We made an impromptu trip to Reno, NV, last Saturday—after heavy rains lashed the Bay Area on Thursday and Friday—to pump up our sagging adrenaline levels and try our luck in the numerous casinos there.
The trip was smooth as silk, and the weather was simply spectacular. In three hours, we were already playing our favorite slot machines in Boomtown in nearby Sparks, Nevada. Later in the afternoon, we moved on to downtown Reno.
Reno was noticeably not particularly busy on that gorgeous weekend. The Indian casinos must have taken a large bite of their lucrative business. Casino habitués were not flocking to this mini “Sin City” like they used to –especially on a very nice weekend like that one.
For us, it was a welcome relief. Traffic inside the main strip was very light, and going from one place to another was as easy as possible. Parking was incredibly hassle-free (especially with my ‘temporarily disabled’ parking card—note: in Indian casinos, these privileged parking spaces always seem full), and going in and out of the casinos was without the usual hustle and bustle. It was an exceptionally relaxing weekend in an otherwise stressful place.
We also dropped by our favorite Filipino eatery in Vallejo – Andrea’s – where we picked up all our food for the entire trip. These included “chicken adobo” and the saucy but spicy “beef kaldereta” with rice. For dessert, we had the “taho” (a food/drink made basically of curdled soybeans) with lots of “arnibal” (syrup made of brown sugar and vanilla) and “sago” (tapioca pearls).
Of course, the package won’t be complete without their irresistible and delightfully crispy “lechon” with the mildly spicy liver sauce.