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?  

eiffel tower and balloon

 

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.

 

view from our window

 

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.

 

paris street

 

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.

 

eiffel tower legs in the casino

 

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.

 

strip view at night

 

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 ...

 

privee sil vous plait

 

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.

A Year Ago on Just a Little Further (11/4-11/10)

What a difference a year makes!  What Nine of Cups and Crew were doing a year ago this week (click on links for full posts):

 

bit fall at mona

 

Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)

"A very discriminating friend of ours said, 'If MONA was in New York City, it would be rated one of the best museums in the world.'  With an endorsement like that, how could we miss it? The day was cold, raw and rainy as we headed north of Hobart in the marina courtesy van to the Museum of Old and New Art aka MONA."

 

cups at anchor

 

Challenge versus Sacrifice

"We’ve seen and done things that few people in the world will ever see and we feel absolutely blessed for the opportunities and experiences. Innumerable, astounding sunrises and sunsets. The moai of Easter Island from an anchorage at Anakena beach. A snowball fight on deck in Tierra del Fuego. Standing on the rim of an active volcano in Vanuatu. Sitting on a rock in Antarctica surrounded by Gentoo penguins. Swinging in a hammock in a thatch hut on stilts while having lunch with the Wounaan people in the Darien Jungle. Fishing for piranha in the Amazon River. Staring down at Cups anchored in Bounty Bay from atop a high cliff on Pitcairn Island. No, this isn’t sacrifice. No need to feel sorry for us. This is what we live for."

 

bruny island ferry

 

Take the Ferry to Bruny Island

"We were finished with boat work for the time being and looking for a morning respite. We’d walked down to the Bruny Island Ferry Terminal before. It’s only a 10-15 minute walk from the marina. We’d previously noted the times for the ferry departure while also noting that walk-on’s rode for “free”. One of our favorite words. I packed a couple of sandwiches and a bottle of water and we headed down to the ferry dock. We were heading to Bruny Island."