A 21st Century
amusement park
in the middle
of nowhere
Yes, Las Vegas IS all about gambling, it still pays the bills. However, it’s evolving into an attraction the whole family can enjoy. Something for everyone. I do not gamble per se – A few pull tabs over the years, a random raffle ticket or whopping $10 bucks in nickel slots does not make a gambler.
Besides, they don’t allow photography on the gambling floor.
I know, I’ve tried.
Something about “what happens in Vegas” – y’know. Las Vegas really is a 24/7/365 place.
Today, the Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard) more resembles the grand facades of DisneyLand. Vegas shows, specialty shops and exotic restaurants compete for your dollar.
Of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’, Las Vegas readily embraces all but Wrath… It’s earned the title “SIN CITY”.
The late, Tuesday night “From the Strip” video was shot with my VadoHD held out the window while I drove with my other hand. Being January, it was too damned cold, even with a glove on. My hand turned numb before I got halfway down the Strip. About 40 minutes compressed to 9 so it zips right along. The music sound track was courtesy of FMA (the Free Music Archive) and features the silky smooth vocals of Lillian Hak and Michael Winkle. BTW, FMA’s ‘Digital Dump’ is a cool podcast, baby!
The rest of our time was spent checking out the neon, dining out, the Fremont Street Experience and scoring a few things I’ve had a hard time finding in PR like a pair of hip-boots.
Walking through the doors at the BassPro Shop was like being back in Alaska. A magnificent store.. more like a museum. The creek bed (with water) out front and the mounted bears inside were very impressive. There’s also a huge aquarium tank and a sitting area to rest and observe. Walking past the gun display upstairs without stopping and ogling them was hard. Me First Mate was blown away by the place. It’s behind the Silverton Casino, just off the Strip.
The Fremont Street Experience, Experience
The Fremont Street Experience is worth a cab ride (or bus) if you’re staying on the Strip. It’s like a smaller version of the Strip, about 4 blocks long with a huge, arching metal roof covering the street. An easy walk. Lots of small shops, restaurants, hotels and casinos crammed into a compact space. 
A very festive atmosphere with tourist kiosks and street performers tossed in. At night, it’s very well lit and very colorful. We had coffee at Starbucks so we could sit and watch folks go by. We made a 2nd trip so I could get some night shots. Fortunately, it’s located between our motel and the Strip on Las Vegas Blvd.
San Juan could capitalize on this street level arcade/casino concept . Another venue for folks getting off or onto cruise ships.
Something else that caught my eye while en route to the Strip was the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The $100 million complex was designed by Frank Gehry. It stands across the street from the World Market Center… a couple blocks off the Fremont Street Experience. It looks like a ‘melted’ stainless steel building.. the aftermath of a nuclear accident. A great photo subject. Very cool.
Weather, Weather, Everywhere, but Here
Most of the ASW events ended on Tuesday and we planned to fly back to San Juan via the JFK/NY airport on Wednesday. Unfortunately that flight got canceled due to the latest round of bad weather so we were holed up for a couple extra days there. 
Not a big deal, though extending the car rental cost more than extending the motel. To add insult to injury, we both came down with bad colds on Wednesday night so the trip home was very miserable. At least we were not stranded at the airport like most folks trying to get home on stand-by.
Note to self- Do not schedule flights through New York if going to Las Vegas in the winter.
I know I missed a few things… like the overhead monorail, the Fashion Show shopping mall with 250 shops, the Stratosphere, the Wax Museum, $5.95 Rib Steaks and the famous ‘All-you-can-eat’ buffets, among others. I’ll get back to them when we get back to Vegas.
Apologies to Hunter S. Thompson and gonzo journalists,
where ever you are…
One last Rant:
There is NO dedicated long term parking at the Luis Muñoz Marin, San Juan Int. Airport. They charged us $119 for 9 days. 
That is a break over the daily rate, but had we lied and said we lost our ticket, it would have been $23.80. Something between those figures would have been nice. That might not seem unreasonable to most folks on the mainland , but for Puerto Rico, it’s ridiculous.
It was a great trip all in all.. we are glad to be back home in Puerto Rico.
Arrg….
