Swimming with Sharks ...in Las Vegas?

My New Year's Resolution:  Go down the 3-story water slide.  I've never been down even a 2-foot water slide in my life.  Bob nixed the idea:  "Act your age; you'll break your back and be an invalid for the rest of your life!"  Actually I was only worried about my feet.  If I don't keep them perfectly warmed, I get frost bite...that's how inferior my circulation is.  But it's a new year, and it's time to stop living in fear (my miserable enemy).  When Bob wasn't looking, I did it!!  When I came up from the water I realized all kinds of fears had been washed away.  The sharks had liberated me!!

I took off exploring (on my own).  Upstairs was another pool with in-water lounges, surrounded by double beds, complete with pillows.  Need I say this was an "adults only" area? 

It could be busy during the day, but I found out "The Retreat" was open late.  When the sun was setting, I had the pool and cabanas to try out all on my own.

.

I hastened through the casino next, trying to hold my breath to limit the damage from second-lung smoke.  Outside the half-dome cover over Fremont Street was lit up with ads.   Zip-line enthusiastics went by squealing overhead.  I was invited to be a street magician's assistant.  Fun.  He was from Switzerland and was loaded with charm and talent.  Then I watched spray paint artists create fascinating art with unimaginably quick strokes and clever shielding of areas they wanted free from an added color.  But I was undeterred in my quest.  Focus, Eileen... focus.   I wanted to find... chocolate...the darker the better.  Walgreen's had just the fix I needed.

I couldn't resist taking the above picture of this Fremont Street classic. You really can eat free if your are 350 pounds (minimum). "Nurses" are your waitresses, because you will clog every available artery with the food they serve. At the "Heart Attack Grill" you have to walk in on your own, but they have an ambulance to assist in your departure.  As glitzy as Vegas gets, I kept being drawn back to the shark tank and the giant aquarium at our Rush Tower registration desk.  It had a wondrously well-designed, high-end restaurant wrapped around behind the aquarium.   It beckoned to me each time I walked by.  The fish and I became fast friends, as we had to stay for 3 days before we could get a plane.  They raised the price of our room $20 each day we stayed.  Intertesting.

With plenty of time, I made a movie of Las Vegas chandeliers.  Really!  Ask me, and I'll share it.

I took one last swim, but this time all of the way around the shark tank.  I thought the water would be cooler on the back side (the shaded part of the pool) but it wasn't.  The coldest part was standing under one of the water falls.  I hadn't been swimming in so long...it was a truly FREEing experience.

Below is the poster the hotel has hung outside to lure visitors in.  Come shoot the tube!

We finally flew out...to Minneapolis and then to Orlando.  We flew right over our kids' home on Lake Fredrica.  What a beautiful sight.  Let's play tigers and go fish on the dock!