morning there watching the fish. I had a very hard time keeping track of the children; they just kept running off. They did this everywhere we went. I was in a panic I was going to lose them. They loved watching the fish. There is a touch pool that houses horseshoe crabs and small rays, and Brandt eventually worked up enough courage to touch them.
There is a large room at the Shark Reef that simulates a sunken ship. As an observer, you get the sense you are underwater with large fish (shark, barracuda, saw nosed shark) and sea turtles swimming all around you. It's really quite cool. In the middle of the room is a pile of crates meant as decor and a place to sit. Blythe saw those crates as a stage and entertained all our fellow fish watchers with her lovely singing. Repeatedly. I could not keep her off them, nor could I convince her not to sing.
Frustrating shot.
The camera was so slow in the dark and the children would not sit still.
So Brandt's eyes are closed.
Oh well.
Brandt is working up his courage to actually touch a crab.
And those are crabs mating right there in the pool.
On the stage, preparing to break into song.
On Wednesday morning we went to the Mirage to see the dolphins and big cats. It was a gloriously beautiful day, so nice to be outside in the sunshine and warm. The dolphin pools have very low sides so it seems as if you could reach out and touch the dolphins as they swim by. Blythe wanted to touch them and couldn't understand why she couldn't. She would have been happy to get in and swim with them. We did watch trainers working with them and Brandt wanted to feed them some fish.
The big cats were pretty lazy. Most of them were sleeping. But we did get to see two new baby lions recently acquired by the casino. They are seven months old and nearly 100 pounds, but still cute and baby mammal like. Blythe asked, "Where is their mom?"
In addition to seeing the dolphins and big cats, we rode a tram between The Mirage and Treasure Island. It was a very short ride, about a minute one way. Brandt thought it was great. He rode at the front and acted as the engineer, then as the conductor when we stopped, encouraging "folks" to take a seat and hold on. We rode the tram four times before we went to the see the animals, and we rode it again another five times after seeing them. Brandt really, really thought it was great.
Wednesday afternoon we met Kent at the trade show and went to see the big equipment. There was really big equipment. Brandt was in heaven, racing from excavator to paver to skid steer. Blythe was not to be outdone, and she climbed into and onto everything Brandt did.
In an excavator
In a skid steer
At the top of a paver.
We spent Thursday morning and early afternoon with my friend Lesli Streets. I know Lesli from study abroad (London '89). Every time I go to Las Vegas, I make sure to see her because it is always the highlight of my trip. It was wonderful to visit with her. We got lunch and walked with the children to a nearby park where they played and we talked. She took this great picture of us which I have pilfered from her blog.
Being able to swim each day was a treat. It felt good to move around and it felt good to be in the water. Brandt and Blythe both loved the "outdoor pool," which was the hot tub. Having to sleep in the hotel room all together was not a treat. Children make terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE bedfellows. Blythe kicked me all night the first two nights. I do not understand how one small person can take up a whole bed. And then she developed a cough and kicked and coughed the next two nights.
As Brandt and Blythe were both very good travelers (in the car), and very good tourists (as we ran around), I think we may do this again, sooner rather than later.
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