Viva Las Vegas!

After spending a week in sunny Arizona we loaded up in the car and headed to Las Vegas.

We were given an unexpected treat along the way--Joshua Trees.  These trees are amazing, we had to stop and get some pictures.

We had dinner reservations at Tao, an Asian bistro at the Venetian.  This is a special treat for us when we visit Vegas.  We don't gamble so this is how we enjoy the city.  We started with some steamed edamame.  Yum!

The main entree--Peking duck!  I am not kidding when I say this is delicious!

This is what a Peking duck looks like when you're finished with it.

Next on the agenda was a walk over to The Mirage to see the Beatle's Love Cirque du Soleil. 

This show is usually on hiatus when we're in Vegas so it was nice to finally be able to see it.  The music was fantastic!

After the show we made the long walk back down the strip to the Monte Carlo where we were staying.  There's Trump Tower--don't worry I didn't go vandalize it.

Vegas didn't seem as exciting as usual.  The crowds were smaller.  Vegas is usually decked out for the holidays, but this year it wasn't.  I think the city is still recovering from the shooting in October.  Definitely more subdued.

Here's another sign of the times..all along the strip they are installing barriers to protect pedestrians on the sidewalks.  I'm glad to see they're doing, but I'm sad it's needed.

The next morning we got up early and headed over to the Vegas Convention Center for the first of three Cowboy Christmas venues.  If you're a little bit country (or a lot country) this is the place to be for all things Western.  Afterwards we continued over to the Sands and Mandalay Bay Convention Centers to check them out too.  I walked about 11 miles in my cowboy boots that day!

Then it was the main event!  The 9th performance of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)!  

Yes, we had nosebleed seats, but who cares?  It starts with the introduction of all the cowboys and cowgirls by state.  The top 15 money earners in each event are invited to compete.  It's the best of the best!

I spent a lot of time playing with my camera to try to get some good action shots, but it was impossible.

Here's the man--Trevor Brazile.  If you don't know who he is go google him.

Of course there were rodeo queens displaying the sponsor flags.

Then it's time for the ladies.

The night ends with the bulls (and bull fighters).  The bulls won that night--not a single qualified ride.  What amazes me are the people who leave during the bull riding.  A seat at this rodeo costs hundreds of dollars and people actually get up and leave before it's finished.  Is it really that important to get out of the parking lot that fast?

 So, I like to go to Vegas for the WNFR and Cowboy Christmas.  I hate Vegas otherwise...I find the whole gambling thing very depressing. People who put their hard earned money into those machines or on the tables and decimate their finances are kind of sad.  That money could be put to so much better use...charity, rodeo tickets, seeing the world, etc.

A couple years ago it was announced that the WNFR was moving to central Florida.  What???  The whole country world stood together and said they were not going to support the event in Florida.  It didn't take long for the PRCA to come back and say "Just Kidding...the rodeo is staying in Vegas".

We'll be back in a couple years!