Viva, Las Vegas! Days 3 and 4 in Sin City...

Day 3 of our Vegas Vacation marked our fifth anniversary.  I can't believe how time flies!  It's been a great five years, and I hope there are MANY more to come!


We spent a leisurely afternoon exploring the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace.  The architecture along the strip is stunning - from the Paris to Aria, Excalibur to the Bellagio - the fact that these gigantic buildings can stay standing just befuddles me!  Not to mention how many people they sleep per night!  But the Palace was one of my favorite places to gaze - in fact, I almost ran into a couple of pillars as I was gazing (probably with mouth open).

Unfortunately, I was behind the horse statue...

The shop prices were far outside our range, but it was still fun to browse shops like Jimmy Choo and Coach.  We even took a picture of the Rolex display for our friend Ivan.  I hope they didn't think I was casing the joint!

The architecture inside is every bit as stunning as the exterior.  I couldn't get enough of sweeping staircases, statues and just the grandness of it all.  

Zeus...I think.

We did take time to browse in one of my favorite stores...

When we had seen all the objects that money can buy, we decided to eat late anniversary lunch/early dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.  

Mmmm.  Nom nom nom.

Kyle being silly while we wait for dessert.  

My friend Jerri suggested we nap in the afternoon heat and then enjoy the cooler desert evenings, and she was right on with this advice!  Most every afternoon consisted of a nap or at least some down time watching movies or the news.  After too much food, we decided it would be the perfect time to take a little siesta before one of the highlights of our trip - Phantom! at The Venetian. 

We dressed up in our anniversary finest and ventured down the strip towards the Venetian.  Since we had plenty of time, we took a few moments to snap a photo or two along the way.  

 

I have seen Phantom twice before, once at the Venetian and once in Denver.  Both were breathtaking, but the one at the Venetian just cannot be beat. (And it's their 5th anniversary, too!) The $40 million dollar theater was custom-built for the production, which means the special effects are astonishing.  Although it is shortened to 95 minutes, every song from the original is included, and original composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and other original creators made Phantom! an experience to remember.  From the moment we entered, we weren't just in a theater, but rather the Paris Opera House.  The action occured throughout the audience, so we felt part of the show.  The chandelier is as much a star of the show as the superb cast, from the moment it is pieced together in the breathtaking opening to it's bone-chilling crash as the audience is plunged into darkness.  Fireworks and other pyrotechnics didn't detract but enhanced the experience.  Another great aspect of this show is that there is no intermission, so the tension builds throughout until the intense ending.  


We couldn't take photos in the theater, but we splurged on souvenir photos that are provided throughout many of the exhibits in Las Vegas.  Though a little pricey, they appear fairly professional and are really nice for couples like us who don't have a third party with us to snap photos of the two of us together.  

Second row seats and the company of each other made our 5th Anniversary the best yet!


Day 4 


Saturday was a very laid back day.  The weekends are even crazier than the weekdays.  We walked just up the strip to the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood and spent the afternoon browsing the unique stores.  

One of my favorites was the Sugar Factory, where I found the perfect giant lollipop for a special little girl in my life.  

A lovely woman offered to take our picture as we walked up the strip later that night.  We took a picture of her with her girlfriends and she returned the favor.  

Days 3 and 4 couldn't have been better, and there were still great experiences to come!