Started this morning like I should start any other: Dunkin’ coffee and some Donut Bar donuts.
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The first thing you notice when you walk out onto the Fremont area in the morning is how quiet it is. You don’t have the live bands on the Fremont stage playing loud loud loud. Sure there is still music coming out of the some of the casinos but it’s definitely not as loud as you’d find it in the middle of the evening. 10pm on a Sunday night this place was rocking. 8am on a Monday morning not so much.
Fremont is very different first thing in the morning. You got the usual stragglers that are wandering around looking to make a quick buck by somebody feeling bad for them. People wandering the street in search of coffee, lots of coffee, like myself, and then of course you still have some of the tourists looking around taking pictures.
I’m so happy I decided to stay down here. My room is really poor. Not happy with it but the fact that I’m not paying anything including a resort fee for it is a good thing. Had there been any money changing hands at all I might have complained. but not a big deal since I’m spending maybe six hours a night sleeping there and not much else. Also it helps that I’m moving on to the strip again on Tuesday.
The weather today is tolerable for a Canadian just coming out of one of our winters. Supposed to be 23 degrees and overcast for most of the day. Strangely I’ve been standing here in front of the Container Park, warned not to sit down on their property or I’ll be moved along by an overzealous security guard, and just having the sun occasionally hit my back is giving me a little bit of a sweat. The conscience winds from the Northeast however are keeping me cool. Great place to sit and munch on a donut and drink a coffee.
General aside: if you’ve ever seen any of my travel photos you’ve no doubt seen my purple travel shirt. I’ve had this shirt for almost 6 years now and it comes with me everywhere. It is such a light material and breathes better than anything I’ve ever owned that I wear it everywhere when I’m traveling so I don’t sweat my sack off. I’m wearing that today and it’s helping immensely.
The first day of vacation is always weird for me. I’m kind of stuck between that working mentality, your mind playing tricks on you saying you should be at the office right now and the other side of your mind it’s saying you’re on vacation motherfucker. Would you relax please?
I’m sure I’ll get over it. I’ve got things to do today including a little bit of office work to clear up stuff I should have finished on Friday but didn’t have the constitution to stay at the office for. I’ve also got to get my butt out of Fremont for just a little while and maybe hit a bus to take a day trip. Just sort of wandering around have a look and see if there’s anything interesting that pops up on the bus route. I know it sounds like a really weird way to travel but it’s cheap and it gives me sort of a sense of adventuring in a new place.
I ended up spending most of my time at the Main Street Station and The California. Played some Keno at the California, playing $18 (six games at $3 a game) and hit four of my six number for a total win of $12! They also gave me a beer and a great place to sit. Keno’s a weird game; pretty much like lotto 6/49 but in Vegas.
On the way back to Main Street Station, I ran across an Ethel M chocolate store. Sly and I went to their factory for a wine and chocolate tasting and purchased a couple of their custom chocolate bars. Of course, I had to go in because I needed more of those awesome peanut butter bars. The young lady behind the counter was very friendly and offered a couple of samples for my trip to Main Street Station. I couldn’t say no; that would be rude.
The California and Main Street Station are connected via a walkway and I took this pic as I was was headed to MSS. Most of the days I’ve ever been here have been just gorgeous with very little precipitation so to see this off to the west moving toward us as a bit discouraging. The sky opened up and washed all our sins away. For about two hours.
Inadvertently redeemed my free buffet at the Main Street Station but it wasn’t a complete loss. At least I now have the experience to know not to pay for the buffet there in future. The quality just wasn’t there even though the staff was great and the place was clean. I did get a couple pics I’ll share.
When you’ve had as much quality buffet as I have, you really do start to be a bit snobby. Ok, truth is if it’s free, I’ll eat there again. But I won’t ever take Sly there. She won’t enjoy it and with the way she limits her calorie intake, it’s just not worth it to feed her here.
After finishing with the MSS buffet I left to go back to Fremont to search for totchkys I might want to bring home. So much crap, you wouldn’t normally buy except for the fact that it says ‘Las Vegas‘ on it. Back to the room to take a bit of rest and play some slots. Didn’t find my favorite Walking Dead slot so I messed around with the WestWorld machine. Fun game but I was a bit confused with it’s bonuses and when you’re confused, it’s just not as much fun.
MSS has a microbrewery within it’s walls and a happy hour that I really wanted to try so about 1700 I ran over, in the rain and with wet feet, to check out the 777 bar and it’s happy hour specials. I selected a 23 oz Hefeweizen and some stuffed Jalepenos. All told, $7.50. Great deal.
One thing I haven’t mentioned is that I have absolutely atrocious network speed on the wireless in my room. Really, really bad. So I’m sitting in the Dunkin’ Donuts, leaching off the lobby wifi. I’m right beside the casino, listening to the bells, whirs and cheers from the occasional winners and putting up with more smoke than I normally would. This is not a great hotel but I can’t help but enjoy myself here. It is entirely possible that this part of the trip has ruined me for the strip. Sure it’s nicer, the amenities are more abundant and work when they are supposed to and it might be a nicer clientele.
But people are cool here. I’ve had more conversation here than I would have on the strip. People are generally more genuine and willing to put themselves out in the world. I don’t know how to describe it really but I like it. I like watching it and I like being a part of it.
I check out tomorrow and head to the Excalibur, another resort I enjoy because it’s simple. I don’t need things to be overly complicated. I just want them to be genuine.
It’s going to be a big day. I’m renting a car and getting out of the city for the day. Hopefully I’ll have some pictures to share and some experiences to commit to this space. This part of the trip has been a success with the next few days being in question. I’ll get into that in my next entry.