After having fun exploring The Strip and having a good dinner at Nellie's Southern Kitchen, the time was 6:45PM and it was almost time for me to see David Copperfield. I walked from Nellie's to the David Copperfield Theater, excited to be mesmerized by his magic! As I lined up, my excitement built.

Once the attendants checked my ticket, I was then met by an usher, who escorted me to a table more towards the front of the theater. Although my ticket was for seating closer to the back, the ushers moved those folks closer to the front to make the theater more filled. I was not complaining, as I knew I would get a better view of the magic. The tables were communal, so I was seated with a very nice couple from Hamburg, Germany. We chatted for a bit and we were having a grand old time, as they had mentioned it was their first time in Vegas. Although they weren't used to the heat, they loved the energy of the city as well as the pool at the Mandalay Bay, where they were staying. After chatting for a bit, the theater was then informed of the rules, which included putting away your cellphones in a cubby in the center of the tables, in order to discourage their use as well as to not make videos, as he wanted to protect the integrity of his show. After putting our phones away, it was time to be mesmerized. I don't want to spoil the show too much, but I will say that the illusions were incredible, David Copperfield is very skilled, and that there is a heartfelt message. I will also note that as many other reviewers point out, there is some sexual innuendo and foul language, so families, keep that in mind. The theater, which holds about 700, was not too bad either, as the seats were decent and even from further back, you still have a good view of the stage. Unfortunately, as (put TR person here) had hoped, David Copperfield did not fill my wallet, but at least he didn't make my wallet disappear, so it could have been worse. All in all, I would definitely recommend David Copperfield and I would see him again!

Since the time was about 8:30PM by the time David Copperfield ended, me and my seatmates parted ways, wishing each other a good rest of our trips. The night was still young and I had plenty of time to paint the town! As I exited the MGM Grand, I could see Tropicana Avenue, the Excalibur, and Mandalay Bay.

And looking northbound on The Strip I could see New York, Park MGM, The Waldorf Astoria, Aria, and The Cosmopolitan on the left side of street and further back on the right side of the street, I could see the Paris.

Although there weren't quite as many neon lights on it from what I could see, New York New York's skyline replica still evoked the feel of "The City That Never Sleeps."

Approaching the overhead road signs for Las Vegas Boulevard's approach with Tropicana Avenue that I saw on my walk to MGM Grand, which have Harry Reid International AIrport still labeled as 'McCarran Int'l Airport."

Further up The Strip, the Coca Cola bottle replica as the front entrance of the Coca Cola store would make for a rather refreshing oasis in the desert.

I checked out the Coca Cola store for a bit, which had a selection of Coca Cola related items, but once I had my fill, I headed back onto The Strip a few minutes later. As I made my way further up The Strip, I took it slow, now across the street from the Park MGM and nearing the smaller scale Target that opened on The Strip in recent years. On my left, a CVS, The Waldorf Astoria, Aria, Shops at Crystals, and The Cosmopolitan were coming into view while on the right Target, Walgreens, The Mosaic, Planet Hollywood, and Paris were coming into my view.

Needing to use the restroom and figuring I could seek a little bit of relief from the heat, I entered the Target. Once I used the restroom, I then checked out this Target and although clean and cheerful in style, like most of the Targets I have visited, it had a smaller selection of items in comparison. Nonetheless, it would make a fine option for those staying on the Central and South Strip for buying groceries, sundries, and other items at a lower price than your resort's gift shop. After spending about twenty minutes beating the heat and getting lost in Target, I then continued walking north up The Strip. To end my night, I decided to check out the Bellagio, as I wanted to see their free fountain show at the very least. With that mission in mind, I continued my walk, now across the street from The Waldorf Astoria, The Shops at Crystals, and Aria.

The time was close to 9:50PM and at this time, The Cosmopolitan was coming closer into my field of vision, as I apporached the intersection of Harmon Avenue.

Once again, I took an escalator up to the Miracle Mile Shops, so I would be able to cross to the opposite side of The Strip to get to The Cosmo and Bellagio. I wasted no time and was soon on the pedestrian bridge parallel to Harmon Avenue, taking in the incredible neon lights of Sin City. Looking northbound up Las Vegas Boulevard, I could see The Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Mirage, Treasure Island, and Trump on the left side of the street and Paris, Ballys (now The Horseshoe), Cromwell, and the Flamingo on the right side of the street.


