Paris for our Anniversary...ohh, la, la

Can you think of a more romantic spot to celebrate a wedding anniversary than Paris? La Tour Eiffel, L'Arc de Triomphe, croissants, wine, walking hand in hand, lunch at little bistros. Okay … we only had two days to get away, so it was Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, but hey, it beats Paris, Texas, don't you think?  

Mary dropped us off around 11am and we checked in early. We snagged a particularly good Summer Promo deal on-line ($42/night!). We told them at the check-in counter that we were celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary. The woman said “The best I can do is give you a view.” Well, she really did an outstanding job in that department. When we checked into our room and opened the drapes, we were gobsmacked with what we saw.

Two days to relax, luxuriate and enjoy each other's exclusive company. We're not gamblers, but Las Vegas offers much more and we set about doing the things we like best. (We'll skip the x-rated parts.) Like all Las Vegas casinos, there are no windows and no clocks … time of day just slips away. The Paris sky was always dusky blue and the streetlamps were always on. We sauntered along the faux-cobblestone streets of Paris town taking it all in and window-shopped till we found a little place for a late lunch. Yes, we could hear the slot machines jingling and the roulette wheels spinning, but it just became part of the background noise of a big city. We were oblivious to it all.

The hotel has done an excellent job with the Parisian theme. The lobby is elegant with huge chandeliers and columns and marble floors. The four support legs of the half-size Eiffel Tower extend into the casino. All the signs are in French. The facade of Parisian streets is quite realistic. There is no Louvre; no Notre Dame; no arrondissements; no Seine. But L'Arc de Triomphe is there (despite the fact Gordon Ramsey has his picture on it … bah!) and there's a bridge with love locks on it.

We enjoyed the cool of our room after lunch. The temp soared to 112F/44C in the afternoon. When it cooled down to 95F/35C in the evening, we walked south on the Strip till our feet were hot and tired. The rainbow of flashing neon lights and the cacophony of sounds are sensory overload. Everything is big … no, gi-normous … in Las Vegas ... oversized and so spectacular that your eyes are ready to pop out of your head and your ears need a break.

We retreated once again to the quiet seclusion and coolness of our room. We're saving the trip to the top of the La Tour Eiffel and perhaps a show for our anniversary night. In the meantime, a bottle of Clos du Bois was chilling and ...

Oh, there's lots more in the coming days. Walking the Strip, the sights and sounds of Las Vegas and even ways to celebrate in Vegas … champagne style on a beer budget. If we can't be sailing and at sea, we can still enjoy what life has to offer in the desert.