I was staying at Harrah's this weekend, because I actually was going to a slot tournament at the Wynn, but I didn't have a hotel room at the Wynn, so I stayed at Harrah's and took an offer there. By the way the Wynn is really a beautiful place. It's VP is no worse than at Caesar's properties, and we've been getting good weekly cashback offers as locals, plus food and show comps (Showstoppers is great, and Le Riv is also excellent.) (The tournament was very good too, with great breakfast and lunch food, food better than at any other tournament I can remember, and I actually won $2500 -- best I've ever gotten at many over-populated Caesars tourneys is $200!)
But back to my walk.... Actually I rode my scooter, because I knew it was going to be too much of a walk for me with my bad knees. I decided to go from the Wynn all the way down to the MGM. I haven't been on the strip for such a long walk in a very long time.
I was surprised to see how many families were on the strip, with baby strollers and small children. They seem to be having a good time, but if I had small children I would have some doubts about taking them down the strip, where people in costume also include some men and women wearing barely any costume. I was really shocked to see several women with their breasts exposed except for tiny pasties. And of course there are the hucksters still handing out small cards with scantily dressed women pictures. And the drunks, homeless, and odd people.
It was a Friday night, so the strip was extremely crowded, and I felt that any recession is over. It was really an interesting walk for people watching – – with the tourists wearing everything from formal attire to bathing suits. Also the number of street performers and costume-wearers has greatly increased. They were quite interesting to see too -- not only the beefcake men and women in scanty attire, but also all manner of costumes including superheroes, minions, man who let you pose with his large stuffed tiger and giraffe, people with deformed babies sticking out of their chests, Michael Jackson and Kiss Band impersonators, and more. Strangely I didn't spot Elvis but I am sure he/they are there somewhere.
As for the homeless/beggars - there was the usual guy with the "why lie, I just want a beer" but others with more creative signs including "My wife had a sex change operation and ran away with my girlfriend." Also two people sleeping on the street. No sign of the usual police bicycle patrol (didn't there used to be police mounted on horseback? but I guess that was years ago). Pan handlers selling water and other items seemed to be more prolific than I remember from a couple years ago. I don't know if the law changes that now allow costumed characters have also allowed others to sell products, or if the police are just less vigilant. There was even a guy doing something like the three card monte.
Street performers included a painter in a big booth, a couple of trumpet players who were not very good, dancers, and so on.
I noticed a number of younger people on the street. Perhaps they were underaged, so they were forced to walk and tour the outside of casinos instead of inside. A lot of people seemed to be going or coming from the M&Ms shop (near MGM) according to their comments and logo shopping bags. It seemed to be the main final destination for families. The kids really seemed to love the costumed people too.
As I rolled along (in my scooter....love it!), I was able to view some well-remembered landmarks on the strip I hadn't seen in awhile. The TI front is really different. There is a huge Gilley's restaurant on one side and the pretty shopfronts that were in the back of the lake (that looked like a quaint Caribbean port/village) have become one big Senior Frog's. Together they really destroy what was a picturesque front of TI with their big ugly signs and paint and structures. The two ships remain in the slightly smaller lake. One of them is undergoing refurbishment, so maybe eventually they will bring back the pirate show (one can hope). On the corner of Spring Mountain there is now a big drugstore (sorry, I can't remember the brand, CVS?).
Some sort of construction is going on at the Fashion Show Mall. I was on the other side of the street, so I don't know what is happening there.
The small carts that used to be around Harrah's Carnival Court are gone, and the Link has really changed that area. It is now quite convenient to walk from Harrah's directly into the Link. Unfortunately for wheelchairs and scooters, it takes a bit of hunting to find the ramped egress out of the Link in the Flamingo direction.
I went into the new shops in front of Bally's -- all small stores selling souvenirs, food, sunglasses, And snacks. I was struck by the fact that for pedestrians heading that way, you barely can see Bally's once you are in the maze of shops. There is no longer an easy-to-spot walkway into Bally's. People might just easily walk into the shops and walk out again and miss the casino. I wonder if Bally's will discover they have created a way to actually lessen the foot-traffic into the casino instead of increase it. But perhaps Bally's is planning to add some sort of direct entrance near the Paris side, because there is construction going on after you pass the stores. If so, it is about time!
As I passed Paris I realized that the Sugar Factory is no more, replaced by some other sugary restaurant. Walkers passing Planet Hollywood should take the escalator up, because if you miss it, you find yourself on a winding ramp that takes longer to walk yet still brings you up right next to PH. I zoomed up it, of course, unfazed on my scooter (woo hoo -- love that scooter). On my return I went through the Miracle Mile shops (darn that hallway is long), and noticed that place is really really busy.
Then came a bunch of older Vegas type souvenir stores. I somehow thought they were all torn down. The Hawaiian Marketplace didn't seem to have many stalls, and none that I saw seemed in any way Hawaiian -- just more places to buy souvenirs, sunglasses, and snacks. I think that is where I found the Turkish Ice Cream stand. They don't use eggs! (Ice cream with eggs is better.)
At any rate, walking the strip is quite interesting and entertaining. I am sure it is also a pickpocket heaven, because I saw many women swinging handbags in a careless way, lots of people crowded together, and many many distractions to look at (and google at!) -- perfect grounds for pickpockets. Still, with caution, and good walking shoes (or a scooter), I highly recommend taking a trip on the wild side if you haven't done it lately.
Posted by: Misscraps <misscraps@aol.com>
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