While at the casino, I get a Binion's reward card, which will get me a $1 discount on future breakfast orders. Between the cafe (with discount) and availability of Starbucks coffee, I will probably make this my hotel if I come down here again! There is also a buffet here, and a nice steakhouse.
With my tummy full, I work on one of my watch stories for a while, and call Dawn on my land line room phone, using a calling card, since my cell phone does not work. The fog here has finally cleared, and later today the sun even makes an appearance. But it is not exactly warm here, even by the usual standards. It's 34 degrees this morning, and won't get above 40 degrees for the day. But I can see the Mississippi River out my window to the left, and much more of the countryside straight ahead. It is very "rural" out here, with the actual city of Tunica being 16 miles to the southwest.
About 12:45, I hit the exercise room for a two-hour cardio workout to help offset all this great food I've been eating. The facility is adequately equipped, though nothing particularly special. They have a couple of elliptical machines, and four treadmills. Unfortunately, the only two bikes they have are the "spinning" style bicycles with the hard narrow seats that feel like I'm perched atop the 2-inch side of a two-by-four. I can only take 20 minutes of this, so make up the time on the other two machines. I honestly do not see how anyone can ride a bike with a racing style seat on it for any length of time.
After the workout, I change into my swimsuit and hit the swimming pool, located conveniently next to the exercise room. It's kind of a pint size pool, and I luck out having the whole thing to myself. I follow that with a nice long soak in the hot whirlpool, and again have the whole thing to myself. I towel off, and head back to my room, for a deluxe shower combined with a little "tub laundry" at the same time. (Some of you are familiar with my "stomping" technique when it comes to cleaning my travel wardrobe, and think it's barbaric, but I've found it's a great way to travel light.) I follow that with a shave, and then trim the toenails, which are soft as butter by now. I feel cleaner than I have in weeks between the workout, soak, and shower.
So all in all, I would say the hotel's fitness center/pool facilities are minimal. It's not surprising, given that it's probably the only area of the hotel where it's impossible to spend any money. It's little more than an obligatory courtesy on the hotel's part, just enough so they can can say they have such facilities in their brochures. But considering the hotel has 1,100 rooms, I'd say this was a little skimpy. Also, while here, I checked out the spa which is also located here, and let's just say for now I don't want to book a massage until I check things out a little further ...
By now, I am hungry, so I opt for the Gold Strike's "American Buffet" as my dinner choice. They have a very nice salad bar (lettuce and speciality salads), several ethnic islands (Asian, Italian, etc.); a carving station with several meat choices; a steam line with American classics like fried chicken, meat loaf and such; and a dessert station complete with four-nozzle soft serve ice cream dispenser with all the toppings you could imagine. An ample beverage bar rounds out the buffet, all for $24 and change. Like most buffets, some of the food was very good (there's a stir-fry station, for example, where you pick your ingredients and put them in a bowl, and the chef adds your choice of meats and then cooks it for you on a giant round griddle), and some of the food was just OK. And some is to be avoided like the plague (the ready-made cashew chicken and wrinkly looking corn on the cob come to mind). But overall, it is an above-average buffet, with plenty of choices to please all palettes.
I decide to do a little gambling tonight, and split my time between the Horseshoe and the Gold Strike. I love these new "Family Guy" themed video slot machines that both casinos have, although I lose at all three machines I try. But I was thoroughly entertained by all the bonus features, including videos of Peter and whole Family Guy gang. In one video, Peter he gets naked, and in another he walks across the slot machine's screen, letting a big fart mid-way. In another bonus, Stewie yells "What the hell, man?" at me. Great fun.
Odds-wise, I did my best at $5 blackjack, where I played for about half an hour with a delightful dealer named "Lena" and wound up $5 ahead. In all, my loses totaled $40 this day, but I had a wonderfully entertaining time.
I hit the sack around 10 p.m. This morning (12/24), I have breakfast again at JB's Cafe, this time with Starbucks coffee. Two scrambled eggs, sausage, and I order an extra buttermilk biscuit in place of the hashbrowns. Damn, they make good biscuits down here. Puts those hockey pucks that pass for biscuits up north at McDonald's to shame.
Bruce
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