Today I’m going to share my Fremont experience with you. Last week I shared the things I did in Vegas that didn’t involve gambling or drinking: I hung out in an over-the-top hotel room, watched a storm come in from the mountains, and watched people below. I explored the Palazzo and Venetian hotels, which included a small Italian village, With a friend I walked the South end of the Vegas Strip…Bellagio and Paris. Saw the gardens, the fountains and some Picasso.

If you missed it, just visit my last post

That alone would have made a good trip, but my roommate and fellow teacher agreed to go with me to the other end of Vegas. The “old” Vegas also know as the Fremont Experience. All the pictures were taken with my Samsung Galaxy Edge 6.

After looking at the options of traveling the distance to the opposite side of town we decided on the using the Deuce double-decked bus. We would only be using it once – to get there and back – so we paid cash 3.00 each way. If you want to get on and off you can get a one day for 8.00 or a three day for 20.00. All the locals say don’t use the cabs – they charge time and you pay for sitting in traffic.

We enjoyed the ride. Sitting front seat on the upper lever I got some nice pictures on our way to Fremont street. We passed Circus, Circus, the art district several wedding chapels and the Stratosphere.

We arrived on Fremont about 5:30 pm and went to Fremont East first to find dinner.

We found a gaint Praying Mantis. At night he puts on a laser show – While we were walking by a bride and groom were there with a photographer taking wedding photos.

The murals alone were worth the bus fee.

When we first got there another wedding couple were taking pictures with this one as the backdrop. I was going to take a picture of them taking pictures but my son says that’s creepy – they left before I could get a good one anyway. We saw a total of four couples in full wedding gear walking around Fremont.

One place that  looked like a great place to eat was The Market

The Market mural was so big it took two photos. I love the colors.

Back at the Palazzo a small bowl of wanton soup was $15.00 so a $5 lunch special with fresh fixings looked good. Locals had told us to try Radio City Pizzeria. So we headed across the street

My roommate Monica was a great traveling partner. She never once complained when I would stop to take pictures. She even let me take hers with the way too big pizza we ordered. Oh, but it was good. One slice each filled us up and we took two to-go-boxes back to the hotel room. Good thing I took my large Vera Bradley. That sucker holds everything.

I had to take a picture of the toppings list. I might be a bit shelters but these are some strange toppings. Really, check out the list. You have to tell me if you would try or maybe even have tried some of these topping…Duck? Blood Sausage?

And what the heck is Beef Heart – is it what I think it is? ugh. Now I thought the eggplant sounded good.

After a great dinner we stepped out into the dusk. The Neon Lights were fired up. The Las Vegas Boulevard Signs Project partnered with Neon Museum to restore old signs that had been removed to make way for bigger and brighter. Now they are back, lighting up the night sky in downtown Las Vegas. Click here to visit their website

In 1996, the Horse and Rider from the Hacienda Hotel was the first sign restored and installed as public art in Downtown Las Vegas.

Map to the Restored Neon Signs

The hotel and casinos have gone through a bit of change since the days Howard Hughes set up shop.

I think the little monkey hanging on to the side of the building was one of my favorite neon art works.

As the sun goes down and the crowds start to pick up we headed to the other end of Fremont. The one with the largest digital screen in the world. Yes, you are walking under the screen. They also have free music here on certain nights so be sure to look that up.

The one thing I would not be doing was getting up close to the giant screen. See the black dots dangling from a rope? They are people that jumped off a platform and zipped to the other end of the screen.

It had started to get really crowed and almost naked people started showing up – some pretending to do magic, others trying to hoover in the air and some just hanging out with a loincloth. So we hopped back on the bus and headed to our room. Vegas is a visual feast and over all I have to say I enjoyed it. Wait? Did I ever play the slots? I confess, I did put a $20 in and ended up leaving with $43 …but I have to tell you, I couldn’t do it for long. It was really boring. Other than when it lit up and went crazy – at one point I did have $82.00 and to watch it slip down and down. I didn’t like it.

Have you been to Vegas? Do you want to go to Vegas? If you have been what was your favorite thing to do?

So now I’m off to New York for the Annual Romance Writers of America conference. Watch out New York here we come!