Las Vegas

Welcome to Las Vegas

I met my cousin, Meg, from Chicago at the McCarran Airport in Las Vegas to spend a long weekend there. Our plans included seeing some of Vegas, family, a very good friend, Zion National Park, the Valley of Fire, and two shows, without losing too much money on the slot machines. Meg and I had already joined up in Vegas in February 2007 and the photos I took then are on www.peggysphotos.com, Albums, page 26. There are also more photos on that site of Las Vegas on page 39 of Albums.

Welcome to Las Vegas

Citycenter

CityCenter in Las Vegas opened in December 2009 and neither of us had seen it yet. It is located between the Monte Carlo and the Bellagio and is quite surprising: the name CityCenter is quite apt as you can easily believe you are in a large metropolitan city here. Over 76 acres are three new hotels: the Aria (the two middle buildings), the Mandarin Oriental (left of photo), and the Vdara (between the Aria and the Bellagio and, as one of our tour guides told us, it is one of two hotels in Vegas without a casino––the Trump Towers being the other). Another new hotel, the Cosmopolitian, also in similar design as the other three, is close–by but is not part of CityCenter. We asked at the Aria for a map of the sculptures in CityCenter and we saw some of them, but gave up our hunt when a cold wind started blowing and we just wanted inside warmth. The sculpture in this photo was our favorite: “Typewriter Eraser, Scale X, 1998–1999,” by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen.

Citycenter

The Veer Towers

I think these are office buildings. Because of the angles they were built at, it looks like one of them is leaning. A worthwhile optical illusion to view.

The Veer Towers

CityCenter Buildings

No, this doesn’t look like the Vegas as we had known it: CityCenter buildings.

CityCenter Buildings

In Front of the Aria

A dragon in front of the Aria, not on the list of sculptures but still interesting.

In Front of the Aria

Waterfall at the Aria

The waterfall extends around one side of the front of the Aria.

Waterfall at the Aria

Sculpture at the Aria

One of the sculptures at the Aria.

Sculpture at the Aria

Another sculpture at the Aria.

Sculpture at the Aria

Henry Moore Sculpture

We also liked this Henry Moore sculpture: “Reclining Connected Forms––1969–1979” in Casino Square.

Henry Moore Sculpture

The sculpture seen from the other side.

Henry Moore Sculpture

Inside Crystals

We went inside the Crystals Retail and Entertainment Center, which is part of the CityCenter complex and is ultramodern. We saw high–end designer shops and restaurants, etc., including what I think is a bar in the photo.

Inside Crystals

We ate a very good lunch at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant.

Inside Crystals

Volleyball Anyone?

Now this looks like something you would see in Las Vegas––a volleyball sand court we saw from where we were going to catch the tram between the Aria and Bellagio.

Volleyball Anyone?

Art Work at the Tram Station

Some of the art work at the tram station at the Aria.

Art Work at the Tram Station

Seen from the Tram

The outside of the tram was blue and it seems the windows were also. The tram stops at the Vdara and then at the Bellagio. You can see some of the “old” Vegas hotels in the photo. The tram ride is free.

Seen from the Tram

Another photo taken from the Tram.

Seen from the Tram

The Bellagio

We got off the tram at the elegant Bellagio.

The Bellagio

Close–up of one of the flowers––these are real.

The Bellagio

The Conservatory at the Bellagio. Its theme changes. I think now it is something to do with spring.

The Bellagio

More of the Conservatory.

The Bellagio

A close–up.

The Bellagio

The famous Murano glass ceiling in the lobby at the Bellagio.

The Bellagio

A close–up.

The Bellagio

Scene behind the hotel desk.

The Bellagio

A close–up.

The Bellagio

Bellagio Patisserie

It is easy to miss this unbelievable patisserie unless you come into the Bellagio from the tram, so you may have to look around for it.