The city of Las Vegas is a great place, but I got to go there sometime when I can gamble. Still, there was a lot to do, and we did do some stuff. I went with my half-brother, his wife, their two small kids, and my sister. Nice to take a vacation from the house. I didn’t do any work at all: not on my website, not on any stories, and no homework.

So, I’ll list some of the things I did, but not in order. I don’t like that tedium.

Rode Big Shot. Shoots you straight up into the air. Think of something like Drop Zone at Paramount’s Great America, but in reverse. It’s a nice ride. It’s on top of the Stratosphere tower. The line, however, was another story. It took way too long to get up there. And I’m talking about getting into the elevators to get to the tower, not the line to actually get on the ride. The wait for the elevator on the way back was worse. There seemed to be only one that was operational. A big hotel like that with only one elevator down? Hm, I think I found one reason Stratosphere is losing money. Isn’t it a bit hard to lose money with a casino? I mean, the odds are in your favor. Anyway, we rechristened Stratosphere with the name Ghettosphere. That’s not even mentioning the roach we saw while we were waiting in line. The ride’s new name is Big Gun Shot.

The fountains at Bellagio are really something. When I own a fairly large home, I want a mini-version in my front yard. With music! They changed some of the songs since I last went, which was a while ago. One of them was the “Beef… it’s what’s for dinner” theme. Yes, I know that song wasn’t originally that, but that’s what I kept thinking of. Still, the fountains retain their elegance that make them so appealing.

I saw the musical “Mamma Mia!” at Mandalay Bay. It’s a fun show with some fun music. I would definitely recommend it for people to see. I’ve only seen three musicals in my life and I liked them all. I’ve never realized that, even though I wouldn’t exactly say I’m a fan of musicals. Then again, I’ve never been an anime fan, but I’ve started watching it recently. If you’re thinking about it, look up some of the songs first, then decide.

More tomorrow…