Day 327, 27 May 2013, Las Vegas, Nevada - Shows at the Rio.... "The Rat Pack is Back" (www.ratpackisback.com) and Penn & Teller (www.pennandteller.com)
It killed us to do it, but we forsook the shady early hours at the pool and tripped down the Strip to one of the multitudes of "tix4tonite" booths. We spent some time yesterday figuring out a hit list of things we'd like to see if the price was right, so went in forearmed with knowledge of how much tickets cost online. We avoided the nasty outdoor caravan booths with long lines and sunshine and headed indoors to the more peaceful version - ended up making Rio our destination for the evening - James was keen to see the Rat Pack reincarnated in The Rat Pack is Back and I was thoroughly overexcited at the thought of seeing Penn & Teller the magicians live - having only seen them on TV years ago. Great deals to be had on P&T for instance - $92 online (crazy money) vs. $58 for the same ticket on the day of the show. We restocked with some groceries and headed home, tickets in hand and then it struck. Aaargh! The urge to gamble (that's what happens after walking past a squillion slot machines). And thus it went, $10 in "stupid tax" paid into a slot machine. $0 paid out - but boy, we had fun. Lazed by pool, had lunch & a snooze and then ventured out to the Rio Casino for the shows - Rat Pack was cool baby... you dig? (useful rat pack lexicon displayed prior to the show ;-) The music and songs were great - especially the New York, New York grand finale - but the funniest thing to occur was prior to the show, on the advertising posters at the theatre - "Actors Portray Characters". Yep. Just in case anyone thought Frankie, Sammy, Dean or Joey were returning from the grave for one show only. Mind you, it must be a common error - the poster for Michael Jackson One - a tribute show, also had the same warning about an actor portraying the character. Again a bargain - $45 instead of $67 online - Remember, Never, Ever, Pay Retail. The highlight of the night however was Penn & Teller. We cruised through Rio (definitely flashy, but soooooo not the flashest place in Vegas - if it ever was). Arriving at Penn & Teller's Theatre, all was forgiven - great theatre, awesome views, a packed house and from the second the show started we were spellbound - They were even better than I remembered them from TV and it was James's first exposure to their uber-cool brand of magic where they pretend to show you the secrets behind the tricks and then bamboozle you even further (if you're in the mood google Penn & Teller tricks - look out for fish bowl, little teapot, cows and sawing a woman in half - just to name a few). We spent ages talking about the show afterward whilst partaking in a favourite Vegas past-time - free stuff. Namely the shuttle to take us from Rio back to the Strip - where we proceeded to globe trot - past Caesar's Palace and the Colosseum (Italy), past the magical dancing fountains at the Bellagio and on to Paris, France to see the Tour de Eiffel once more. Biggest tip on the strip? Keep your hands in your pockets - means no-one can give you brochures for Grand Canyon trips or strippers or buffets or shows (or even shows involving strippers eating buffets at the Grand Canyon). Of course, keeping your hands in your pockets whilst in casinos is probably also a good idea. And so, eventually, so late it was early, we finally went to bed. God Bless the "Do Not Disturb" sign.