I've lived in the Las Vegas Valley for over 16 years, four in Henderson, and twelve in Silverado Ranch (which is a region in Paradise Township). Both jobs that I've had since I've lived here have to do with working directly with casinos and hotels. I've been in more hotel rooms in this town than a high-priced call girl. Putting up signs mostly. But most days, I forget I live in a tourism mecca. It simply doesn't register.
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| One of many shots I took and blogged of the Monte Carlo fire. |
I cross Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) almost every single day. I see the entire strip from the south end just as often. From my office window--if I stand up--I can see the Palms, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Cosmopolitan, Planet Hollywood and City Center. If I stand on the library stool, I can see more of the strip, as I did the day that the Monte Carlo caught fire (picture here taken after I climbed up on my office roof!). But unless it is for work related reasons, or someone has come from out of town, I simply ignore it all for the most part.
On those occasions that I go gambling (rare these days, thank goodness), I usually hit Silverton Lodge & Casino, a locals joint between work and home. When I drive to work, the only time I even notice the skyline is if something is different, or if the sun is bouncing off the Luxor into my eyes. If I
need to go to the strip, I'll do my best to avoid LV Blvd. north of Tropicana at
all costs, and fortunately, there are back ways and side ways to get many places. I can't tell you how often my best laid plans are thwarted though--I'll misremember a turn or traffic light--and end up stuck in crawling traffic. Ugh. Hate it.
And when it comes to the big resorts, I've yet to check out City Center or Cosmopolitan at all. I feel like I've seen it all, literally from the inside out. Nothing wows me. Wynn and Encore? Yawn. But every now and again, I'll look out the window of my car, or--as in this shot--simply look up when I'm on my 4-mile walk, and say,
"Hey! I'm in Las Vegas!" Then the moment passes. This time, I had my cell phone camera though, so the moment was captured for posterity.
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My usual walk, toward the Wynn and the Stratosphere. We live
about four miles south of McCarran Airport. |
