United States of America - Las Vegas

We stopped for a few days in Las Vegas. To say it bluntly we did not feel very comfortable in the bling-bling kingdom of fake.

Paris-Las Vegas

 

New York New York

We thought that the whole city of Las Vegas would be filled with casinos on both sides of the streets but it is in fact limited to two streets: Fremont Street and the Strip. Outside those two streets, the surroundings give cause for concern. We were sleeping in the north of the city just one kilometre away from Fremont street and already.. the taxi drivers seemed scared to leave us there alone in front of our hotel. As soon as he dropped us off, he locked his doors.

In Downtown, Fremont street represents the old Las Vegas:

Just a few miles south, the Strip is the new shiny place to be, with all the majors casinos and attractions. To be honest, it is a very photogenic area with a flavor of a Disney World.

Venitian

Venitian

To attract gamblers, almost every casino offer live entertainment events of poor quality at the end of the afternoons and during the evenings: Italian singers and jugglers at the Venitian, lightly dressed male and female dancers at Treasure Island, fountain performances at the Bellagio, etc.

 Treasure Island

Volcano eruption at the Mirage

Bellagio

Every casino is in fact a huge complex with a mall, restaurants and bars, a luxury hotel, sometimes theaters and of course slot machines and other games everywhere except in the restrooms! They all look for distinction. For example, at MGM Grand Hotel we saw lions in a room with transparent walls and could have paid to pet lion cubs ; a roller coaster is set around New York New York; exotic birds coo at the Flamingo.

 Paris-Las Vegas

 Feeling the fever at the Venitian

Caesars Palace

Bridge between Escalibur and New York New York with its rollercoaster

The setting of a casino evolve around a specific theme: exoticism (Flamingo, Treasure Island), renowned touristic spot of the world (Luxor, Monte Carlo, Paris-Las Vegas). We noticed a strong attraction toward Italian folklore with at least four casinos: Caesars Palace, Palazzo, Venitian and Bellagio.

Luxor

Venitian

As the capital of the game, we did expect Las Vegas to be overcrowded and we were not disappointed on that matter: people from all over the world and above all from all over the United States dressed as if they were going to the beach! Such a concentration of american stereotypes!

******

We had a wonderful evening at the Monte Carlo hotel & casino (nothing less ;) with our friend, the colonel Le Mao and his two travel buddies from Evreux. What a nice party in a refined place with slot machines and cigars! :) It was really agreable spending good time with familiar people. We will pursue this cape as we will stay with friends in Boston, New York and Washington and meet with another old friend in Miami!! The United States are still the centre of the universe! ;)