Thanks to another good night's sleep after a fun-filled day the day before touring The Strip, being mesmerized by David Copperfield, the famous magician, and checking out the Bellagio, I awoke at about 9:00AM. Looking out my window, I could see it would be another gorgeous day! Once I got up, I brushed my teeth and then ate some pepper jack cheese, gluten free bread, and a banana for breakfast washed down by orange juice. I did not have much planned today, save for another dinner reservation at Bacchanal at Caesars at 4:30PM. For most of the day, I would take it easy by going to the pool and wanting to be at Caesars, exploring the Forum Shops more. Once I was done with breakfast, I then put on my trunks and a t-shirt, grabbed my stuff, and headed down to the pool. Once downstairs, I headed outside but noticed that due to lower occupancy, about 4 of the 7 pools were closed, as according to one of the employees working by the pool, they did not have as many staff, which was likely the result of an effect of COVID-19 on employment. With that in mind, I headed over to the side of the pool area closer to the portion of the Resorts World tower housing the Hilton and Crockfords by LXR rooms. The half-circular shaped pool depicted below, which had a small island with a larger than life carving of a woman with flowers in her hair along with palm trees in the background lent to a tropical feel.


In addition to the carving of the woman and all of the palm trees, I loved the pool area's larger than life and low key vibes, thanks to a life size chess set and an awning on the astroturf and by one of the other pools on the left background of the photo, there was a mural on the wall with a pink background and palm leaves.

As was the norm most of my days in Vegas so far, the sun was baking and temperatures were getting close to the low 100s, making for a perfect pool day! As always, the water of the pool felt crisp, cool, and refreshing! While there, I had the pleasure of meeting Orlando and Deb, a middle aged couple from the Phoenix area. I hit it off with the husband right away, as we both worked for the same major hotel chain. He worked for one of their locations in the Phoenix suburbs, mainly in their kitchen. I told him how I work in front facing customer service and he was impressed! He wanted to know if I had ever been to Arizona and unfortunately, I haven't although one day, I will have to visit. I asked him if he had been to Florida and he told me had been, although not for a while. I told him he would definitely have to come back, especially to where I work, as our property is in a beautiful part of Northern Palm Beach County, not far from Juno Beach, one of the top beaches in Florida and is close to a lot of action, yet in a peaceful location. Orlando and Deb weren't sure when they would be able to come, they said they definitely wanted to visit my area! As some rock music was playing while we were in the pool, I told Orlando how I loved the music that was playing. He heartily agreed, stating that he is also a rock and roller, with his favorite artist being Jimi Hendrix! I also told him that Hendrix is one of my top artists as well and for quite some time, we talked a lot about rock and roll. We then talked about our trips and Orlando mentioned how he and Debbie were vacationing in Vegas for a few days and then on the way back to Phoenix, visiting Deb's Mother, who lives halfway between Vegas and Phoenix. They wanted to know how I liked the resort and I told them I loved it, thanks to the luxurious room, top notch service, great pool area, and vibrant scene. Orlando and Deb agreed and said that while there, I should definitely see Jed Harrelson, a soul artist who plays some of his own work and also country, blues, and rock covers who was performing at the Dawg House while I was visiting. They felt I should not miss him and although I would not be able to go on this night, as I would be at Caesars, I thanked them and said I would try to go. Deb and Orlando then left and after that, I continued to relax at the pool until about 1:00PM. After that, I then headed to my room to shower and change, ready to head to Caesars. Once downstairs, I left via the Conrad's lobby and walked out towards Las Vegas Boulevard, where I would get a southbound Deuce bus. Before I headed to the bus stop, a fellow traveler asked if I could get a picture of them and I happily obliged, with the traveler getting this awesome photo of me in return.

Wasting no time with the time being close to 2:00PM, I then headed to the Deuce bus stop. Unfortunately, after two Deuce buses passed that were full thanks to their popularity. I decided to walk The Strip to Caesars. As I walked southbound down The Strip, I made good time even with the hot temperatures and of course, plenty of water to drink. Soon enough, I was passing The Mirage, with its lush lagoon in front of the hotel and rock formations around its volcano.

I was getting much closer to Caesars, as I was nearly across the street from Harrahs.


In the center of Harrahs was a poster for Donny Osmond, one of their headlining entertainers. Although the globe with Harrahs written in neon on top and strips of purple added a bit of color to the white structure, I do miss what used to be multicolored neon lights if I remember correctly, which looked dazzling! Anyway, I digress. However, I had arrived at Caesars and still had plenty of time to spare until my reservation at Bacchanal, so what better way to kill time than check out more of The Forum Shops, including the extension that was built in the mid-2000s. I entered through The Forum Shops dedicated entrance and instantly, I was dazzled! Like Caesars, the theming was definitely palatial thanks to marble floors, towering columns, cathedral ceilings with paintings on them, and a spiral escalator in the center.


