The farewell review

[Elaine]

Finally I’m here with my last week review. “I’m not quite sure where to start”, that’s a sentence I can take to myself right now.

Since I came to know Céline for real, is that I’ve been dreaming of seeing her live. I remember saying to everyone who would listen to me “I can’t die without seeing her and listening to her voice. That’s how I know I still have much life left to live”.

That was the biggest thing that would ever happen to me, and it did, after the endless effort I had to make and the extra hours I had to work and the extra tears I cried throughout the year. On December 9th I arrived in Vegas, 4 hours later than what I had planned, and afraid I’d lose my ticket to see Céline for the first time. Everything ended up well, as some of you may have read on my review for that show (http://www.celinedionforum.com/My-dream-finally-came-trueand33-t29258.html)

I am still in shock, not only for seeing Céline, but also for my weird reaction at that moment. No tears to cry, only a big smile that came to my ears since I heard the beginning of “A new day has come” and the sound of breaking glass…

Then December 12th came. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but my destiny changed when a week before that Marisa announced she had tickets for that day on sale, and I couldn’t help and bought one, without letting anyone know about it, or else they’d say more than my ears can stand. I got to the colosseum at about 6:50, and went to get my tickets. I knew many people of the forum would be there, so I kept looking around trying to find any familiar face. As I couldn’t find any, I entered and took a picture with Céline’s statue and then went to the door through which I was supposed to enter. Then I heard some music from the inside. They were checking the sound for Taking chances. I don’t know why but that made me emotional and my eyes filled with tears. Then it was time to come in. As I took my seat I kept looking around for some face I’d know, and some minutes later I saw some orange t-shirts and knew they were the dutches. As none of them knew me by then, I decided just to stay where I was and try to talk to them later. A woman came to talk to them and I was almost sure she was Jane. As she walked up looking for her seat, I followed her with my eyes in order to see if she was sitting next to me so that I could go and talk to her, and I couldn’t believe when she took the seat beside me. Then I asked her name and presented myself and we talked until the show started. We had agreed on shouting “We love you Céline” after seduces me, but she didn’t listen. Only when we talked to Mego on Thursday is that I understood why she didn’t listen to us. The highlight of that show was for sure the guy behind us pulling Jane’s hair and tapping my back asking us not so politely to sit down during I drove all night (We had time to dance only the first chorus!) After the show I followed Jane and met many other fans and members of the forum. I met Tati and Malu, (and I cried when I saw Malu crying) and outside I met Sophoan, who says I’m a tall Brazilian version, Susan, the dutches, Michael and lots of other people. After some pictures with the dancers and a really good time at slice, I finally took a taxi back home.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas068.jpg

Jane and me.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas072.jpg

What's in the box? picture.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas075.jpg

The administratorsn and moi!

 

 

On Thursday, December 13th, I woke up thinking it’d be a really special day. I didn’t know how or why, I just had the feeling. I went to school and came back home as I had been doing that week, got dressed, put some make up on and called for a taxi. I had a big surprise when my usual taxi driver didn’t answer his phone and the taxi company said it would take me 2 hours of wait. As it was already 6:30 that idea was completely discarded. I went up to ask my host mother if she knew any other taxi numbers, but she was sleeping. I was desperate. I had no idea how to get to the strip by bus and it was getting late. I’d miss the show. No, I couldn’t swallow that idea, so I came back to my room and tried once again to call my usual taxi driver. He picked the phone up. I was so happy and explained my situation, to which he responded “Today is my day off” I couldn’t believe all of that was happening to me, and then he continued “But I can pick you up with my own car”. Even though it is dangerous, especially if you are in a foreign country, I accepted, because I had no options left and he drove me to Caesars, where I promised Jane I was going to be at 7:30, because she had to take my things to her hotel. I got there 10 minutes late, and she wasn’t there, so I went to the entrance of the colosseum and met Tati and Estevam there. Tati told me about their adventure and that they almost didn’t make it. What a crazy day for many people! I didn’t find Jane anywhere so I checked my bag in with my camera. I got my seat, which was not as perfect as the CC ticket I had the first time, but I was anxious to know what I was going to see from that seat. I had Orch3 A. Some minutes later I met Erin, who was in the seat beside me and we talked a lot. We saw a proposal. That was cute! The show went on perfectly, and I couldn’t believe I was actually standing up on I drove all night, I’m alive, Love can move mountains and River deep, mountain high!! I was completely amazed that nobody complained. The highlight of this show was for sure Love can move mountains. Celine was making different moves, in a thriller style, and laughing so funny that made me laugh too. When the dancers came out of the stage and came to my section, some of them gave me hi5 and clapped hands with me! I was in heaven!! When the show was over the penny finally dropped, there were only 2 shows left, which meant that there was only one show left for me, seeing that I didn’t have any ticket for Friday, and then tears came to my eyes and I let them out a little bit. When I finally met Jane and Susan, she asked me where I was sitting on Friday, and I said I had no tickets. So she said “Well, buy one”. She had an extra ticket! I was so happy that my eyes were tearful again. The only problem is that I had promised my host mother I was going to see her show (she performs at Sahara with an Elvis impersonator), and she was going to go on a one-month vacation, which meant I wouldn’t have another opportunity. So I spent the whole Friday, during our great tour, thinking about what I should do. Anyways, after the show on Thursday we went to slice as usual, after I took a picture with my favorite of all Mego and also Barnev. There were only a few of us left and Jane decided to call Mego, who was in a table beside us, to tell him about our plans for Saturday. He told us Celine can only listen to the audience by her microphone, so we’d have only one opportunity to sing. We decided then that we would do the song after To love you more, just before she started talking. Then we went to Jane’s hotel and slept.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas076.jpg

