The weather has been cool here in Las Vegas, but at least there’s been no rain and plenty of sunshine. The “things I’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have time for” tour of the city continues. I’ve traditionally spent 3 or 4 days here but never a full week. It’s allowed time for the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Cirque, Sky Walk, Mob Museum, Brilliant, Neon Boneyard, Sports Book, Titanic Artifacts, and the Fremont Street Experience. I’ve also lost a lot more more playing slot machines, and spent huge dollars on fine dining. Today is our last full day to experience The Strip and add to the list of tireless “free” entertainment that we’ve enjoyed like the Bellagio fountain, Mirage volcano, Hershey samples, glitzy signs, street shows, and people watching. We also never get tired of walking through the massive themed hotels and noisy casinos. 

My wife and I both preferred Beatles Love over Michael Jackson’s ONE and “O,” comparing the three main Cirque du Soleil performances we’ve seen through the years. Zumanity and KA’ are not of interest to either of us. My wife is disappointed that the Broadway performances are no longer an entertainment option for some reason. We’ve seen Mamma Mia and Avenue Q here in the past for example. We’re also surprised that Disney doesn’t have a presence, as Vegas has become more family-friendly in recent years. The crowds seem to be down a bit this week, partly due to the Coronavirus that has halted travel from China. Valentine’s weekend should be busy, as we make our timely exit back to Portland. 

We’ve had six fabulous nights of Valentine dinners, including Bouchon, Joel Robuchon’s L’Atelier, Trevi, Hugo’s Cellar, Joe’s Stone Crab, and tonight at Edge Steakhouse. Plus, lunches at Wolfgang Puck, Sky View overlooking the Grand Canyon, Bonanno’s Pizza, and a liquid snack in Eataly. It’s a good thing we’ve burned off lots of calories walking around, although the moving sidewalks and monorail have saved lots of steps. This afternoon I think we’ll go to Paris and the Eiffel  Tower, following yesterday’s preview of our upcoming Egypt trip at the Luxor. We’ve already covered the MGM “yellow brick road,” New York – New York, Mandalay Bay, the Venetian canals, Treasure Island, castles, palaces, and all points in-between. Before we leave, I would like to go back to Circus-Circus as a reminder of my first visits to Las Vegas, on a much smaller budget. The Westward Ho next door where we actually stayed was torn down 14 years ago. Forty years ago I remember the free high-flying circus acts in the Circus-Circus Big-Top, long before there ever was Cirque-Cirque-and more Cirque.