Memorial day weekend 2004, a long weekend after a long time! We left New York in the morning and reached McCarran Airport in Vegas around noon. The slew of slot machines at the airport was no surprise. The shuttle bus took us from the Airport to our hotel - The Excalibur where we checked in and unpacked before taking off to explore. The first thing about Vegas that struck different from New York was the weather. At 80 Degrees (F), it felt more like the Indian
summer that we grew up in. But that was no deterrent. All hot-spots in Vegas are in a 3 mile stretch called the 'strip' which is flanked by fancy hotels built on themes so tastefully done, you'd expect each one to be the crowing symbol of a metropolis. I took this photo of the strip from a walkway between Excalibur and Tropicana.
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Our hotel, The Excalibur was built on the theme of warlords and kings
of the Victorian era. Sort of like the movie by the same name. It's located at the southern tip of the strip right next to MGM grand, Tropicana and the New York, New York hotel. This photo was taken in front of the New York hotel with Excalibur in the background.
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Remember Bellagio from the Oceans Eleven. This photo was taken in front
of Bellagio. They've built a serene pool, blue like the clear sky, in front of the hotel. In the night, the fountain in the pool plays in perfect sync soft music. Located towards the centre of the strip, it's flanked by the Bally's, Ceasers Palace and one of the oldest hotels in Vegas - The Flamingo. Aboard a small aircraft later next day, the pilot had an interesting story about the legend that the Flamingo was built by a gangster in the 50s that named it after his redhead girlfriend.
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A signature of the Las Vegas skyline, the replica Eiffel Tower at Paris
Las Vegas is an exact reproduction of one of Europes most famous landmarks, rendered meticulously at 1/2 scale. They have rides to the top, where you can enjoy a stunning, panoramic view of the valley, from 460 feet above the ground.
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The Luxor is a pyramid shaped hotel and casino complex, located 1 mile
from McCarran International Airport. The hotel has casino that is 100,000 square feet on 47-acres, next to Excalibur. They have done up the Egyptian theme very artistically. A monorail connects Luxor to Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. From the tip of the pyramid shaped reception building, a spotlight penetrates deep into the clouds; a splendid view when seen from the air.
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Vegas
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Vegas
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Vegas
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Vegas
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