Barnev and me.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas077.jpg

Mego and me.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas078.jpg

 

On Friday, December 14th, we woke up early and had a small breakfast before going to the tour. We met everyone downstairs and got into the bus. It was funny. I have so many videos of all that singing that I want you all to see it (If you don’t bother listening to my terrible voice, as I was the one recording the video).We visited the Hoover Dam and then Lake Las Vegas, hoping that we’d see Céline’s house. We actually took lots of pictures… But not of the right house! That was funny! Then we dropped by the chocolate factory and then it was time to decide if I was going to see Celine for the second to last time in my life or see my host mother. With Jane’s help, I decided what you all are thinking now. Of course I chose Celine. Then we got to the hotel and got dressed, in my case I just had a shower, which was making me feel really bad for going to the show with the same clothes I’d spent all day, but as everyone said I looked fine, I felt better. Jane had told me she had an Orch 2 D ticket to sell, so I was waiting for that ticket, but then she handed me the ticket Orch 3 C. She gave me her best ticket! By that time I could only imagine she was an angel or something like that! Soon we discovered that Susan and I were sitting in the same row, but in seats apart from each other, so we would ask people to move if they were kind enough. It turned out that the person sitting on that place was Anu, so she changed with me so that Susan and I could talk. We started talking about the show on Saturday and how far I would be from the stage that night, and she told me she was lucky because she had an orchestra ticket, and she joked “Tomorrow I’ll be sitting right next to Tom Cruise” and we both laughed thinking about the crazy idea of having Tom Cruise so near. Five minutes later the colosseum went crazy in applauses and we looked for the source of that, finding it passing right in front of us: Tom Cruise and Kate Holmes. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe he was there and we’d just talked about him, and also it was incredible for me to see him because it was something that had never crossed my mind because for me that was just impossible, but there he was. I told Susan she was a fortune teller and we kept on laughing at that situation. The show was great. This time I cried because I actually realized that my dream would be over in one day and then it would never happen again. I would never see her again. Just when I thought that, the words “who knows, where the road will lead us, only a fool would say” came out of her mouth and for a second I believed it would be possible to see her again one day. When the show was over my heart was telling me to cry, but my conscious head said no all the time. Not for long though, as we stepped outside, waiting for the dancers to come out, I couldn’t help it anymore and cried like a baby. Jane and Paula tried to console me and I tried not to cry more than I was, but it was just impossible. I had to thank Jane for all that she’d done for me, because without her I would never have been present on the show that night, and I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. Just as I was trying to put my tears away, some of the dancers that I most love came out and I had to have a picture taken. When I look at it now I can’t believe how my tears can turn into a smile in only a few seconds.

Slice was our destination again and then home.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas189.jpg

Jane, Susan and me, before the show.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas197.jpg

All of us with Celine's dancer

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas198.jpg

After having cried rivers!

 

I'll be back with December 15th's review later!

[Elaine]

On Saturday, December15th, I woke up in the morning with some Christmas songs playing upstairs, but I didn’t go there. But as I left my bedroom door open, I could listen to the music while I was brushing my teeth and it was the best I could have received that morning. The Christmas song was playing and I didn’t even know my host mother liked Céline! I ran upstairs pretending I had just waken up and in search for some water. Then my host mother looked at me, smiled and then said “Who’s singing that song?” and I was like “ Let me guess… Ms Céline Dion” We all laughed and then I apologized for not going to her show on Friday and she said it was ok, and she decided then that she should sing for me to hear her voice. Then she went to the living room and got this karaoke CD she had with some Céline songs and started singing My heart will go on. It was awesome!! She really can sing!!

