5.02.2006

Vegas

My trip to Sin City had a perfect beginning. I got off the plane and headed to baggage claim. I see a horde of limo drivers holding up placards with names on them. Just once, I want someone waiting for me with my name on it...One of them said Hasselhof (I'm not going to bother looking up the spelling).

Since it takes longer for the baggage to get to the claim area than it does to actually fly here, I amused myself watching the driver. Sure enough, here he comes, Mr. Baywatch himself. He's like 6'4", and wearing black leather. He really stood out. At least I thought. I snapped a picture of him with my cell (didn't turn out). NO ONE even noticed him. Not a nudge and a grin, not a glance.

As I went to check in, there was a gaggle of annoyingly loud guys wearing rugby jerseys. Must have been like 10 of them. All tall, all apparently in very good shape. They were crowding me, all talking at once to the girl who was checking them in. I staked out my space, and one of them apologized. I finally figured out that these were the male strippers that work at the hotel.

My first day consisted of my walking around the strip trying to decide if I was awake enough to play the 11 poker tourney at Sahara. I must have walked 20 miles. The thing that strikes me about Vegas is that it is whatever you want it to be. Sin? Naked women? Degenerate gambling? Shows? Shopping? It's ALL here.

I walked by Treasure Island. In front of the hotel, they have huge ships, and a couple times a night, they have 'pirate' chicks dressed in revealing tight clothes in a pirate battle. Blackbeard must be so proud. When you look at it from a distance, it's very impressive. Big, expensive. You don't see anything like it anywhere else. When you look closer, you see empty beer bottles, and other trash at the bottom of the lagoon.

As I continued my walk, I found myself behind a young couple pushing a stroller with a child who was maybe 2. We walked by the endless sea of immigrants handing out cards. The cards are ads for strippers to your room. The couple walked by a young 20ish woman who was at least 7 months pregnant wearing a bright red shirt that hugged her bulging belly that read "Strippers to your room 24x7!"

The young mother pushing the stroller and the expectant mother giving the cards shared a quick glance. I found the whole thing disturbing. I understand Vegas is great, and it's a great place to vacation. But you cannot escape the stripper ads or the other debauchery. It's just not a place for kids.

Yet, as I'm staying in Disney Vegas, kids are everywhere. They're being pushed around at 11pm by the topless shows, by women with their tits just hanging out. I find it disturbing. Here's a thought, if you need to take a vacation, and you want to bring the kids - why not go somewhere where you won't expose them to drunks all the time.

I'm really missing the family, but DearWife is sending me pictures and I call home about 5 times a day. It would be a lot more fun if I knew DW was coming, but I'm surviving. I can't wait to be home though.

2 comments:

Woodchuck said...

Again...I hate Vegas.

Kelsgarden said...

Vegas is not in my top 10 places to visit. In fact, not even the top 100.

But this will make you even MORE appreciative of home ;)