Day 5

Finally, we got to sleep in a bit! The bed in the Flamingo was so very comfortable and I awoke happily at 10am. Once we were up and ready, we headed to the Mirage for the famous Champagne Brunch. All-you-can eat buffets are abundant everywhere but this one is unique. The quality of the food as well as the selections made this brunch a satisfying experience. My first course consisted of eggs benedict, bacon, sausage, and a cinnamon roll. To drink I had coffee, water, and champagne. My second course was made up of king crab legs (mmmmm!), steamed mussels, shrimp dumplings, and pork fried rice. Lastly, I enjoyed more bacon, fried dough, and chocolate mousse. To say I was stuffed is an understatement! We walked off our gluttonous ways by heading to the Venetian and checking out the gorgeous indoor shops with blue sky and clouds, gondolas on the canals. It was like we were really in Venice....well not really but it was cool to hear the melodies belted out by the gondoliers as we navigated the Venetian's halls. We headed back outside and walked the strip a bit, I wished I had a jacket as it was quite chilly.....NOT!!! The heat was searing as we walked, but again like an enjoyable sauna, I liked the heat. Not for a long time or with rigorous exercise, but it was nice in small doses.

The pool was our next destination! We navigated the numerous landscaped pools, beach chairs, outdoor bars, real flamingos, and more to find a good spot where we could relax in some poolside lounge chairs. We laid for a few and then headed for some cool refreshment in the water. I was amazed at how cool I was in the waist-high water despite the hot weather. The temperature was probably 110 but I felt like it was 70. We enjoyed the water slide and stood under the waterfall before heading back inside for some relaxation.
The evening was spent with some shopping, strip-walking, roulette-playing (lost $40 so finished about even in Vegas), and we finished our night by watching dueling pianos at Harras. It is remarkable just how many songs those guys know the words to!