After going shopping, I got home and got dressed, as I would meet Jane to help her with the last arrangements for the show. I ended up being one hour and a half late so we didn’t do anything. As we were late for dinner, we just went to Caesars and met some friends there. We were talking and then comes a very well dressed guy and presented himself. Chuck Taylor. I loved meeting him! He’s a wonderful person and that also consoled me saying that it’s impossible not to cry with Celine. I was eating my pizza and someone came running saying that René was in front of the colosseum. I left everything there and ran. When I got there there was nobody, but Vic said he had been there but we’d all missed him. As it was almost time for me to meet Zanif, who had my ticket, I went to the store and he was already there. I took him to our table and presented him to everyone and thinking he was talking about the same Jane I was and then I finished eating. Sophoan was capturing everything with his camera, and he came to us for us to present ourselves. Some minutes ago, I had cried because we were talking about the way Céline says Frank Sinatra and that it’d be the last time I’d hear that, and as I was being “interviewed” I said I was going to cry again. Sophoan started counting the seconds for me to cry and Jane started saying Frank Sinatra over and over again, so it was inevitable, you know what happened. (I hate when people see me crying! I’m so ashamed!) Then it was time for us to go so I left the table talking to Chuck. Chuck was heading the other way so I followed the others who were a little ahead of me. There was a confusion of lights, cameras and people and I immediately though of some famous person, but I couldn’t see who. When I stepped up the first step of the stairs I let out a small yelling. It was Garou. I love him almost as I love Céline, so I had to enter in the middle of that crowd and talk to him. I did it. I was very close to him and we took a picture. The only thing I could say though was “I love you” (I didn’t even say it in French ) and he kept on looking at me and smiling. He was cute! And the cutest when he saw Michael was having trouble in handing the camera to me and took it from his hand and said something like “I do it” and he took his own picture with Michael! How wonderful can that man be!!

Then we saw Luc Plamondon, who I filmed being interviewed (my poor French tells me he was telling the reporter he was surprised to see so many young people there wanting to take a picture with him (and he pointed his hands to me and some people around! ). He’s also a very good guy.

We were about to enter and then we saw David Foster! It was really funny when Sophoan interviewed him and asked his favorite song and he started naming all the songs he had produced! I loved that!

And finally we came in. The show started around 9:10, with the president of Harrah’s and the rest you all know. They showed The secrets of a new day, and as I hadn’t bought the DVD yet, part of that was new to me, and even though I’d seen it before, what made me crash into tears was the video of the day Céline’s dad passed away. When I was starting to recover the video transformed into the A new day… logo followed by the sentence “The final night”. I was crying so hard that I didn’t even realize that there was no glass breaking this time. Needless to say that I had tears all over my face throughout the show! I was in the 2nd mezz, and I didn’t like it there because it was too far, but one thing I liked about it (and hated at the same time) is that there weren’t so many hardcore fans there, only me, Arturo, and two guys behind us, and since we were the last 2 rows, we were able to stand up, dance and sing throughout the entire show.

Highlight of this show was River deep, mountain high. She gave the audience the microphone to sing the “Yeah yeah yeah” part but nobody was ready for that sudden action. The other highlights you already know, the petals, René, René Charles etc.

 

After the show it was really hard for me. Thank God my friends always know what to do. We went to Sophoan’s hotel and we saw all the pictures and videos we’d done during the week! (I can’t help laughing every time I see those videos!) As Jane had fallen asleep, we decided to stay there till morning. Sophoan and I stayed awake till 5:30 am, and we had lots of fun, including the mask scene which was hilarious! Pity we didn’t take a picture to put in our avatars like we said we would do! )

On Sunday we had lunch together and then we went to the boutique again! There we met Celine’s biographer, with whom I took a picture. The scene was awesome:

Me: Excuse-me, I don’t want to bother you, but can I have a picture with you?

He: Yes, but why?

Michael (thinking faster than I was): Because you know Celine and she knows you.

