Las Vegas

Spent Thanksgiving in Las Vegas this year. I really, really needed the vacation from my regular world to go to the strange, surreal world of Las Vegas. Actually, I needed a break from my regular world to go anywhere, but Vegas was on the calendar, so Vegas it was. Growing up, we went to Las Vegas on a semi-regular basis, so the flashing lights and gimmicky pyramids and general gaudiness weren't exactly the draw. There are plenty of other deadly sins to indulge in.

After I leave Vegas I always feel icky and a little disgusted by myself, but you know what they say: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Let's just say I self indulged and payed generously (but not too much so,) for it. After I got home today, I took a long, hot shower and scrubbed and scrubbed and breathed in the hot steam and enjoyed the tingle of Doc Bronner's Peppermint soap.

This is just a recap, since I'm too tired to go into too much detail. One of the best things about going to Las Vegas is the journey there. I like the starkness of the desert, and while it's nice travelling by car, it's more spectacular by air:

I think the desert is so beautiful. I always seem to find my way to the seaside in my travels, but one day I'd like to spend some time in the wrinkled heat of the high desert. After we landed we drove along the freeway that basically parallels the sinful parts of Sin City. They've been busy with construction since I've been there last. But I guess Vegas has always been a work-in-progress:
And look at those cranes below. I was wondering if they lit them up to go with the rest of the neon decor of the town, or if they work at night, or if they just don't want the planes to crash into them:And here is the lovely view from my room:At some point I'd like to get out to those mountains for a look-see. I'd like to feel the crunch of rock beneath my feet. Feel the heat rise up from the ground while the heat of the sun beats down on me. See the flash of lizard, the glint of quartz. Ah, next time maybe. . .

And yes, I gambled and enjoyed many buffets and stayed up way past my bedtime: I swear I'm never going back again. But that's what I said last time.