The Neon Museum, Las Vegas.

US Friday 21st June - 2019

Just returned to my hotel before I venture out to Caesars Palace this evening to see the Jerry Seinfeld Show.

Today’s experience at the Neon Museum here in Las Vegas was like going back to the 20th Century for me. The first time I visited Las Vegas and the famous Strip was way back in 1969, way before smart phones and iPads.

One of the Las Vegas classics: The Golden Nugget

 
I can remember wandering down Las Vegas Blvd with my Standard 8mm movie camera shooting many of the Neon Signs that I saw this morning in the bone yard of this museum. I still have all that footage at home in one of my wardrobes, so needless to say today’s experience bought back many wonderful memories of a bye gone era for me.

Almost all of the casinos that were prominent then have had to be demolished to make way for progress and the changing road system plus the multi story monoliths of today.

A boneyard of Neon signs from hotels past here in Las Vegas

As you can see by the photographs, this Neon Museum has preserved and saved many of those wonderful Neon Signs that were the trade mark of the strip back in the day of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford & Joey Bishop).

Almost all of the original Casinos and Neon signs are no longer in existence, for those of you that are old enough to remember these iconic names from the past:

* Stardust.
* Sahara.
* Frontier.
* The Star Dust.
* Moulin Rouge.
* The Mint.
* The Sands
* The Golden Nugget.

Plus many more that are too many to list here, and who could ever forget the flamboyant Liberace, his museum closed its doors here on October 17th 2010, his museum had also fallen victim to changing tastes of tourists. Liberace died of Pneumonia on February 4th 1987 as a result of AIDS at his home in Palm Springs, California at the age of 67.

Ten lovely young ladies that are visiting Las Vegas from Cleveland, Ohio

I also managed to catch up with 10 lovely young ladies [above] that are visiting Las Vegas from Cleveland, Ohio to celebrate their friend's bachelorette party. The lady in question is on the far left. 

The museum made these beauties turn their Tee-shirts inside-out before they would give them permission to enter, if you look closely... you can see why. They told them that this museum was a family friendly attraction. Spoil sports, this would never have happened in the “GOOD OLD DAYS”.

The original Stardust sign being installed in 1968

I need to go and prepare myself for this evening's BIG night out, I can’t wait because I have loved Jerry Seinfeld since watching him on his hilarious TV Show.

Cheers for now.

Warbo.

NB: I must also remind you in case you have forgotten.  “Adventure before Dementia”

The Mob Museum, Las Vegas

US Thursday 20th June - 2019

I pounded the streets for most of the day today checking out the various highlights and Casinos along the famous Las Vegas strip in the searing Nevada desert heat, I do not know whether the temperatures here in Vegas are any cooler than in Phoenix, Arizona.

On my rounds today I had to go to the box office at Caesars Palace to pick up my ticket that I had pre-ordered in Australia for the Jerry Seinfeld performance tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow night I'm off across the street to Caesars Palace
to see Jerry Seinfeld perform live at the Colosseum

Additionally, appearing next door at the Mirage Casino is none other than Jay Leno so I decided to bite the bullet and extend my stay here in Las Vegas by another day so that I can see his show on Saturday evening before heading back to Phoenix on Sunday.

I was lucky enough to see Jay Leno at the Comedy Club in LA probably 30-years ago while on a Qantas layover there. This was way back even before he took over the Tonight Show from Johnny Carson in 1992, so that will tell you how long ago it was.

At the time he was a brilliant stand up comedian, so there should be no reason why his show on Saturday evening will be any different.

The Trump International Hotel is a 64-story
luxury Hotel, condominium and timeshare. 

First thing this morning I drove down Las Vegas Blvd to my hero’s luxury pub; the Trump International Hotel. I was last there in 2016 just after Mr Trump announced that he would put his hand up for the Presidency of the United States, the rest is history.

The Mob Museum is about 5-miles north of the Trump International Hotel, so my next port of call was to visit this nonprofit organisation with a mission to advance my knowledge and understanding of organised crime’s history and impact on America society. The Mob Museum offers a bold and authentic view of organised crime from vintage Las Vegas to the back alleys of American cities.

The Mob Museum - Las Vegas

Inside the magnificently restored 1933 former courthouse and Post office (which by the way was the tallest 3-story building in Las Vegas at that point of time) you can explore the real stories and actual events of the Mob's history through interactive exhibits and see hundreds of artifacts on display.

The Al Capone revolver took my fancy that was
displayed in this glass case

Do you recognise this man in the photo below??? (Would you buy a 2nd Hand Model A Ford from him?), he is waiting to meet his fate in ‘Old Sparky’ he is sitting in the electric chair that inmates famously nicknamed ‘Old Sparky’ long ago.The warden asked him for any last words, apparently he said “all l want to do is get back to the Shire”...

Me trying out 'old sparky'

However, before this person in 'the chair' can return back home to his beloved 'Sutherland Shire' he will be accommodated for 4-nights here on The Strip at Harrah’s Las Vegas Casino.

