Bellagio Fountains - Las Vegas, Nevada

One evening we decided to jump on an Express bus and make the 30-45 minute trip from downtown Vegas out to the Strip to see the dancing water display at the Bellagio Hotel. It was a Saturday night…and in hindsight we should have picked a different night, since we figured Saturday is probably the craziest night of the week for traffic jams and pedestrian pile-ups on the Strip. (I can’t tell you how many brides in wedding dresses we counted walking up and down the street!)

But off we went…and after a LONG bus ride (with some interesting local characters) we stood with hundreds of other people surrounding the moat in front of the huge hotel. And we stood. And we waited. And waited. In 107 degree heat.

And FINALLY…The show began. And it ended.

Let me say…the “extravaganza” was a HUGE disappointment.

It lasted all of FIVE MINUTES! No kidding.

So after that “tremendous” display, we glanced around at the lights and sights, and we walked back across the sky walk to catch a bus heading back downtown.

And we weren’t the only people headed back to Fremont Street on that Saturday night.

The bus was PACKED. Standing room only.

And as I stood holding onto a pole to begin the long trip downtown, I heard a kind voice with a beautiful accent say “Here…please…take my seat.” I looked behind me and saw these smiling faces…

A sweet young French man named Simon was offering me his seat! At first I said no, but he insisted. I was shocked. And I finally happily agreed to accept his offer.

Turns out, Simon and his friend have been traveling around the United States for EIGHT MONTHS! He works in the wine industry in France, (I think he said the Bordeaux region) and they have been all over our country, exploring vineyards and cities and towns from coast to coast.

I asked him what cities he has enjoyed the most so far, and he said Chicago and San Francisco stood out in his mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with both of them. And even though the bus was loaded with Americans, it was a Frenchman who gave up his seat for THIS little old Grandma in Vegas.

So Merci Beaucoup Simon! I won’t forget you…or the generosity you showed me on that hot and crowded bus on the Las Vegas Strip.

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