Las Vegas by Time Share

When you own a time share they always want to give you updates. It’s a chance for them to try to sell you something more. A plain old update, no sale, is about 55 minutes and you get neat gifts for your time. Sometimes show tickets, sometimes amusement park tickets, it all depends on where you are and what attractions are in the area. I knew in advance that I would get a $100.00 Visa card to use toward a show so I agreed to “have breakfast on Diamond”.

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Things didn’t go quite as I planned so suffice it to say I succumbed to an offer I couldn’t refuse. My 55 minutes was more like 5 hours but in the end I was happy and I have reached the level of membership that I was striving for. I will never have to do another purchase again! From now on it will be 55 minute updates.

We were given the VIP treatment from that point on and showered with candy and huge discounts on show tickets and dinners. We ate at Pampas one night. Our bill was $70.00 but we only had to pay $10.00! It’s nice to be a VIP (Gold level owner).

Heavy duty negotiations can really build up your appetite so as soon as we could break free we headed out for lunch. Since we were doing a lot of walking I had brought along a cane “just in case”. Sandy thought that sounded like a good idea as the walking was bothering her back so we headed for the CVS across the street.

One thing about Vegas …it gives new meaning to the phrase  “can’t get there from here”. Most intersections won’t let you cross. You have to walk several blocks, cross a pedestrian bridge and then come back to where you wanted to be in the first place.

On the way to CVS we had to pass Bobby’s Burger Palace one of Bobby Flay’s Restaurants.

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That was a good place to stop for lunch.

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The burgers were excellent. I had a side of onion rings. All I can say is WOW and Bobby Flay is not one of my favorite  Celebrity Chefs but now I know why he’s considered to be so good.

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After lunch and cane shopping we walked the strip.

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We visited the Hershey store, (Yum) chocolate.

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And a chocolate Statue of Liberty.

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We lingered in New York. Lady Liberty is reinforced Styrofoam.

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Leo the MGM Lion on the other hand was hollow but real bronze.  The statue weighs 50 tons, and at 45 feet (14 m) tall, on a 25-foot pedestal, is the largest bronze statue in the U.S.

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Polo Towers

After a long but uneventful flight we arrived at McCarren International Airport, Las Vegas, NV.  A quick hello to the tortoise in the terminal

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and we were taking a  short cab ride to our destination, Polo Towers, in the heart of the strip.

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Polo Towers is a time share resort. There is no casino but we had a lovely one bedroom on the 14th floor.

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There was a huge bed in the bedroom and a pull out couch in the living room. We also had a full kitchen with fridge, stove and microwave.

There is a shuttle to some of the malls and a grocery store but we were content to pick up our provisions in the little mini mart in the resort.

There is also a pool and a fitness center although we didn’t get a chance to use either.

Upon arrival we were treated like VIP’s.  Everyone making us feel welcome.

It had been a long day . We left Albany Airport at 11 am but didn’t arrive in Las Vegas until 6:30 pm. We quickly got checked in and settled.

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We took a quick look at the views of the strip from our room and then headed out for dinner.

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DSC_2412 copyOur meal was enjoyed with the elephants of the Rainforest Cafe before we returned to our room for the night.

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Time enough to explore in the morning.

Oh Oh Crazy Time Again

Sorry I’ve missed a few posts. Work just got crazy again. Here it is only March 3 and I have more deals in the works then I had all last month! Spring Real Estate season has arrived.

Redfin property photos; 511 Park Rd, Rockville, MD 20850, Friday-Saturday, October 4-5, 2013.

Redfin property photos; 511 Park Rd, Rockville, MD 20850, Friday-Saturday, October 4-5, 2013.

My posting may get a bit sporadic now but I’ll always come back.

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The countdown to  Vegas has begun too so I see more posts in the near future.

Beautiful Bellagio

I don’t know Vegas well enough to say what is the most beautiful or the most sophisticated or the most anything. Everything we’ve seen and experienced so far in Vegas has been over the top but I did love everything about the Bellagio, from it’s dancing fountains to the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

I have a video of the fountains but so far have not been able to complete an upload so until then here is a still photo to share the experience with you.

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Chihuly in the lobby

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The Gardens decked out for Chinese New Year.

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Time For The High Roller

We took our time over lunch at the Venetian but finally it was time to begin our trip back toward the Linq. We had show tickets and we didn’t want to miss out on riding that huge Ferris Wheel. The High Roller.

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The High Roller is at the bottom of the Linq promenade which makes it fun just to get to it with all kinds of shops and fountains along the way.

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We bought our tickets from the concierge at the Linq. The price changes from the daytime to nighttime rates at 5 pm. It was 4:30. We would get the day rate while enjoying a desert sunset.

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From the first time I saw the High Roller all I could think of was Star Wars. The white pods just made me think of something from one of those movies. It only needed a storm trooper!

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Inside wasn’t what I expected. I had heard of wedding parties renting the pods and bars set up in them but they hardly seemed big enough for a crows, especially a rowdy crowd intent on drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been on a Ferris Wheel enclosed like this.

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The wheel is 550 ft high and the ride from start to finish is about 30 minutes. The pods move at about 1 ft/ sec and it never stops turning. Unlike a Ferris Wheel at a fair where it stops and starts to let passengers on and off, the passengers on the High Roller enter while the pod is slowly passing them by.

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Inside is like command central with 8 monitor screens letting you watch the pods above and below your own.

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Plus there the “talking head”. I found him very funny but Joe thought he was quite annoying. You’ll have to go and make your own decision.

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But no matter what, taking this ride at sunset was a perfect time. It was relaxing and beautiful, The huge windows allowing an amazing view.

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Alas, all things must come to an end and too soon we were back to the bottom preparing to step off the moving pod to good old terra firma.

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I highly recommend this. Even for my sister, who says she is afraid of heights.