My accommodation here in Sin City
for four nights - Harrahs Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

They could only just fit him in, the Harrahs Hotel & Casino which offers 2,677 rooms, 1,200 slot machines with an attached Casino providing 91,833 sq ft (8,531.6 square mtrs) of space. Even the new apartment development at the Kirrawee Brick Pit is not that big!!!

Last but not least in today’s report is the photograph and story behind the 43-story Mandalay Bay luxury Resort and Casino that received world-wide publicity on October 2nd, 2017 for all the wrong reasons.

The Mandalay Bay Hotel - Las Vegas

Stephen Paddock shot and murdered 58 innocent people when he open fired on them from his room on the 32nd floor, the Casino has since eliminated and renumbered that floor where all the action took place. What does ‘Mandalay’ mean? It is the second largest City and the last capital of Mayanmar (Burma).

So that my friends is the end of another day here in Sin City.

Hope you enjoyed the report.

Cheers 

Warbo

Phoenix to Las Vegas

US Wednesday 19th June - 2019

Another exciting and adventurous day on the road to Las Vegas, where I'm off to see Jerry Seinfeld perform at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace.

I departed Phoenix this morning at 0600 for the 500-mile drive via the scenic route that Sammy and I planned out last night over a cuppa of Bushell’s tea.

I really did not want to follow the Interstate Highways all the way from Phoenix, so I decided that I would only drive west on Interstate 10 to Quartzite, (20-miles from the Californian Border) from there I headed north to Lake Havasu City to take a look at Lake Havasu that they all rave about over here. Not only that, this is where the old London Bridge is situated.

Joining onto the old Historic Route 66 through
Arizona from Topock via Oatman to Kingman.

As you can see by the photograph [below] I really think that the American who purchased the bridge from the Poms before dismantling it piece by piece way back in 1964 must have thought that he was buying the London Tower Bridge. 

This unique attraction offers the English Village filled with shops and eateries; boat rentals and tours of the Lake itself, however I was not that impressed with what I saw, I sure would like to have the $’s that it must have cost to relocate it here from where it once spanned the River Thames for about 80-years.

Once I departed Lake Havasu, I then headed north again towards the dreaded Interstate Highway 40. Thank heavens that I only had to drive 8-miles east on that road before I once again turned north at a little place called Topock for the most exciting time of the drive.

The London Bridge that once spanned the River Thames was purchased,
then dismantled and shipped to Arizona in 1967.

Little did I know what was ahead of me for the following 68 miles. When Sammy and I were discussing the route last night that I would take he told me not to miss out driving the old Historic Route 66 from Topock via Oatman to Kingman.

This is the longest section still in use of the original Historic Route 66 across America.

In Oatman, wild donkeys come out of the
mountains during the day and roam the town's streets

If only I had the Porsche with me, instead of the Toyota Echo, what a road. Very narrow, very rough with plenty of bends and sharp turns winding through the mountains, many of the corners were 15mph max, I can assure you that I would have had the time of my life let loose on that section of Route 66. One can only dream.

Approximately 30-miles into the journey I came around this corner and right there in front of me in the middle of nowhere in the desert was this ever so small town called Oatman, Arizona. This place is an historic gold mining town born in 1906 as a tent camp for miners.

The Main Street in Oatman

Located in the Black Mountains, Oatman offers visitors quaint shops, restaurants and a couple of watering holes. As you can see by the photograph [above] a town landmark are the burros (wild donkeys that come out of the mountains during the day) and roam the streets. Quite unique I thought and very friendly.

The Oatman gunfighters stage free 'Old West' show-downs and shoot outs on the town’s main street (Historic Route 66) daily. Do yourself a favour and be sure to put this one down on your 'Bucket List' you will not be disappointed, trust me.

After that exhilarating adventure it was now time to hit the road again and check out the Riverside Resort and Casino in Laughlin just over the border in the State of Nevada. On the 3rd floor of this Casino there is a Classic Car collection that I am also glad I did not miss.

Part of the vintage slot machine collection
at Laughlin's Riverside Resort & Casino

Located in Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort and Casino there are two showrooms that feature more than 85 classic and rare automobiles from Don Laughlin’s private collection, also home to his antique slot machine, pinball machine and license plate collection.

On display in the showrooms there are vehicles of various makes and models, and as you can see by the photo [below], he also had a ‘57 Chevy Bel Air that was better than when it came out of the show room.

A gorgeous ‘57 Chevy Bel Air that was in better condition than
when it came out of the showroom as new.

By now time was slipping away and I still had another 100-miles to drive before I would arrive in Las Vegas, so I put the pedal to the metal and arrived here in Vegas around 8:00pm tonight, checked into my Hotel, thoroughly satisfied with my day's adventures.

Later this evening I may take a drive down Las Vegas Boulevard, better known as The Strip and take some photos of the bright lights on the strip. We’ll see how I feel, nothing else for now.

Cheers

Warbo