We went from Brussels, Belgium to Vegas with my wife and 2 friends for a week of gaming and discovery.

Tuesday, april 4th: landing was planned for 3.00 PM, but we barely missed our connecting flight, then after a 7-hour wait, our new plane had a flat tire, so we finally hit the Stratosphere rooms at 1.00 AM. It's not a good idea to play poker exhausted, so we toss a few bucks away in Blackjack and Paï Gow, have a few complimentary drinks, then we hit the sack.

Wednesday, april 5th: Stratosphere gives free Craps lessons so I try to follow them, but the room is so noisy and the dealer so quiet that I don't hear much of it. I would have hoped for some play money rounds to get the hang of it, but the instructor doesn't seem to agree...

I participate in the 1PM $30 + $20 rebuy tourney at Stratosphere. 20 players, 2 winners. I land in the top 4 with a smallish stack, and a player offers to chop the prize pool in 4. Yay! First ever Vegas tournament, and I'm in the money! Everyone agrees and receives 142 bucks. While lying under the sweet Vegas sun at the cool hotel pool, I suddenly realize how much of a rip-off this is! 20 players, 17 rebuys, equals $940. And they redistribute $568?? 40% for the house is just outrageous (and, like a fool, I even gave $10 of my winnings to the dealers...)
The competition is soft, but I'd advice to steer away from those tourneys. This is a pity, because most dealers are entertaining, with a special mention to Dayan.

We reach the Mandalay Bay just in time for the 6PM 60$ freezeout tournament. I bust out quite early, perhaps distracted by the waitresses' clothes (or lack of it).
At night, we play various games, like craps, Let it Ride, Blackjack and slots, with various successes.

Thursday, april 6th: despite everything I think of it, I can't help registering for the Stratosphere 1PM tourney, with 30 players today. I end up 8th, when my AK all-in bet is called by KK and TT, and doesn't improve. Out of curiosity, I calculate the house part of the prize money, and this time it amounts to 34% of the total. Better than yesterday, but still way over the top. I make a mental resolution of never stepping in this room again (limit cash games starts at 3/6 most of the time, and I wanna play 2/4 this time).
We look for other tournament options, and try the Sahara's $42+20 rebuy tournaments at 11AM, 7PM and 11PM. The room ain't great, but the dealers are very competent. Competition is much stiffer than at Stratosphere, and you can count on 70 to 120 players! Big bucks for the winners, but unfortunately, we never make it! If you want a challenge, valuable experience and a shot at a nice stack of cash, this is a good place to be.
After a lot of tension-packed hours of tournament action, we stumble upon a new table game we never heard of: Texas Hold'em Bonus. Sahara and some other casinos offer it, and I must say it's the best casino game I've ever played!
Basically, you bet an ante and an optional bonus bet that pays if your 2-card hand is a pair or AJ+. If the hand is good enough, you place a preflop bet (double the ante). After the flop, you can check or place an ante-sized bet. Same after the turn. Then the dealer reveals his hand, and pays all bets if you win. On a straight or better, he pays you the ante too.
Mel, a very nice Sahara dealer from Ethiopia, deals me pocket aces twice in three hands (30 to 1 on the bonus bet), so I end up with a nice gain.

Friday, april 7th: we take a little time off of gambling with my wife, and we visit great stuff as the Venetian and Caesars Palace galleries, and the beautiful fountains of the Bellagio. Then we head off to the Sahara for a little Texas Bonus action, and Mel delivers the goods again. Good boy!

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, april 8th to 10th: We decide to try 2/4 Limit games for a change, and the MGM Grand room looks very nice so we settle there. This is so great down here that we won't go anywhere else for the rest of the trip. The room is classy and very spacious, with huge flat screens showing live sports. Waiting time never exceeded 15 minutes, dealers are very professional, waitresses are frequently around, and the competition is soft enough that even semi-beginners like us can make a nice profit, whilst having a great time.

I've read everywhere that Excalibur was the place to be for an easy game of poker, and I really wanted to go there, but we felt so comfortable at the MGM Grand that we never really found the courage to leave the place! I heartily recommend it.
On sunday we want to have a nice steak, and try the Golden Gate Bay Diner. This was easily the worst food I've ever had since I had to eat fake shit as a boy-scout. (was it fake, really?)

The next day, we try to find a nice steak again, and thankfully, Alan Albert's knows what a steak is supposed to be.
Great food!

We have to leave the next day, a mere $200 down for the whole trip. With so many Coronas and whiskies ordered, I'd hardly call that a loss, though. Great fun, can't wait to get there again!