As I explored more of The Forum Shops lobby, looking from the front and side, I saw a long plant bed that appeared to encompass at least the partial length of the lobby with green shrubbery and what appeared to be red roses, almost evocative of the Italian flag. I also got a side view of the spiral escalator, more columns, artwork on the cathedral ceilings, and statues of Roman figures.


While there, two ladies, who were visiting from Georgia, asked me if I could take their picture in front of the spiral staircase. I was glad to do so and in return, I got this fabulous photo.

Wanting to head further into The Forum Shops, I had the pleasure of riding the spiral escalator. It was pretty amazing to experience it since it is rare and I also loved the large window, which brought in a lot of natural light.

Once on the top level, I then made my way into the remainder of The Forum Shops via another set of escalators. Making my way downstairs, I was dazzled by all of the marblework and the sky, which was lit in a dark blue hue and would change colors depending upon the time of day.

Downstairs on the main level of The Forum Shops connected to Caesars, I found myself by Neptune's Fountain, featuring a statue of the Roman God of the Sea himself.

I meandered through The Forum Shops, once again taking in its immersive theming and checking out all of the shops.


As I got lost in The Forum Shops, the time was nearing 4:15PM. Since my reservation for Bacchanal would be in about 15-minutes, I decided to leave The Forum Shops and make my way into Caesars. As I meandered my way through Caesars after leaving The Forum Shops, I passed a wall of celebrities associated with Caesars in some way. Being that Caesars has been around since the mid-1960s, it has had an incredible history hosting many different celebrities.


Soon enough, I was at Bacchanal about five minutes before my 4:30PM check-in time. Once again, just like when I was there three days prior, crowds were already building up for the dinner rush! Even with a reservation, I waited about ten minutes to be seated due to the high volume of guests but the friendly and efficient hostesses did their best to keep things moving. About ten minutes after I lined up to eat, I was then escorted to my table, a two-top towards the back of the restaurant in a room that was a bit darker, but also a bit quieter than some of the other dining rooms. It was also close to the Asian station, which I did not try on my first visit due to a lack of stomach spaces. I was then greeted by Givani, who proved to be an excellent waiter throughout my meal thanks to his charisma, attention to detail, and how personable he was! When I told him I had been to the Bacchanal once before and loved it! His excitement peaked and he said all of the dishes were outstanding, but not to miss the taco station, as he felt their griddle tacos were savory, cheesy, and pleasantly greasy, making for excellent eating! In addition, since he was aware of my food allergies, he also hooked me up with Executive Chef Matt, who offered to escort me around the buffet pointing out what I could and could not eat. Chef John, who I had met three nights before, was off on this day. Just like Chefs John and Stephanie, who I met three nights ago, Chef Matt was outstanding! He was warm, engaging, and extremely knowledgeable about food allergies and food in general, being proud to show off all of the different foods on the buffet. Having seen all of the culinary delights once again, I strapped on the old feedbag! My first stop was the Asian station, as I did not try it on my first visit. Although I don't really eat pork as I keep somewhat (but far from perfectly) kosher, this display of Chinese Roasted Pork Belly, complete with a disembodied pig's head for presentation was eye catching!

I first grabbed some sushi and poke.

This made for an excellent start to my meal, as the sushi and pokes were far better than your average buffet thanks to their freshness and high quality. The Salmon Box Sushi, although off on the fish to rice ratio, had salmon that was buttery in mouth feel and had a santiny sheen; the Shrimp Nigiri was pleasantly sweet; the Octopus Poke had pleasantly chewy octopus mated with pillowy rice and crisp chopped vegetables; the Ahi Poke had moist and meaty ahi tuna mated to some macadamias sprinkled on top for crunch as well as a bed of rice, and the final poke had buttery salmon, moist and meaty tuna, and yellowtail.

Next up, I then tried some of the hot Asian dishes. I timed it perfectly, as I saw one of the chefs bringing out Kung Pao Chicken that had just been prepared. Since I could eat it, I took some of it along with Kalbi (Korean short ribs), Chinese Broccoli, Kimchi, and Jap-Chae (Korean sweet potato based glass noodles). Once again, Bacchanal nailed it with the preparation of their Asian dishes, as while they would fall short of the best Asian restaurants, you could tell the quality and preparation were definitely there. The Kung Pao Chicken had tender and juicy chicken pieces, along with sweet and savory peppers and peanuts that had a kick of spice; the Kalbi was another winner, as the short ribs were tender with a savory flavor; the Chinese Broccoli had a tender texture and thanks to its preparation, a sauce with sweet and savory notes; the Jap Chae was refreshing and the sweet potato based noodles had a pleasantly sweet note, and the Kimchi was crunchy with a kick thanks to the spices used.

