It’s been an insanely busy week.

I took these pictures last evening and just thought they were cool.

So it starts. We knew that Planet Hollywood would start defacing the outside of the Aladdin when they took it over, but the fact that it has officially started is a bummer.

Granted it’s not nearly as bad as the humongous vodka ads on the side of the Luxor, but I always hate it when they turn the properties into giant billboards.

The one exception being the Toni Braxton ad on the side of the Flamingo. I’ve been trying to get a Vagina Room for over a year, but have so far been unsuccessful.

Anyway, didn’t Stallone drive the original Planet Hollywood into bankruptcy?

I’m not sure if that’s the first image I would want on the “Grand Opening” of the new property.

I guess the rationale is that Rambo would never file for bankruptcy, he would just shoot and brutally stab all the creditors.

Maybe it’s up there as a “never again” warning to potential collection people that the property won’t be taken alive.

Or maybe it’s simply there because a new “Rambo” movie is coming out, despite the fact that “Rambo” now takes Geritol and dribbles when he pees due to an enlarged prostate?

It could be any of the above.

Is it me, or does the billboard look a little like the Shroud of Turin?

Maybe Jesus is coming to a theater near me on January 25th?

Either way, I’m not paying $7.50 for a ticket.

I peered over the wall this weekend and captured the progress.

The security guard said that it will be opening in August of 2009.

From the progress so far, I don’t doubt it.

I can’t wait until they take the butt fugly construction walk down from between the Monte Carlo and Bellagio. It’s not only an eyesore, but it’s freaking claustrophobic when the 2 block tunnel tunnel fills up.

More photos are here:

http://www.vegasrex.com/photos/city-center-photos/

It’s that time of year when the Bellagio changes the conservatory to celebrate Chinese New Year.

This year is The “Year of The Rat”. Last year was the year of the pig, and they had a giant animated pig on display. No such display this year. I guess gigantic rats are hard to come by nowadays … having been hired by Chuck E. Cheese franchises nationwide.

This year’s display was much more understated.

There are no water tunnels, pedestrian bridges, or animatronics. It’s a fairly basic display with an Asian theme, but very subtle as far as effects go.

They reuse some of the same “props” for the Chinese New Year display every year, like the giant Asian dude and his gold coins, the pagoda and crooked bridge, and the red lanterns.

It’s always nice to see the new displays, but they didn’t put as much effort into the rat as they did the pig.

Then again, did we really want to see a large, animated rat?

Probably not.

More photos are here:

http://www.vegasrex.com/photos/bellagio-conservatory/

This is a video of a pianist in the Bellagio lounge area (across from reservations):

This was the scene just north of the Monte Carlo about an hour ago.

Other than some signs in the Bellagio “welcoming” Monte Carlo guests, a message on the Monte Carlo marquee, and a larger than usual number of tourists snapping pictures of the Monte Carlo, The Strip is just like it would be any other Saturday.

It’s crowded, there are several people dressed as Elvis walking around, and there are women in Bikinis at Planet Hollywood.

Porn slappers are out in full force.

That is one happy looking dude.

Crowded Deuce Buses are cruising The Strip, people are in a good mood, time share people are nagging the hell out of tourists, there is wall-to-wall traffic … unless you had seen it on the news, you would never know that there was any drama at all yesterday.

The burned part of the Monte Carlo is facing away from The Strip, and no damage is visible from the Boulevard. It can be seen from the freeway, but most of The Strip has been spared from the unpleasant images.

There is some slight damage visible from the Bally’s/Paris area in the form of broken windows, but you wouldn’t notice it unless you were explicitly looking for it.

I am happy to report that absolutely everything is back to normal on the Vegas Strip … “normal” being a relative Las Vegas term.

I even got a picture of a midget dressed as Elvis in front of Planet Hollywood.

I rest my case.