ERICJAZ FOODIES: OUR FREE FUN IN LAS VEGAS (PART 3)

In our recent US vacation, I did not expect that the kids would love LAS VEGAS so much even though they were... well kids! Of course I thought: this "adult playground" was not called "Sin City" for nothing so I already plotted where we will go to that will be safe for children. When we went around the strip and casinos, we were able to catch shows that were not only free for everyone to watch, but it was also entertaining even for our little lords. And with that, YES, I will be using these two popular cliches on my blogpost...

What happened in Vegas, STAYED in Vegas....
Because.. We left our heart there....

Didn't make sense? Yeah I thought so.

Here's part 3 of our FREE FUN IN LAS VEGAS!

For our previous LOOOONG posts check out PART 1, and PART 2!!

LAS VEGAS!

When you have kiddies with you, you may want to bring them in CIRCUS CIRCUS!

It may not be the poshest casino in LAS VEGAS but it has an entire floor of games that could be enjoyed by the whole family.

Not only that, besides the party games, CIRCUS CIRCUS also has free shows for every 30 minutes!

CIRCUS CIRCUS has this small stage where various acts/stunts are performed.

It's very entertaining and something new for the little lords!

We don't have too many circus shows back at home.

TA-DAAH!

I hung back with Kuya Nap and Ate Shiela....

and NO I'm NOT pregnant. I will NOT wear this dress again. BELIEVE ME.

While waiting for the next show, we played some games in CIRCUS CIRCUS!

Each game would usually cost $1!

I played this game because, you guessed it, it's the same one that Jill St. John played in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER! He he he he!

I was smiling too much at the camera that I lost the contest! Grrr!

ARE YOU MOCKING ME CLOWN MAN?

Andrei was luckier and won for himself a blue Hi-5 stuffed toy!

With that, Mati wants to get one for himself too!

These guys are better than me!

It was actually pretty simple to win stuffed toys in CIRCUS CIRCUS as long you choose your game well.

I chose this one but I STILL did not win anything!

And no... I'm NOT pregnant.

If you want to get the bigger stuffed toys, you must win like 3 times or more. And yes, it's a dollar every time. He he he he he!

The thrill is in playing the game though.

Afterwards, another show came up in the CIRCUS CIRCUS stage.

Hmmmm....

Those pants are REALLY tight...

... as my Ate Sheila observed. Ha ha ha ha!

Our winnings for the night!!!! Yep! We brought all of that home! He he he he!

Mati's favorite was the teddy bear that the Chinese Adonis won for him.

While Andrei loved his new stuffed horse!

The boys played with their new toys the whole night!

The next day, master Mati even had the little bear beside him while playing Minecraft! He he he he!

On another night, Kuya Nap and Ate Sheila took us to MIRAGE hotel.

THE MIRAGE hotel used to carry the famous Siegfried and Roy show.

Unfortunately, they don't have that anymore. But you could still enjoy some of MIRAGE HOTEL's other free attractions...

Like this 20,000 gallon saltwater aquarium that is home to a variety of colorful fishies!

This old time hotel though was also famous for this free attraction for everyone...

THE MIRAGE Volcano show!

The Volcano show in THE MIRAGE hotel starts at 8:00am and goes on every hour until midnight.

All you have to do outside is pick your preferred place to watch the show and wait.

I already told poor Andrei that there will be some boom booms in the volcano. My little lord immediately covered his ears and prepared for the worst.

And then it starts....

The Volcano show also has a booming narration in the background.

Plus the accompanying musical composition by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and International Tabla Virtuoso Zakir Hussain!

The Volcano show runs for about 10 minutes.

It has a total of 150 fire shooters that blasts in perfect sync with the narration and music.

The Volcano show ends with an eruption that shoots a 10 feet explosion up in the air....

.... which scared little Andrei.

My poor baby cried and asked for a hug from Daddy and Mommy.

After he calmed down, we went back inside THE MIRAGE hotel to check out their inside rain forest.

It's a small display but a sight to behold still.

I was not able to bring my trusted Tripey here so I relied on the niceness of passers by. He he he he he!

The YAPPY BUNCH does THE MIRAGE!

Wow... Check out the high skirt on that one!

At this point, Andrei was impersonating a zombie.

Later on Andrei asked to have a picture taken with this statue. Yup he really did!

Wait a minuute...???

Haaaay.... !!!!

