Vegas baby, Vegas

Who among you have never been to Las Vegas? Right. Until a couple of weeks ago I would have raised my hand too. But then one day I was covered with urgent work, and I get a call: 

 

- Hey we're going to Vegas in 2 weeks, you coming?

- Err.. I can't talk right now, I'm kind of b...

- We're booking now, or the offer will expire!

- Sigh... ok whatever! *click*

 

So after agreeing with all this enthusiasm, it took me about five seconds to forget I had agreed. And that I had received the call at all. But at night I get an email with the confirmation. And at that point I actually realise I am going! To Vegas, baby, Vegas!

 

All right, so what is there to be so excited about? I was not quite sure myself. All I knew about Las Vegas is that there are lots of Casinos, rivers of alcohol and people waking up hung over, married and not knowing why or who is the other person. Have you seen the movie "Hangover"? Well.. that's as much as I knew.
 

 
The day came and... ok so what do you do once off the airplane? You gamble of course! Or at least that's what some people do, since the airport is stuffed with slot machines. Once outside the terminal you also get to realise that the shade of the night does not involve cool temperatures as it does in San Francisco. It is hot. Really hot. 107 degrees at night - I quote the Fahrenheit because it looks more impressive than Celsius. Two things seem to mark most things here. Air conditioning and ads. The taxis are freezing and are covered with retro lit ads inside and out. The hotel receptions are. Even the people working there cannot escape being living ads, their name tag is belittled by big commercial tags they seem to need to wear at all times.
 

Despite the good deal, we got very nice connected rooms. Coming from the Fog City, a lot of things seemed pretty affordable there actually, except probably clubs. The illumination is almost day-like everywhere on the "Strip" - the main hotel-casino street - and in downtown. Near our hotel, there is even a street entirely covered with l.e.d.s performing shows of light and colour.
 

Our hotel, called "The Golden Nugget", may not have been in the heat of the action of the city, but it sure had an interesting swimming pool. It had a water tank inside with big fishes and sharks. And a transparent slide going right inside it. Here is what it looks like.
 

We spent two days and three nights in Las Vegas. Yes, we did gamble, and my favourite game is the Roulette. No, I did not lose money (right on!). And no, I did not wake up in a room with a tiger and without a tooth. What will I remember the most of Las Vegas? I know it is probably not what you would expect but it is the Stratosphere: A 400 meters-tall tower with a little Luna Park on top. I did not get to go on the summit, but just looking up from the bus gave me shivers. Next time, I will have to try!