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Published: August 31st 2007
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The saying goes: "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." but that wouldnt make much of a blog now would it?? Las Vegas was one of our only sure fire certainties as a destination at the outset of our roadtrip and after overdosing on scenery and landscapes for the past couple of weeks, we took the opportunity to check into our hotel a day early for an extended fix of sin in this excessive and in-your-face town. We're in Las Vegas, playground for adults who really should know better but whom consensually comply with Vegas' persuasive "it could be you" temptations.
Like Charlie Babbat and Rainman, we werent staying in no sticky floored hostel in Vegas (though we did stop short on matching suits) so we careered the Avenger onto The Strip on a roasting hot Sunday night and checked into the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino, slap bang in the middle of the strip and just opposite the (in)famous Caesar's Palace. Like the majority of casinos on the strip, this place was choc'a'block with slots, tables and folk just dying to put their hands in their pockets and their chips on the baise.
This was Trung's second visit to Vegas and he likes a hand of Poker or two. I'm not really into gambling much but when in Rome... well, Caesar's Palace is close enough! I didnt have any real pre-conceptions of Vegas but concientiously went in with an open mind while bracing myself for the unexpected. Its a good thing because once I was actually on The Strip, I found it to be a bright, brash and almost overwhelming world. It's not as if it takes you completely by surprise - if you've been there before, you'll already know that Las Vegas is a lone, flat city in the middle of the Mohave' desert so you can see the collective illumination of a million and one flourescent lightbulbs miles before your actually standing right in front of one of the number of glitzy casinos that proudly and opposingly flank each side of the strip. Its the kind of place you'll either stand wide eyed with your mouth open in awe of the opulence and scale of the casinos or take it all in with a large fist full of salt and chuckle at the tacky yet lavish American recreations of The Eiffel Towel, The Manhattan skyline and
my
favourite, the Rialto Bridge at The Venician. Whatever your reaction, its undenable how compelling and interesting this street in the middle of the desert really is.
On the business front, I was really amazed by just how efficient and direct Las Vegas is as a slick and hungry money making machine. Every detail, no matter how obscure or seemingly irrelevant, appears geared to making gamblers and tourists comfortable and primed to play. Hypnotic robot voices advertising "unmissable offers inside", free drinks for gamblers and even the choice of music being played in the gaming halls is intended to bring tourists and their budgets inside to play the slots, craps, black jack, poker, etcetera.
In saying all this, it didnt put us off! As I mentioned, im no cards player but for 4 days I was keen to sample the experience and maybe, just maybe, I'd win some bucks from these cowboys. In the end, I ended up contributing to the grand marble foyers and electricity bills for those lights I mentioned at The Luxor (this was the worse ending in shots of whiskey at 06:00 and some desperate, unsuccessful double ups - woops), Bally's, The Mirage, The
Imperial Palace and the quickest loss of $100 ever at The Bellagio. As the saying goes, the fountains (check the video clip at the top of the story) and statues outside don't pay for themselves! Nevermind though, as we emerged victorious from both The Monte Carlo and The Excalabur, I have to admit to enjoying the kick as we cashed in our chips and left the casinos "up". In saying that, I think Trung left the city more or left on an even keel, the secret being, "quit while your ahead" and "mind those 'free' drinks..."
It wasnt all Black Jack and Casino Wars though. We also managed to catch a Cirque de Soleil show at the New York, New York casino. I'd seen one of their shows before in London and was mesmerised from beginning to end so I really wanted to see another production while in town. We luckily managed to land some of the last tickets to "Zumanity", touted as "the erotic side to Cirque de Soleil". It was really good but nowhere near as good as Saltimbanco. Nevertheless, parts of the show were truely breathtaking.
After seeing all those other canyons around America, we
wanted to go and see the largest, the Grand Canyon. Its relatively close to Vegas, so we took a day trip, a tactical move as much as anything, to get away from the tables and maybe stem the loss of gambling chips. The road took us down past the Hoover Dam, which was pretty awesome to check out. That day must have been the hottest in America with temperatures of 41c according to the watch; however, as we neared the Grand Canyon at Joshua Tree forest, the weather really took a turn for the worse and roads quickly turned into rivers at points. After chancing our arms a few times by plouging the Avenger through these improvising road-rapids, we came across a very dodgy looking section with folk stranded on the opposite side of the road. A truck of lads thrashed through and smashed their truck on a submerged rock bursting their tyres so common sense prevailed and we accepted that we werent going to reach the Grand Canyon after all.
"Nevermind" we concurred and with that, we spun The Beast around and blew up a high plume of hot, dusty air from the desert track to head back
to Vegas for 'one last hand'.
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