From LA, we travelled onwards to Las Vegas. We stayed in a small town called Laughlin before reaching it. The difference between this casino town and Vegas is that this consists of mostly senior citizens while Vegas consists of mainly younger people.
Our hotel is a casino hotel and that means there is a casino in our hotel. There are also musical performances by celebrity impersonators who really do not seem fake, in the box theatre. There is a video arcade for the kids and even spa machines. The breakfast buffet is fabulous, seeming more like lunch, with the wide variety and stomach-filling nature of the items. The television programmes, however, are really boring since the town strives to encourage gambling above anything else but at the same time, they are sexually explicit.
It was on to Vegas after our stay there. The town uses countless neon lights to attract travellers and thus consumes a lot of electricity. It is made up of many hotels, some gorgeous and jaw-dropping. There are casinos, shopping and eating places, live shows which really exploit the female body and a thrilling ride that drops you from a great height called the Stratosphere. Of course I did not take the ride.
We spent our time visiting the various hotels, either by walking or by taking the public bus. Luxor is built in the Egyptian style. Models of the Sphinx and a pyramid are outside the entrance of the hotel. Hotel Paris has a model of the Eiffel Tower outside and Hotel Venetian has a model of the Rialto Bridge as well as a gondola which is open for tourist rides. Aladdin is built in the Arabian style while Excalibur is built like a medieval castle. The newest hotel Wynn is also another architectural wonder. New York New York has a model of the Statue of Liberty outside.
We also saw magnificent shows that encompass water, lights and fire. Bellagio Hotel has an outdoor display where the water is "set on fire" after a volcano has erupted. Another hotel has one too, where the water, together with lights, "dances" to piped-in music. Three other hotels have indoor ones. Aladdin has a simulated storm display on its ceiling, MGM has colourful computer images "dancing" to piped in music and yet another hotel has lights and smoke effects accompanying a mythical presentation, portrayed with life-sized statues and voice-overs.
The bad thing about Vegas is that it is extremely smoky, not due to the display shows but due to inconsiderate smokers. The air is cold enough and a smoke-filled one reduces the oxygen available for our lungs. I was feeling a little dizzy and breathless as a result. I was also extremely irritated.
I bought a T-shirt bearing the logo of CSI since that place is the setting of the original season of the series. While doing so, my father and I noticed a guy loitering near us. We were extra wary as a result and left the shop quickly. Thank goodness he did not follow us any further, as he had done at 2 shops we patronised.
We had dinner at Tony Roma's and the portions are big. I ordered a calm chowder and asked for an empty plate so that I could share my parents' food. The waiter thought that I was on a diet. Haha. The service crew was extremely hospitable towards us, probably cos we were tourists. It was obvious to them based on our race, accent and dressing. I wonder if our local sales industry treats tourists just as well...
No comments:
Post a Comment