Las Vegas, Nevada: After our late night yesterday (the over-time game ended at 11:30p), we took it easy and slept-in. Is 7:30a is sleeping in? It's always that odd feeling... waking in a strange room, strange bed, strange town. Same strange husband though.
The view from our room: The Mandalay Bay Hotel is the gold building, far left.DT decided if I needed to get in a three mile walk, we should walk to lunch. We would walk to the Mandalay Bay Hotel, which is only across the street and three casinos to the left. We would have a lovely quiet lunch at an Italian place we really like, enjoy a glass of wine and walk back to the MGM Grand Hotel. May as well have walked to Cleveland. They are approximately the same distance from the MGM Grand Hotel. Distances in Las Vegas are so deceptive, plus it is nearly impossible to simply walk down a sidewalk in this town. Pedestrians are constantly re-routed over sky bridges, through tunnels and down unknown moving-walkway-lined hallways. This is all to keep inebriated pedestrians from being hit by cars, but mostly (I suspect) this herding is to maximize the number of retail establishments, frozen concoction carts, restaurants, souvenir stands, hustlers and slot machines a visitor must pass in order to walk from one property to another.
There should be a few official rules for visiting Las Vegas:
1. Three night MAXIMUM.
2. Bring as much cash you are willing to lose and never visit the ATM.
3. Wear comfortable shoes.
4. Never, ever, ever take a flyer, hand-out, coupon or anything from a hawker.
Las Vegas can just be too over-whelming. People may think they are really viewing the New York City skyline... if the New York skyline had a roller coaster meandering between the skyscrapers.
Las Vegas is Disneyland for adults.
So we walked and we walked and we walked and we walked and when we stood in front of our destination Italian restaurant, it was no longer there. Gone. A toy store or something now. Geesh.
Luckily, the Taylor's can always initiate Plan B. Italian becomes Mexican. A glass of wine becomes a margarita.
A Caprese Salad becomes Baja Fish Tacos. Whatever.Four miles covered.
We enjoyed our air conditioned hotel room and a rest before meeting Mary & Steve for dinner at Shibuya. Shibuya, a Japanese restaurant and Sushi Bar, is in the promenade leading to the Grand Garden Arena. Dave and I dined at Shibuya when we were in Las Vegas in October to see another show in the Grand Garden Arena.
Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno
Except tonight, someone left her memory card in her laptop, so had to lug her camera around all night but use her mobile phone as a camera.
I had fish (black cod) & chips (taro). The little plastic vial held Japanese vinegar. Delicious.
We watched UCLA come back to beat Arizona in a completely sold-out arena, then watched everyone leave! Not too many fans stuck around to watch the Ducks beat Utah.
We had the same great seats and cheered for our Ducks. They had a wide lead most of the game and will face UCLA tomorrow night (8p pacific, ESPN). Check it out!
Final score, 64-45. Ouch. Not a good way to lose in the semi-final. As a long-suffering George Washington and Oregon fan, I know the feeling only too well. But not tonight! The Ducks played strong and played as a team. GO DUCKS!Until my next update, I remain, your fishy correspondent.
LET'S MOVE IN MARCH! I have challenged y'all to get out there, lace up your sneakers and walk or jog (or the exercise of your choice) at least 30 minutes - five or six days a week in March. I'm doing this for charity and my prominent backside.
Nursing an injured knee, I walked four miles, then another zillion steps just getting from our room to the basketball arena. Even with my sore knee, I have racked-up nearly 50 miles by mid-month. March has 31 days. Can I crack 100??? How's it going for you? Please comment below.
Pedometer: 11,486
Miles covered for the day/month: 3/47