I love it when a plan comes together

'I'lll fix it for you...'

What's the plan

Never a question you hear with this lot. 

All dayer on the grog in the sun meant we needed a nap to reset the clock. 

Had a meal and the odd pint before ending up in a club. We had a laugh but the club looked better outside than in. Not more than an old theatre with the seats take out and a bar at the back. 

The lemo is not mine!

He's done. 

Cheeky Entry

Weekend in Barcelona with the Grog gang. 

'My arse is twitching like a rabbits nose' Ste. 

Nice hotel right on La Ramblas. 

From the room.

Wheels Up - Home

Sat at the back of the aircraft coming home. Noisy and the window seat was too far away to lean on and sleep. 

Slight delay after realising we had a passenger missing - only after we had

pushed back to the taxiway. Had to be tugged back for their luggage to be off loaded. 

What a great holiday. 7 hotels, 850 miles driven, 4 airports, two States. 

Useful Advice

Hotel Conclusion

The Cosmopatain is a lovely hotel. The problem is they have built the pools on the wrong side of the property. 

One pool is in share from about 3pm until 5 then it shuts at 7. The other pool has only a little gap of sun from about lunchtime which moves across the pool. Of course this is where everyone wants to stand, so there is a group of 30 people with beer and fag in hand shuffling about the pool. 

There is also multi level so lots of stairs and barriers, alumnium corners of the steps are leathal when super heated by the sun, as are the hand rails. 

The inflexability with the late checkout turn me off. The place isn't cheap to stay, on top we ate drank and gambled there - yet they wanted $100 for an additional 3 hours. 

The view from our room was amazing... But all in the Aria is a more all rounded hotel. More pools, poker, easier fast food options. 

Saying that, with the Quad and Lync hotels up strip opening later this year it might be worth a punt cheaper rooms lower mins on the tables. Plus the nice bars down there. 

Preparing to Leave

Last day. We fly at 17:30 but the Cosmopalitan would only extend our checkout by an hour until 12. Unless we paid a half day rate. 

Hour or so by the pool and we headed up to Ceasars to get her shoes that she saw the other night. 

We had lunch in Sugar Factory picked up the cases and headed to the airport. It wasn't busy and we cleared though and got to the gate with plenty to spare. 

Last chance at the slots. 

Last Night in Vegas

Always sad.

Meal in one of Gordon Ramsey's - pub food at Ceasars. To be honest it exceeded my expectations. He also has a burger joint in PH and something in Paris. 

From there we exploited the 2-1 drinks flyers in Fizz - a champaine lounge further up in  caesars. 

Then we headed up to the Linq back to yard ale for an IPA taster!

We found a $5 three card table in Flamingo before heading home. 

Elvis was trying his luck at craps. 

Holographic black jack dealers. 

Poker Day 2

No cash today. Crashed out in two consecutive hands for about 12th. 

Called an all in preflop and was ahead with 2s for them to hit one of their live cards. Then next hand shoved the other half of my stack in th SB with A9 to be called by the BB who have K7. He hit on the turn.  All done. 

The problem with the pool at the Cosmo is that for about two hous in the afternoon it is in shade. 

Cheesecake and Hyde

Cheesecake Factory, chicken katsu for me. Nice!

We comped some free tickets and drinks to Hyde in the Bellagio so popped our heads in there for a look. Right on the front more of a lounge club which is a close to the fountains as it gets. 

Surprisingly busy for a Tuesday, loads of tables being bought. About 30% of the people in there where staff - hosts, bouncers, runners, waitresses, dancers. 

Once the free drink vouchers had been used we left. 

Managaed to spin $20 up to $60 on a random slot machine. I won 35 free spins which is executed while I just sat and watched. They only input you have - pressing the button - wasn't even required. Just sat there watching random things win money. 

Had a drink in Lilly Lounge (used to be Caramel) which has had a might revamp for the better. As in they have out more lights in the dam place. 

Back to Bond at the Cosmo for lasties. 

The King

Saw Elivis in his council go kart on the way to a gig. Just stopped in the shade of a lamppost for a swig of beer. 

This was 10:30 in the morning by the way.

Poker

Not played any normal poker, with the queue for cash games at the Aria being big I managed to get out of bed an make it to the MGM for their 11am tourney. 

$50 with fees, rake and add-ons. I didn't rebuy, and landed 2nd prize out of about 35 or so players. Took the best part of 5 hours but was fun, the banter. 

The US where playing their World Cup game so the atomosphere was drunk and loud. Whooping and Hollering at every kick like it was a goal. 

Then it was back to the Cosmo for more of this...

Advertising Opportunities

You can get away from adverts the taxis have ceiling mounted screens, when the driver fires up the meter it kicks into life with loud adverts though the car speaker system. So every cab the first job is to mute this dam thing. 

Even when washing your hands someone is selling something. 

Back to the Rio

We scoped out an Indian earlier in the day and Mark and Angela wanted to see the poker. 

So headed back and and got curried up. Managed to score flyers for Voo Doo. 

They have a new ride, a zip line between the two Rio towers. A two man hanging seat with just a lap belt. You shoot across then it painfully drags you back. 

We came back to the Cosmo and a few round Vespars and then Bond. 

WSOP

The World Series of poker is on in the Rio, and we knew it was day two of the One Million pound drop game. 

We walked round the two confrence rooms which had other competitions going in. 

 

We got seats in the one drop audience to see the start of the afternoon session. Loads of famous players. 

We found the free shuttle bar to the strip. Dropped us back at Harrahs. 

Hotel Number 7

The Cosmopolitan. Great location, great hotel, great view. Nothing else to say.