Reflected grandeur

Following a really good night's sleep we decided to go down to The Strip for a couple of hours. Having been to the winter display in the Bellagio's conservatory last year I was keen to see what they had conjured up for Autumn and Halloween. I was not disappointed. I don't think I have ever seen such huge pumpkins and other gourds as they had on display, together with wonderful sections of chrysanthemums in all shades providing a sea of colour and invading all the senses. Furthermore they had a talking tree!

We then left the buzz of activity and glamour of the Bellagio and made our way across the road in the mid-day heat to have a look at "Paris" and Planet Hollywood, neither of which I had seen on my last visit. Each have their individual styles and ambience, although both offered the essential luxury of air conditioning, and I admit to favouring the chic of the former where we indulged in fabulous ice- cream from a patisserie offering cakes to die for, eating them leisurely as we strolled through the well replicated streets of Paris. It was as we returned for our car that I noticed these shimmering reflections in the water in front of the Bellagio on the left of the picture, the famous fountain display being in quiet mode for a change. The large building to the right is only one part of a truly large complex known as Caesar's Palace which boasts a very high profile designer shopping mall where window shopping is the only kind to be entertained unless you have an exceedingly bottomless purse.

On the way home we came down to earth and stopped to get a big BBQ burger - they certainly know how to make these over here! As I type this I am sitting outside at 6.30pm enjoying a delightful balmy warmth now that the sun has almost snuggled down in its duvet, leaving behind a shimmer of pink in the sky behind the mountain range.

It is 3am on Friday UK time, so I hope you are all similarly snuggled in to your duvets!

A couple more photos of the canyon of yesterday's blip here and here