We may just be at a mere bridgeway going to the car but the view and the cool weather was something we did not want to forget!

Good bye MIRAGE! Uy there's an ORB!

I just love it when a strong gust of wind goes at the same time when my picture is taken. HELLO forehead!

On another night, we went back to LAS VEGAS strip once more.

"May we help you?"

Like chandeliers?

See a LOT more in THE COSMOPOLITAN of Las Vegas!

There's a particularly lovely display in the second floor.

Hello!

He he he he! Me and the Chinese Adonis!

Sorry, it's just too beautiful for us to ignore!

Me and Ate Sheila!

ERICJAZ FOODIES with family in THE COSMOPOLITAN!

A very handsome black guy in a suit offered to take this picture who passed by and saw us. Such a gentleman!

In THE COSMOPOLITAN there was also an interesting display that you won't see everyday.

Here's Liberace's Duesenberg Roadster!

And this very big shoe!

You know what they say... Big shoes mean big...

Wait that's for boys. He he he he!

Later on we went outside to check out the strip once more!

It was very convenient that COSMOPOLITAN had an overpass connecting to other hotels.

It was so near Planet Hollywood

....and Aria.

Oh such cuteness!

Everywhere you look is perfect for a photo op!

I should've told him... WEH????

Yes! Everywhere you look there's something interesting to see.

When then went to MGM GRAND for a quick look!

There was going to be a fight on May 24!

I SAID May 24!!

Ah that's more like it! Ha ha ha ha!

The hotel truly lived up to its name because it had a GRAND lobby and front desk!

My husband went around and checked out the various boxing memorabilia in MGM GRAND.

Hmmmm... I think that fits me!

Is it just me or is the tank top something that I could wear too?

Yes me and my "biceps"! He he he he!

Yub was engrossed with the boxing stuff on display. As for me, I kept myself so entertained people watching...

I saw a handful of barefooted ladies carrying their heels...

A drunk lady about to collapse...

A tall woman with the slinkiest dress!

Wohoo! Let's get ready to rumble!

Hmmm... so we've been to Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, and the MGM Grand.

Yup! That covers the casinos robbed in OCEAN'S ELEVEN! He he he!

At another day, we went back to CAESAR'S PALACE!

Though it could be more exciting to go hotel hopping at night, the sights have a different kind of awesome level during the day time.

Hmmm... I could totally imagine Julius Caesar living here before! Ha ha ha ha ha!

He came, he saw, he conquered!

CAESAR'S PALACE!

We had a quick snack at SERENDIPITY (blogpost coming soon) and we went back to the hotel to watch the free show we missed the last time.

The Fall of Atlantis!

The "Fall of Atlantis" is located in the forum shops in CAESAR'S PALACE.

The Fall of Atlantis is a 7 minute show that goes on every hour until 11:00pm.

It is like our favorite COD show during Christmas with the animatronic figures. However, this show is closer to the audience and has more special effects with matching explosions.

Kuya Nap did not tell Andrei that there will be boom booms in the show so that he won't get scared.

After the gods decided it's fate, Atlantis fell....

... and the kids did not get scared at all! They loved the show!

For dinner, we passed by BUFFALO WILD WINGS for some spicy chicken. Now this was not really free but just wanted to share how great Andrei is at calculating.

All of us were having a hard time getting a stuffed toy from their game ($1 each!!!) but when it was Andrei's turn he got not one, but two stuffed toys at ONE try! I guess the Blue Donkey was good friends with the Red Monkey that he tagged along again.

There was also this stand in at BUFFALO WILD WINGS and a lady server was assigned to take pictures of diners at NO extra charge! Neat huh?

At the end of our Las Vegas vacation, we had the best day/night of all!

Since we were really in the US to celebrate Andrei's 7th birthday, we sang to him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

His birthday was really on December 15 but we could only make the trip during their summer vacation.

Our last night may just be spent at home but we were with the people we love and that's all that matters!

On our ride to the airport, I know we may have missed a lot but my little family was still very happy. We loved that we have seen some of the popular attractions in the strip that did not cost us an arm or foot yet we still enjoyed every minute of it (except Andrei in the MIRAGE). It is these kind of family activities that prove more special to us because we answered a challenge to look for something practical yet fun for our trip. Sure it's easy to just book, splurge, and see the current trend. But in the long run what we will remember was our family bonding that payed homage to the classics of Sin City.... for free. :)