Viva Las Vegas!

16 August 2008; 2350hrs Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)

It’s a 3 hour difference between Las Vegas and Washington D.C. No wonder we were hungry for dinner at 1500hrs here in Vegas. The buffet lunch/dinner (we paid the lunch price for a dinner spread) at the Bellagio was… man… excellent! The long crab legs, and sinful desserts… I overate! I really did.

Then the sights of Las Vegas overwhelmed me. Viva Las Vegas! The magnificence and opulence of this place is astounding! Never in my life have I seen so many branded up-market retail shops located so near to one another. The gleaming walls, and lighting made the place even more opulent. Paragon pales in comparison.

Most of the shows are so expensive, so we decided to watch the free ones instead. The water fountain show at Bellagio and the pirate show at Treasure Island were two that we caught today.

Las Vegas at night is simply lit up with all sorts of neon colours, creating an atmosphere of life, expectance and kitsch. Especially in the desert where one never expects to be able to find such vibrant life, Las Vegas has everything.

The gambling halls are packed every night and really smokey. I guess smoking in these places is allowed if only to attract more gamblers.

Venetian is so beautiful! The trompe l’oeil within the building helped to create a life-like sky and the architecture of the place resembled Venice. The only difference? This place is much newer and more colourful. There are even gondolas with singing boaters as well. Really cool!

Las Vegas… a city in the desert! And oh my freaking goodness, it was hot, really blazing hot, shocking hot! Even the breeze was hot air. I really wonder how people living here can stand it. The Dot in comparison, in its hottest months, is like spring! Even the nights here are so warm. Heatstroke! Without constant drinking of water, one can really suffer from heatstroke in Las Vegas.