He: She also knows Céline (pointing to his wife and laughing)

And then he asked me where I was from and said he’d been to my country before and then we had our picture taken. In the evening we all went to see Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra with Antoinnette, so it was time to say goodbye to Michael. On the following day, I had to say bye to Sophoan and to Jane. It was sad, because I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again…

I came back to the colosseum like 3 times later, because I fell into a deep Celine depression after everyone had left, and I thought that going to the colosseum would help me. Wrong, of course. That Bette Midler sign everywhere instead of Céline’s just made me sadder.

 

Who’s reading this review probably may think that I’m not happy. No, I’m extremely happy! I fought hard for it and I made my dream come true. But the point is that I discovered that this is not the kind of dream that you have and when you achieve it you get happy and move on with your life. This is the kind of dream that will always go on. I’ll always dream of seeing Céline… So I can say that a part of my dream came true. I saw her quite near once, I heard her voice, but something is still missing. Maybe what I really expected in my subconscious was that I got to meet her somehow. That may be the other part of my dream and that will probably never come true. As much as I try to be optimistic all the time, sometimes I have to be realistic. It’s impossible for me to see her during the next tour… But again, who knows where the road will lead us, only a fool would say… I still believe that there ain’t a dream that don’t have a chance to come true, it just takes a little faith. I would never imagine that I would actually have the chance to see her live and look where my life brought me…

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas203.jpg

Chuck Taylor.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas211.jpg

Luc Plamondon.

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas274.jpg

Garou

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/Elainedion/LasVegas267.jpg

Gorges Hebert Germain

 

I would like to thank then all the friends I made here in the forum, especially the 5 people I spent my week with: Jane, Sophoan, Susan, Michael and Nic. You are the greatest people I’ve ever met! I know that love is a strong word, so you can’t use it unless you’re pretty sure of what you feel, and I really feel I can use it! I love you and it’s for sure I’m gonna love you all the way! You made me have one of the happiest moments of my life, I’ll be forever thankful for that!!

 

And of course, I’d like to thank Céline, who I know will never read this thread, but for whom I’ll always have to thank, no matter how many words have already been said.

Céline, you are truly the person who I most look up to after my mother. When I was 6 I heard a voice that followed me during my childhood and made my soundtrack, even though I was too young to know who the owner of that angelical voice was. That voice gave me a dream, your voice gave me a dream and a world to believe in. Without you my life would have been a lot different. Thank you for making my life easier to live. I love you!

 

Well, that’s it. Thank you all for reading this until the end! I really needed to let out everything that was inside.

 

xxx

 

Elaine

[Ted]

Great REVIEW Elaine!!!

You got in pictures the some real known people.

[Cheerfuljane]

Such a brilliant review Elaine !!

You keep dreaming Girlfriend!! You never know what's gonna Happen!!

 

So you all stayed there because I fell asleep? You coulda just woken me up. I'm such an old granny compared to you guys

No details on the sleeping arrangements thanks goodness

 

You so have to post the videos from the bus and driving to the colosseum

[tativale]

Yeah Elaine.. heh keep on dreaming!!!!!!!!!!! Everything is possible WE have to believe on the things we want to ourselves because if we don't, who will do for us?!?!?!?

We still have years of Celine to come. She will always come back!

[Elaine]

Thank you all for the support! I'm in a deep depression right now but I'll get over it!

 

Here are some videos I've uploaded. Some of them aren't so interesting:

 

Taking off NYC - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7PWE29qqCI

Singing Taking chances at Slice - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acor_vvZJRk (Don't listen to my voice please!!!)

Trying to make the DVD work - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPbQjztECfg

Road to Lake Mead - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZxMn4lo2_Y

Road to Lake Mead 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT-fN16fISQ

Heading to Hoover Dam - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZof-LOAqCs

 

Later I'll post more!

[Bellamy]

The color of the photo with us is horrible. We need to fix it.

[Bellamy]

Ok. This looks better. Sorry, I can't do it any better.

[Koolan]

What a wonderful review, Elaine. Glad you could witness all of this in person, Celine truly brings fans from all over the world together.

 

I forgot we even took a photo together the day I arrived...I was too tired, been up for like 18 hours upon arriving at Caesar's.

 

PS the photos are not loading, says page not found

[Tal]

Here Bellamy...I tweaked it a bit:

 

 

Its not perfect but at least its not so smurfy looking

[Bellamy]

What happened to Vic's lip?

 

Here's the original photo. Maybe you can make it better from this.

[Tal]

i'll give it a try

[Dreamer]

Wow girl I loved the review, and you already know that I'm sooo happy for you. It's a dream come true, and while you are describing it I can really feel your happiness.

and yeah keep believing, because you know by know, dreams do come true!!!

soo happy for you

[Elaine]

Thank you for the fixing! I don't know what happened when I took that photo!

