Happy New Year!! Tomorrow is Chinese New Year, the dawn of the Year of the Goat (or Sheep or Ram). The date varies from year-to-year, but Chinese New Year falls on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system.
Whatever the date, it’s time to celebrate! Chinese New Year is enjoyed with street parades and festivals, dancing, traditional Chinese costumes, fireworks, and so on. And the spirit of these festivities was on display at the Bellagio Conservatory in Las Vegas when I recently visited it. The entire Conservatory was decorated for the celebration, with Chinese New Year themed decorations, colorful flowers, and an exhibit of animatronic goats. It was beautiful and great fun!
If there’s a single place I try to get to everytime I come to Las Vegas it’s the Bellagio. Even if its rooms are too pricy for many budgets, anyone can visit and enjoy its beauty for free. The Conservatory is always magnificently displayed. After you’re done with an exploration of the floral exhibits, head out to the lake in front of the resort and enjoy the beautiful dancing fountains (another of the best free shows in town). The Bellagio has the best Vegas weekend brunch of those that I’ve tried (obviously not free).
Here are some photos of the amazing Chinese New Year exhibit at the Bellagio:
Even for people who don’t gamble – like me – Las Vegas puts on such a great show that its an absolute pleasure to visit.
The colours and the floral displays are second to none.
I do miss the water show at the Bellagio.
And so much of it is free.
Maybe not as old as some of the exhibits would have you
believe.
But a thing of beauty is a joy forever !
If Vegas relied on gamblers like us, none of those fabulous buildings would exist.
I like Vegas in small doses. A long weekend is just about perfect, and usually then to meet with friends or family to catch up some.
I agree the best stuff in Vegas is the free or near free, like the floral display at the Bellagio.
There are only a few destinations where all the family over in the US and us English can meet.
Vegas, Florida and New York.
So we all went to Vegas to meet up. Walking along the strip towards NY,NY.
9 Fine Irishmen looked like an attractive bar – so in we all went.
They had real “Pint Glasses” – 20 ounce. Not the 16 ounce we’ve had to suffer !
But after a few minutes we were frozen. They do love AC in Vegas. Too much like Ireland. Freezing cold. So we moved outside and sat in the shade drinking our beer.
10 minutes later – the doorway we had passed through to go outside – burst open.
The barman who served us came dashing out. He shouted back through the doorway “It’s OK – they’re here”
“What’s going on ?” we all shouted in unison as we stood up !
“We thought you’d gone without paying your bar tab – so could you all come back in”
“NO – here’s your money – and don’t take a tip”
We’re very unforgiving like that.