Sunday December 10th 2017

Today started cold. It was just above freezing this morning, but it still got up to the high 60s before dark. The mercury is diving again tonight.

A little after three this afternoon I drove up to the Las Vegas Strip. I had a ticket for the 7:30 Reba with Brooks and Dunn show at Caesars Palace. This was the last show of their December series as part of their residency at the Colosseum. I went in early to pick up my ticket at will call, see the new Christmas display at the Bellagio Conservatory and have dinner.

Colosseum theater a few minutes before the show was scheduled to start. Notice all of the guys with cowboy hats.

Reba McEntire with Brooks and Dunn during a slow number. The band was taking a break.

The show was about ten minutes late getting started. All of the cowboys in town for the National Finals Rodeo were slow getting to their seats. It really seemed like a third of the audience arrived at or after the 7:30 start time. Once it got started the show ran for two and half hours. They started as a team. Then Reba McEntire left the stage for Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn. After a few Brooks and Dunn hits, Reba came back for a few of hers. They continued to alternate and team up for the next two and a half hours straight. In addition to their hits they threw in a few Christmas songs. I really enjoyed the show, but not as much as some of the fanatics. The jumping up and down with hooting and hollering by some folks in the audience was extreme at times. A few people even gathered in the aisles near the stage until they were “asked” to return to their seats by the ushers.

Before the show I took a few pictures of the Christmas display at the Bellagio Conservatory. The theme this year was Polar Bears. It was very crowded so I didn’t get many good pictures, but here are some of the better ones.

Flower covered elfs working at the North Pole.

Flower covered polar bear.

Polar bear and Ice Princess.

Polar Bear cub getting in trouble.

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Christmas tree with and Elf hanging more ornaments.

Overall, I find the Christmas Decorations at the center strip casino hotels disappointing. I’ve been to Las Vegas during the Christmas season many times over the last twenty years. While it has never been over the top, it is usually more striking than what I saw tonight. There didn’t seem to be anything outside, just small trees, wreaths or garland adorned some areas inside. Even the Bellagio didn’t have much other than in the conservatory.