And looking south I could see The Polo Towers and MGM Grand on the left side of the street with The Shops at Crystals and The Waldorf Astoria, Park MGM, New York New York, Excalibur, and Mandalay Bay on the right side of the street.

Once across the pedestrian bridge, I reentered The Cosmopolitan via its second level and then used the escalators in the center of the second level to reach the lobby level. From there, I exited back along the sidewalk of The Strip and at 10:05PM, I was even closer to the Paris, being across the street from it. Although its Eiffel Tower, which was lit in red at the base, white in the midsection, and blue towards the top in the colors of the French flag was absolutely spectacular, I also loved its hot air balloon sign, with its multicolor neon lights and detailed artwork within if you look closer.

I then found myself at the always elegant Bellagio!

My first order of business was to find a spot for the Bellagio Water Show, which runs every 30-minutes from 3:00PM (12:00PM on weekends)-6:30PM and every 15-minutes from 7:00PM-Midnight (Bellagio Water Show - Tourist Attraction | Fountains of Bellagio - Bellagio Hotel & Casino (mgmresorts.com). The fountains are synced to different songs from artists such as Andrea Bocelli, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Lady Gaga, and more! I timed my arrival perfectly, as the show would be starting. The fountains began to dance and "Luck Be A Lady" by Frank Sinatra played.







All in all, the Bellagio Water Show was incredible! I loved seeing the fountains dance in time to the music and although it was elegant, in keeping with the Bellagio's theme, yet it was fancy free and whimsical, making my already fantastic evening more fantastic! As the air temperatures cooled down slightly, I then took in some more views from the Bellagio. Across the street, I could see the Flamingo and The Cromwell in the foreground with the High Roller ferris wheel in the background.

Looking north I could see Caesars, The Mirage, Treasure Island, and the Trump Hotel.

-Another shot looking northbound but taken in wide view. The Flamingo can be seen on the right side of The Strip:

Once I took in the views, I then decided to explore a little bit of The Bellagio. The elegant impression under the Bellagio's port cochere did not cease, with luxurious light fixtures on the ceiling, a painting of the Italian countryside towards the ceiling, and two dragon statues standing tall on each side of the center walkway atop their respective flower beds.

After entering the Bellagio's luxurious lobby, my breath was taken away. The ceilings had moldings decorated in a diamond shaped pattern, along with multicolored glass sculptures that were shaped like flowers. Although simple, the table in the center containing a vase with flowers tied in perfectly with the sculptures on the ceiling, leading to a nice connection with the natural world. On the floor, multicolored carpeting towards the center of the lobby and marble flooring only added to the elegance.


Looking to my left, the Bellagio's luxurious design continued, with towering columns in arch formation, marble countertops, a wooden base with tile mosaics in their center, and almost larger than life vases with a plethora of flowers in them. If The Cosmopolitan, another ***** hotel I visited earlier was an example of more modern luxury, then the Bellagio, the ***** hotel I was now visiting would be an example of more old school luxury and I loved both! Looking to the right, the elegance extended to the casino, with a circular shaped mosaic with the Bellagio's B in the center before the floor changed to the same multicolored carpeting in the casino lining the center of the lobby.


As I explored more of the lavish lobby, I came across a terra cotta fountain, with the fountain bed containing small tiles of various shades of green, the center formed of marble poles with what appeared to be cherubs or angels on top, and multicolored flowers lining the rim of the fountain.

When I looked at the sign that had more information about the fountain, I learned that crafted by James Pulham and son of Broxbourne, England in 1860 and unsurprisingly, it was based on an Italian design and based on the famous Andrea Del Verrocchio "Boy with Dolphin." It was then restored by Thomason Cudworth, England in 2016.

My next order of business would be to check out the Bellagio's famous conservatory, which usually changes with the seasons. During my visit, the theme of the conservatory was the animal kingdom, with multiple larger than life topiaries of different animals. The center path leading to the central structure, which looked like a Southeast Asian temple, was composed of what appeared to be a bamboo base along with a smaller spire on top that used bamboo for the structure and leaves for the roof. In addition, two giraffes graced the pathway leading to the central structure.


As I walked through, the usage of different flowers in various colors to make the topiaries come to life as well as the slightly cool air from the water within lent to a touch of serenity away from the hubub, although there were still many visitors taking in the scenery. In back of the conservatory, the Lion King and his cub presided over the pack!

On the left side of the conservatory, a golden picture frame surrounding a zebra and its foal did a captivating job at making it look like they were running across the savannah.

