There were a good number of tourists this weekend.

People seemed a bit more subdued in their attitudes, and the “fun” factor was a bit less than the usual holiday weekend.

There was less drunken chatter and overall craziness, and the atmosphere seemed more laid back.

It’s hard to describe, but the feel this year was just a tiny bit “different”. Even though people seemed to be in a good mood, things were definitely ratcheted down a notch or two on the enthusiasm scale.

The energetic, “We are thrilled to be here!” vibe just wasn’t going on to the extent that it usually is.

Everything is relative. Even though it was subdued by Vegas standards, it was still hell raising chaos by Minnesota standards.

I think some people were disappointed that they flew out for rain and chilly weather. That may have played a major part in the dampened spirits.

Many people come to Vegas in Spring for the great pool weather, and it was more dreary here than it was when they left home.

I really hope that this weekend wasn’t someone’s first trip here. It was not representative of the typical Vegas three day weekend.

Most visitors did try to make the best of it, even hanging out by the pool when it was 70 and cloudy.

This lady had no chance for a tan, but I appreciated her for providing me with some scenery.

Instead of going outside, most people could be found drinking and gambling.

The poker rooms were busy, as were the table games.

The slot machines were more empty than a usual holiday weekend.

Just from my perception, it would appear that the majority of gaming revenue is being lost from the slot machines.

People who like to play poker are still playing poker. Every room I saw was absolutely packed, complete with waiting lists.

The blackjack and craps tables had their usual crowds as well. These games seem to be weathering the harsh economic times because they have a very loyal and enthusiastic following.

However, people seem to be able to take or leave the slot machines. And that is where the casinos make a large portion of their revenue.

It seems that when people spend their hard-earned dollar, they want to do it in a tactile, social kind of way.

They don’t want to mindlessly plunk away their vacation fund on a repetitive game that could just as easily be played via the Internet back home.

They want to hold the dice, feel the cards, see the other players, talk to each other, and actually have an in-person experience.

Most of the die-hard slot players realize that better odds can be had off-strip, and the non-die-hard players don’t care enough to fly across the country to feed the random number generator.

The Strip casinos may have to loosen up a bit in order to get the slot dollar back. When four “Max Play” .25 pulls equals a gallon of gasoline, you are going to have to convince people that smashing a button and playing the lottery 20 times per minute is still fun.

People are also getting choosier about their video poker. A year ago, the shit-pay VP machines always had an audience.

Now, it appears that people are checking the paytables more closely, and only the higher paying VP machines are getting action.

Anyway, it was a relaxing weekend.

The weather was especially good for walking, which I did a lot of.

Hit “play” below, and take a walk with me from Bally’s to the Bellagio.