But I do know what happened to the other ones! I prefer not to make any comments on that cause I'm such a dumb! I'll upload all of my pictures so you'll be able to see them later! More videos coming soon!!

[Elaine]

More videos:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcZ33wSDMHk - Heading to Hoover Dam - Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-Ia6m0yIOI - At Hoover Dam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_bEtdsDcD0 - Heading to the escalator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cS9UGXAsuU - the fans at Hoover Dam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxVJpu1V7P0 - Jane and Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0pN-T-rxZ4 - And then first singing video

 

I'll be back with more!

[Shesings2me]

Elaine...you are a sweetheart and an obviously genuine and deep-caring person. Many of us know exactly what you felt and what you are still feeling, so please know that you are thought about in your Celine depression. Keep sharing the way you do and you will feel better in no time at all, and try to keep busy going forward in your own life because that is what Celine would want for you. I believe that she would want to know that her fans are trying to do the best with what they have and making a difference in the lives of others whenever possible...just as she does. Have fun, dream...and then make the things you want happen. Thanks so much for pouring your heart out and giving us such a thorough review of your Celine experience.

 

Stay well my Celine friend, Tracy

[Filine]

LOLOL the singing was actually worse than I remember LOLOLOLOL Céline would have cracked up over this!!! Great review Elaine

[zanif]

great review. it was nice to meet you. my cousin loved the jacket you wore on the 15th. glad you had a great time.

[jacwar58]

So you all stayed there because I fell asleep? You coulda just woken me up. I'm such an old granny compared to you guys

 

 

You're an old granny???

Positively a youngster!

[Duchess]

very nice elaine. and jane to the rescue agaiiiiiiin. oh well what can we say about our dearest jane eh.

wanna hear what she doing for moi hear in south africa. no i won't say till after the shows.

[Elaine]

Thank you so much for all your kind words folks!! You're really wonderful!!!

 

Here are all my Vegas pictures: http://pictures2007.fotos.net.br/lasvegas/photo.html

 

There are lots of them that are only meaninful to me, but you can just skip those ones!

 

More videos coming soon!

 

P.S: Yes, the singing is really worse than what I had imagined it had been too!

[Cheerfuljane]

328

 

Gimme a few hours to come back and comment

 

Thanks Elaine

[CSCfan]

Thanks for your amazing review and fantastic review Elaine!! Was so nice to (finally) meet you..

[KimboCosmo]

Elaine! This was such a beautiful review!!! It actually made me cry! Haha...I cry easily as well! I love all the forum people on here, and I wish I could have been there when you guys were there...I left the week before...

 

I know exactly how you feel about your dream...I had never seen Celine live either, and it finally came true, AND IN row CC as well! I was very depressed coming home knowing that I didn't actually get to MEET her...I hold on to that, though...I believe one day it will happen, and it will for you as well!!!

 

I hope that one day I can meet all of you wonderful people...much love!

Edited January 5, 2008 at 03:43 AM by KimboCosmo

[Elaine]

More and more videos:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GInL9lSrFxo - The singing goes on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otwbQOoUDBo - Alone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q92vrMfmKY - Heading to Lake Las Vegas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0umG5kB3AM - Going from teh parking lot into Caesars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZYUIU4V1dE - Getting into Caesars elevator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AHPwyxcr40 - Talking at slice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94KGNMotZ80 - Mego

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogrtQV_dRVA - Car singing (One of the best!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC7BLDW6D1g - Would you be her maid?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAAVQxzwGAw - Luc Plamondon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZT7GdVPmvo - Love after David

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozscycCagdk - The strip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CytyFY3N1YI - The colosseum message to Céline

[nano]

aw..thanks Elaine for the videos.

[idroveallnight]

Ahh so many memories, I've really got to get around to posting my pics.

[CelineAndRene]

very neat story!!

[Elaine]

Ahh so many memories, I've really got to get around to posting my pics.

 

Yes you do my dear!!! I'm really looking forward to have your pictures too!! And don't forget the videos because I know you have many amazing ones!!!

 

Miss you very much!!!!

[idroveallnight]

Ahh so many memories, I've really got to get around to posting my pics.

 

Yes you do my dear!!! I'm really looking forward to have your pictures too!! And don't forget the videos because I know you have many amazing ones!!!

 

Miss you very much!!!!

I'm getting to it. I promise!!