a quick trip

Good morning.
It's been crazy busy in the Salon this week. You'd think I'd been off a month instead of just 3 days. I worked 10 1/2 hours Wed. and 10 hours Thurs. Today should be just 8 hours.
Here's a couple more pics of our hotel in Vegas....

The Flamingo has 4 towers that form a U. Inside this U, is a massive garden and pool system.
It looks like a tropical paradise!
Now, the purpose of this trip, was not to gamble, but to to a comprehensive study of Las Vegas. As we near retirement, we are looking for some place much warmer than Michigan. I love Michigan in the summer, but the summer here is very short.
So we spent every morning here in Vegas, exploring the city and neighborhoods. Long story short, we could live here. Just no where near the strip. The strip has become a crazy tourist area.
But the city is large enough, you could spend all your time never going near the strip.
Housing is reasonable. The city is large enough, everything is here. And you can't beat Vegas for cheap flights to anywhere. It's not too hot in the summer, and not real cold in the winter.
The only downside I see in Vegas, is it's in a desert type climate. A lot of the neighborhoods have nothing but different colored stones for lawns and yards. I've spent my entire life in the mid-west, and I'm not sure I could adjust to that. But between gravel or snow, I think at this point in my life, stones are better.  :-)
Anyway, Friday, after our morning searches, we headed out our hotel for some late lunch. We headed over to Circus Circus to redeem a comp I got on My Vegas Slots, for a $50 dining credit at Rock and Rita's. We ended up both getting a 4 mini sandwich sampler which was very good.
We did a little gambling there afterwards, and worked our way back to our hotel, stopping at about 4 casinos on the way. Trying to stay on Michigan time which was 3 hours different, we went back to our room for snacks and TV.
Saturday morning, we went for a little walk to a McDonald's near our hotel. It's funny to see drunk people that have been up all night wandering around. Vegas truly is a 24 hour city. Then it was off for another drive. We divided the city into 3 quadrants, and did each one a different day. Saturday was the south side and Henderson. We had a late lunch at a sidewalk cafe in Henderson. Back on the strip, we checked out the newer Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino. I swear, each one they build is bigger than the others!
Sunday morning's drive was to the west and north. Here was where we found the areas we liked most, and fairly affordable. Back on the strip another My Vegas Comp at the Nine Fine Irishmen at New York New York.  Then worked our way back to our hotel checking out Monte Carlo and Aria.
Monday morning, up early and to the airport for an 8am flight back to Lansing, arriving back home Monday evening.
It was a good trip.  :-)
And Las Vegas is a definite possible retirement home.
Here's a couple more pics of Vegas.

Crazy leaning towers in the Aria complex. They were either apartments or condos. Not really sure.

And a roof top beach volleyball court by the Monte Carlo.
As with any trip, it was here and over so quick.