Near the zebras, pink flamingos stood gracefully among the foliage in the manmade lagoon.

On the right side of the exhibit to the center, a replica of the rainforest was created, with peacocks, monkeys, and a small boat known as "Monkey Business," fitting with the monkey theme.



Through the vines and branches, a jaguar also stood guard.

Upon closer inspection, a koi pond made up the water portion of the exhibit.


And of course, it wouldn't be monkey business without this handsome fella!

Having had a phenomenal time checking out the Bellagio's conservatory, a couple of sweet ladies who were also visiting the conservatory took the photo of me below and in return, I gladly took a photo of them.

Although the Bellagio's conservatory may seem simple, its level of detail, the creativity, and the whimsy of the artwork make it a must see for sure! Beginning to feel a little tired, I decided to begin heading back to the Conrad, as the time was now close to 11:00PM. However, before that, I was craving something refreshing and sweet. Naturally, I decided to see if the Bellagio's gelateria/sweet shop was open, as I had heard good things about it. Unfortunately, it was closed, so I decided to start making my way out. Before that though, I decided to stop at a Men's Room off of the lobby. As I was leaving, I noticed that they had a Bathroom Attendant. After I washed my hands in the elegantly decorated restroom, I learned his name was Robert he offered me a paper towel. Happy to oblige, I accepted. We then started conversing. I must note that although I was not a high roller, he, along with all of the other staff I met at the Bellagio, were not stuffy at all and were warm, welcoming, and polite to a fault! He asked where I was from and I told him I was from Florida. His face lit up, as he mentioned he grew up near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. I told him I had not been to Tampa, save for changing planes with my parents when we flew from JFK to PBI on TWA and had to change planes in Tampa. I told him the closest I had been to Tampa was Sarasota, about an hour south and he mentioned going there many times, loving it for its laid-back vibe, arts scene, and old school feel thanks to a lot of mid-century modern architecture. He asked where I was from in Florida and I told him I was from Delray Beach, about an hour north of Miami. Robert had mentioned going there a long time ago as well as to other parts of South Florida, but that it had grown since he came back. After our conversation, we parted ways after Robert had to assist another guest and he wished me an excellent rest of my trip! I then walked out of the Bellagio from the same place where I entered, then following the semicircular driveway back to The Strip. From there, I used a pedestrian bridge that ran parallel to Flamingo Road. I took in the Flamingo's neon lights, which looked brilliant as I crossed over The Strip.

Once at street level after reaching Bally's, I then got a little lost, finding myself in the Grand Bazar Shops, a collection of quick service restaurants and small shops in an open air environment. In addition to the open air setup, there were also misters throughout, providing welcoming relief from the still hot temperatures. I found a stall called Marash Ice Cream, connecting to Pisa Pizza and Istanbul Mediterranean Restaurant, which sold Turkish Style Ice Cream. I asked the helpful gentleman at the counter about his products, informing him of my allergies to egg and wheat. Right away, he came back with a small cup of a non-dairy raspberry ice cream, packed in a covered cup almost like the novelties I got as a kid from the ice cream truck. With everything checking out, I then paid for my Raspberry Ice Cream, which was high at price at about $7 in change given the small portion size. Nevertheless, it fulfilled my craving as the smooth texture, cold temperature, and tart raspberry flavor still hit the spot. Once I got my treat, I then went to Bally's where I got an Uber back to the Conrad. A few minutes after I requested my Uber, Larry, my Uber driver, came in a Tesla Model 3. Larry was very personable and I was excited, as I had never had an electric vehicle for a rideshare before, making this my first time in a rideshare EV. Once I put on my seatbelt, Larry then went to the next u-turn lane to head westbound on Flamingo Road, where we then crossed Las Vegas Boulevard. When Larry accelerated, it was instant, which was pretty incredible! After crossing Las Vegas Boulevard, we then passed the southern perimeter of Caesars, then turning right onto Frank Sinatra Drive, which then fed into Sammy Davis Jr. Drive. As we talked cars, Larry said he loved his Tesla, as for a majority of the short distance driving he does, it is very efficient as the range is enough for him to get around Vegas and he does not have to use any gas. The ride went quickly and about 10-minutes after I got in my Uber, I was at the Conrad. After my impressive ride, I then headed upstairs, thankful for another amazing day in Vegas. I then got ready for bed, then hitting the hay once I was ready at about 12:30AM. What will tomorrow hold? Find out soon!