A short time after this second plate, I then met John from New Jersey and California, one of my bussers. He was very warm and personable, getting to know me right away. He wanted to know my thoughts on the buffet and I told him it was fantastic! I told him I had just tried dishes from the Asian section and he said it was one of his favorite sections, with his favorite dish being their Bang Bang Shrimp. I told him I was unable to eat them due to using egg and wheat for the breading, but that the other dishes I tried were fabulous, to which he wholeheartedly agreed! We then talked about where we were from, with him mentioning that he was from New Jersey, which was amazing as he was not far from New York. He mentioned that many years ago due to opportunity, he moved to Orange County, CA for a long time with his family, but they recently moved to Vegas for a change of pace and loved it. I told him although I was originally from New York, I had moved to Florida five years ago and on the whole, loved it! He said he actually had not been to Florida, but was hoping to go soon. We conversed for quite a bit but we had to end it, as he was needed at another table. For my next course, I decided to head over to the Mexican station, where I got a griddled cheese taco. Bertha, the chef manning the station, was a sweetheart and very attentive to detail as she made me a simple, yet delicious cheese taco.


In addition to my taco, I also grabbed some tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, and a few lime wedges. I was in food heaven, as the taco had savory and melty cheese nestled in a soft and earthy corn tortilla; the tortilla chips were crunchy, slightly greasy, and pleasantly salty, not much different than what you would find in a good Mexican restaurant; the salsa was savory and pleasantly spicy, and the guacamole was mild and creamy, with a slight garlic note.

After I finished this plate, Givani then stopped by to say hello! He ascertained my satisfaction and I told him the meal was fantastic. I even told him that on his recommendation, I had the pleasure of trying a taco and told him he was on the money, which made him feel over the moon! Since I was pacing myself as there was no need to rush, we even chatted for a bit, until he needed to go to his next table. Since he also saw my Diet Coke was getting low, he offered to make sure a Diet Coke would be waiting before I returned, an offer I gladly accepted! I then checked out the Vegetarian and Mediterranean Stations. This particular section featured a Coconut Carrot Gazpacho, which had sweet carrots mated to creamy coconut milk and a tingle of spice, Tomato Tartare which which had chopped tomatoes that were savory in flavor bound by tomato paste to shape it like a tartare.

I didn't take pictures of these foods, but in addition to the gazpacho and tartare, I also got some cheeses, some olives, Roasted Cauliflower Salad, and a plate of Pan Seared Rockfish. Back at my table, I then tucked in, enjoying the salty and slightly earthy blue cheese, the creamy and slightly smokey in flavor Smoked Gouda, and the slightly piquant Chipotle Gouda cube. The Pan Seared Rockfish was a small plate of moist and flakey rock fish accented by sweet and savory peppers and briny olives. I also tried the Tomato Tartare, which had chopped tomatoes that were savory in flavor bound by tomato paste to shape it like a tartare. I loved the Roasted Cauliflower Salad which had earthy and slightly sweet cauliflower accented by nutty and creamy tahini as well as the bite of red onions. Since I was already feeling full, I took a couple of laps around the restaurant and took in some views of Caesar's famous Garden of the Gods pool, which was larger than life and palatial, with many statues and pillars and columns evocative of Ancient Rome surrounding the multiple pools.

After taking a fifteen minute or so break and chatting with Chefs Matt and Stephanie, I then headed over to the Seafood Station, where displays of Lobster Claws, Sweet Shrimp Cocktail, and Dungeness Crab called my name!

However, my first stop would be to get some Hot Steamed Snow Crab Legs. The chef, who was very friendly, wanted to give me five or six crab legs, which was more than generous! Although I would have gladly accepted, I told him I only wanted half that amount to enjoy other seafoods, which was a decision he respectfully understood. I also got a small amount of Seafood Boil, Lobster Claws, Shrimp Cocktail, and a Cajun Poached Prawn. I loved the Hot Steamed Crab Legs, which were not hard to crack, meaty, and were savory and sweet in taste. Another favorite of mine were the Lobster Claws, which were phenomenal due to being meaty, savory, and tender. The Shrimp Cocktail was excellent as well, with the shrimp being plump and mild in taste, pairing well with some savory, slightly sweet, and a touch spicy cocktail sauce. I also enjoyed the Spicy Cajun Seafood Boil,with savory and tender crayfish, well cooked and earthy potatoes, and a piquant spices to accent the dish. I also enjoyed the Cajun Poached Prawn, which had mild meat inside the shell accented by piquant Cajun spices.

