One quick stop in Las Vegas

Las Vegas… known for its luxurious hotels, massive shopping malls, and unparalleled nightlife. These three things combined create the unique experience that Las Vegas is well-known for; except, things tend to be slightly different when traveling at the beginning of a pandemic.

Walmart

15 minutes later I was ready for the rest of the journey. Until… we got hungry and went to buy a fruit salad to the nearest Walmart supermarket. While I often go to Walmart, this time it felt a bit different. We realized that there were more people than usual and that many shelves were empty. Unbeknown to us, people were buying more things than usual as a result of the coronavirus. There were absolutely no toilet paper rolls or cleaning products available, and only a few canned products in stock.

Las Vegas Strip

A few hours later, the tall shinny buildings of the Las Vegas strip welcomed us with a desert-like scene. Apparently, most people were not traveling after covid-19 cases began increasing in the United States. Paulina and I did not want to cancel our plans because we had already booked everything.

We stayed at the Aria Resort & Casino and were looking forward to staying here. However, there was probably about a fourth of the number of people I have normally seen in Las Vegas. So the experience was a little unusual.

Having settled down in our hotel room, Paulina and I visited a high-end Mexican restaurant named “Javier’s”. The food was delicious and offered some of the most delicious “Totopos” we have ever had. We then visited the Miracle Mile Shops, the Forum Shops at the Ceasar’s Palace, the Venetian hotel, and then finally the Wynn Resort. To me, nothing was very impressive anymore since I have been to Las Vegas on many occasions before. Paulina did not seem very excited either, even though it was her first time here. She seemed to have expected to see the crazy parties and environment often shown in the movies. But all the bars, clubs, and, surprisingly, even a lot of clothing shops were closed. There was not really much more we could do other than walk, watch, and eat.

Life Changing Coffee

Eventually, life sympathized with us when we took a break from walking and entered a coffee and gelato shop named “Illy Cafe”. Paulina ordered a strawberry gelato and I ordered an espresso shot. Within minutes, we received our order, but it was not until I took the first sip to my espresso shot that I realized I was tasting a piece of heaven. With its creamy top and very smooth taste, it managed to make up for the disappointing experiences I’d had. Illy coffee has become part of my life ever since.

Final Thoughts

While our stay in Las Vegas was not the crazy partying night we were looking for, it, nonetheless, allowed us to experience some delicious food and coffee, and a relaxing night in our hotel. With no nightclubs or bars opened, we returned to our hotel early to get some rest and prepare ourselves for our next stop at Los Angeles…