Day 3 started out about the same as the first two. I woke up early, about 7:00 am. Made the coffee run for Tootsie, and then to the casino for VP and a coke. I did make a short detour this morning. I first went outside to check out the Tropicana's pool area. This is another of my Las Vegas rituals. Taking a walk around the pool early in the morning can be a very tranquil experience. No crowds, no noise. The light is perfect in the morning for pictures so I snapped a few of the Wedding Chapel, the Garden Room Balconies, the Waterfalls that surround the pool area, the Jacuzzi, the Swim up Blackjack Table, and the Pool itself.
I also witnessed the mating rituals of a couple of native birds to the area. Not sure of the species but several females were feeding in one of the manicured lawns near the Adult pool when the male flew in and started strutting about like a turkey. Over near one of the wedding chapel gazebos I witnessed another mating ritual, this one of the human variety. I'll just let it go at that and omit the details.
After my morning walk I looked forward to the air-conditioned comfort of the casino and another morning round of coke and VP (+100 for this session) before breakfast. Tootsie found her way down to the casino and we decided to give the Excalibur Buffet another chance.
A short stroll across the strip walkway and we were inside Excalibur. Made the trek through the casino to the up escalator and got in the line at the Excalibur's buffet. Here is my first question, Why would anyone stand in line for this buffet ? Answer: Stupidity. When the buffet here was $3.95 it was worth the price and the wait in line. We paid $5.95 and stood in line for 35 minutes. At this new rate it is way over priced. The only thing worth eating was the bacon. Everything else sucked. Want specifics ? Here you go: Poached eggs floating in yellow water, undercooked breakfast potatoes, burned on the outside and raw in the middle sausage links, lumpy oatmeal or was that mashed potatoes or could it have been cream-o-wheat, scrambled eggs that didn't taste like scrambled eggs, hard pancakes (needed a knife to cut them), to mention just a few of the items, need more? The service was OK, drinks were brought to the table and refilled very quickly and the empty (not quite) plates were removed quickly. Didn't have an appetite left to try desserts.
After Breakfast (?) I found my first Cocktail Waitress photo opportunity while trying to win that BMW Z3 Roadster for my daughter (sorry April) in Excalibur's casino. She came by the .25 slot machines quite regularly not to mention that she is very easy on the eyes.
We then headed over to Luxor to look around. Access to the moving walkway is from the second level at Excalibur. The signs are kind of confusing to follow but we eventually found our way through the shopping mall area over to Luxor. Two moving walkways and an escalator ride down lands you in the north casino entrance. Luxor has made many changes since we were there last. All for the better I might add. The Nile River and ride is gone. The new front entrance leads into the casino and gone from that location are the Camels, they are now in the walkway from Excalibur. The casino seems much larger but the feel is still the same. I really like this casino and of course the CWs. I do miss their Egyptian wigs. No gambling here but did get a CW picture. Very tall lady with a mouth full of braces, she wouldn't smile for me though.
Next we made the trip to Mandalay Bay, again via the walkway. Don't remember any moving walkways, they must have been there I just don't remember. I really like this casino too. It is very large and the slot machines are not crowded together like so many other casinos. Isles are wide and the drink service is fantastic. The CWs are right up there with the big three (Rio, IP, Orleans). Each CW I asked to take a picture was very accommodating, often getting a coworker to stand in too.
We didn't stay long because this is Monday and I planned to spend the evening at the Nitro Cafe for Monday night wrestling. So we followed the signs to the tram back to Excalibur. The waiting area to catch the tram is very similar to the one at Monte Carlo and has the best view of any tram station in town. The tram itself is almost like the MC/Bel line but is jet black. The ride back is quick even with the stop at Luxor.
As soon as we got back to the Trop we had an early dinner at the Trop's coffee shop, Calypso. The BBQ Baby Back pork ribs and Grilled Chicken Breast dinner was great. Tootsie had the French Dip Roast beef Sandwich. She said it was OK. Couldn't eat it all so we bagged the leftovers to be stored in the room refrigerator for a late night snack.
Being the Professional Wrestling fan that I am I couldn't spend a Monday night in Las Vegas without watching Nitro at the Nitro Cafe. Especially since TNT is not on the Tropicana's cable TV system. Since Tootsie is not a wrestling fan I went alone, she took a nap (her favorite pastime). The Nitro Cafe is located at the Excalibur in the same place that Wild Bills Steakhouse was located. Wild Bills was a great place to get a steak and learn to line dance and will be missed, I hope Excalibur reopens it somewhere, perhaps where the buffet is located now.
Entering the Nitro Cafe I walked to a place at the bar to watch the show, front row center in front of the big screen TV. Down below where the dance floor used to be they have a mock three-sided ring that is now a dining area. Nitro soon started and the festivities in the Cafe started also. One of the bartenders was tending bar for a while wearing a wrestler's mask and a couple of Nitro girls were on hand. They spent the evening signing autographs and giving out prizes. Tickets were handed out to everybody in attendance and periodically during the show numbers were called. The winners received T-shirts, Mugs, and other gifts from the Nitro girls. If you are a wrestling fan I would recommend a trip to the Nitro Cafe. If not, don't bother. The food while it has gimmicky names is not worth going out of the way for and is quite expensive for Las Vegas standards. Old pay-per-view wrestling shows are played on the many big television screens, I guess all the time, and the volume is kind of loud.
After Nitro I went back to the Trop to get Tootsie. We had planned to see the Fountains at the Bellagio tonight. We took the normal route to Bellagio via the tram from Monte Carlo. Walked through the casino and found a place on the sidewalk in front of the lake. The weather was almost perfect. It was kind of hot still but a slight breeze from the west sent the mist from the fountains slowly towards the sidewalk on the strip. The show was fantastic. This is definitely the best free show on the strip. The immensity and quickness of the water combined with the choreography to the beat of the music is spectacular. The Lionel Ritchie song All Night Long is so energetic you find yourself moving with the water to the beat of the music. This show is a must see and shouldn't be missed. Plenty of room is available to watch the show. The sidewalk on the strip has many places just for watching and speakers are located throughout. I saw many people across the street and even on the crosswalk bridges watching but find a spot on the sidewalk next to the lake for the best viewing location.
After close to an hour of watching the water show we decided to call it a night taking the tram at Bally's back to the MGM. Then through the MGM and over to the Trop for the evening.
That was Day 3 of "Brian K's 1999 Las Vegas Summer Tour".
1999 Summer Tour Trip Report © Copyright 1999, Brian K
Send e-mail to: brianklv@yahoo.com
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