After enjoying my treasures of the sea, I then got some meats, poultry, and vegetables including a slice of prime rib, a piece of brisket, turkey with apple chutney, sauteed peppers, broccolini and cauliflower, and Mojo Potatoes. This was another fabulous plate, with the prime rib being tender, juicy, and beefy in flavor; the brisket was another winner, as it had a pleasant chew and a hint of smoke flavor; the moist and tender turkey mated well to the sweet and tangy apple chutney; the sauteed peppers were sweet, savory, and tender; the broccolini and cauliflower were earthy in flavor and had a pleasant hint of spice thanks to the use of Calabrian Chiles, and the Mojo Potatoes had a crisp on the outside texture, were fluffy on the inside, and had an earthy flavor complimented by spices and citrus, adding tang and heat.

After this amazing plate of food, I was feeling very full, so I decided to wind down on eating. As I was taking a break, Maricella and Vladimir, who served me three nights ago, came to say hello. They were both excited to see and in return, I was glad to see them! We chatted for a bit and although they were working in a different section, we had a grand time schmoozing for a bit until they had to go back to work. Since my stomach did not have much space, I decided to make dessert small but sweet and opted for gelato. Although it was a tough decision, I opted for a scoop each of coffee and chocolate gelatos. This was an excellent decision, as the gelatos were light and creamy in texture, with the chocolate gelato being bold and sweet and the coffee gelato having bold coffee notes.

Since I was done with my meal, I decided to end it there and I thanked Givani, John, Maricela, Vladimir, and all of the amazing staff at Bacchanal for another wonderful meal! For me, Bacchanal is a must stop in Vegas thanks to its delicious food that you could have as much as you wanted, its friendly service, its classy atmosphere, and although pricey, good value for the money. The time was a little past 7:00PM, so I decided to explore a little bit more of Caesars and The Forum Shops before heading out. With the sun now having set, I then took in the palatial exterior of the entrance to The Forum Shops, complete with a massive Roman styled fountain.

I decided to head north up The Strip, first passing The Harrahs, which looked very cool at night with its purple lights along the top portion of its exterior, even though I missed the multicolored neon lights I used to remember it having from the 1990s.

I stopped at The Mirage, in hopes of seeing its volcano show as well as to say goodbye, in case I did not have the chance to say goodbye in the future, as the Hard Rock will be reopening in the spot where The Mirage is. Sadly, the volcano show was dark during my stay, but the palm tree lined lagoon in front of the hotel added a serenity that is not normally found in the overstimulation of The Vegas Strip.

After entering The Mirage, I found the lobby to be large and bustling, at least at first.

However, walking further into the rear portion of the lobby with the glass, half dome shaped atrium overhead as well as a forest of palms and the rush of a man made waterfall, it was clear this simulated nature was there to soothe the savage beast er...gambler haha!

As a Beatles fan, I got a kick out of this cutout of a 60s Volkswagen Van, with flower designs around the headlights, a peace sign where the Volkswagen emblem would normally be, and a rectangular sign above with the show's name. Unfortunately, Love was dark during my visit or I would have seen it with no questions asked.

Naturally, this photo opp was ripe for a photo.

I also checked out The Mirage's casino for a bit, which had a ceiling with palm leaf carvings in it, a plethora of machines and tables, and dark red carpeting intertwined with multicolored carpeting in spots. Although this clearly was an older resort, being built in the late 80s/early 90s and not having been updated in spots, it still felt upscale and well maintained. I will definitely miss The Mirage when it closes, as I love its history and theming for sure!

Since my feet were beginning to feel tired due to my walk from earlier in the day, I decided to leave The Mirage and use the pedestrian bridge to get across to The Venetian and Palazzo, where I would get a Deuce bus back to my hotel. A short time after crossing the bridge, I decided to watch the scenery at The Venetian and Palazzo. With the time being close to 10:00PM and not wanting to rush too much, I was mesmerized just by watching the gondolas ferry guests, which was indeed a romantic sight!


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Having had my fill of watching the gondolas, I then made my way to the bus stop, but not without taking in thI then made the short walk over to the Deuce bus stop, where a northbound Deuce bus picked me up five minutes later. The ride went quickly and a short time after I boarded the bus, I disembarked at the Convention Center, the stop across the street from Resorts World. I then crossed the street and instead of entering via the Conrad's entrance, I found it easier to enter through The District, the shopping area of Resorts World, being that it is closer to The Strip. Once inside, I passed through The District and entered the rest of Resorts World. Thankful for an amazing day, I then got ready for bed and went to sleep a little after Midnight. What will tomorrow, my last full day in Vegas hold? Find out soon!