Over My Head

The best show I've ever seen in my life is the Cirque du Soleil spectacular "O" at the Bellagio Hotel. Tonight I saw their newest show, "Ka," at the MGM Grand Hotel. It's a very close second!

What's amazing about this show is the stage is an enormous lift that can tilt and move in many directions including going vertical and up. Way up. The grand finale -- a battle scene -- with the stage completely vertical and the performers on wires was pretty breathtaking.

This show has a story line that is much more accessible than other Cirque shows. But I'm sticking with "O" as the best show ever because it's poetic beauty remains unmatched.

However, tonight I had the best seats I've ever had for a Cirque show. Fourth row, center. Much of the action took place directly over my head, literally. Fortunately we didn't have any flying slobber problems to deal with.

Parking was a funny ordeal. I knew the hotel valet would be slammed, so I opted to go to the more remote "North Valet" at the MGM Grand. I followed the signs, but I couldn't find it. I spent about 15 minutes driving around the poorly marked MGM Grand complex and grew very frustrated. And the main valet was blocked off too. So I finally pulled up along side the main valet and demanded that someone park my car. Of course they refused because they were full and urged me to go park it with the North Valet. My explanation that I couldn't find it didn't generate much sympathy. Having arrived at a standoff, I demanded they refund my money for the Cirque show I was trying to park to attend. The valet explained I'd have to go inside and talk to the Ticket Office for a refund. I offered to, if they'd only park my car. So we were back where we started.

The valet finally rounded up a Supervisor who agreed to help me by riding with me in my car to show me where the North Valet was located. So off we went with me behind the wheel and the Supervisor riding shotgun. How great was it that she couldn't find the dang North Valet either! She finally got out of my car and came back with a valet to park it. It turns out North Valet was full and had taken down their sign and failed to replace it with one to let folks know they were full.

I walked back into the hotel with the Supervisor who had done a really good job of solving my problem, along with calming me down. As we parted I wished her a nice weekend, whenever her weekend was. She laughed and said, "today is my Tuesday."

I did something today I haven't done in I don't know how long. I spent time walking up and down the Strip. Normally I just drive to and from wherever I want to go. But today I rode the Monorail to the middle of the strip and walked north.

It'll be interesting to see how Steve Wynn's new hotel will affect the currently tattered north end of the Strip. His shiny new hotel sits directly across the street from the "seen better day" New Frontier Hotel. That hotel is such a throwback it actually has a surface parking lot directly on Las Vegas Blvd.