Las Vegas

**chamaeleo** · December 16, 2008, 04:20 PM

How do you feel about Vegas?

Do you love it, do you hate it?
There it is, the way you made it. (FZ)

I finally went there last weekend, first time ever, to meet some friends and see Nine Inch Nails. What an amazing, depressing, over-the-top town! The end of "The Stand" has taken on a new meaning for me.

I do see the value in having a place to totally let loose, but I was really troubled by the exploitative nature of the Strip and the obnoxious behavior of its visitors. Vegas is the ultimate date-rape drug.

The casino architecture, and audacious displays of wealth, were reminiscent of cathedrals...as if commercialism had found a place to be worshipped in all due extravagance.

Little old ladies in wheelchairs and oxygen respirators, plugging away at electronic slotmachines at 3am.

Drunken cowboys hitting on cornered and terrified Japanese chicks.

Wide-eyed 12 year olds collecting hookers' call-cards from Mexicans in fluorescent T shirts.

Uber-wealthy Saudis flanked by intimidating bodyguards, casually buying $50,000 photographs at a gallery.

A bell-ringer standing beside an empty Salvation Army donation bucket, hurriedly passed by fifty people per minute on their way into a casino.

24 hour wedding chapels and pawn shops, signs advertising $2 margheritas that ring for $5, a coupon for everything, Hummer "offroad" tours...

I'd always felt that anyone willing to travel to Vegas, to blow their money and their minds, perhaps getting laid, hopefully not getting married...well, if they've got the means and the intent, then why not? What I didn't expect was the subliminal power of the place, where losing your shirt is not just acceptable but actually celebrated. I'm fine with occasionally letting my inhibitions loose, but Vegas is downright dangerous to the right person in the wrong situation!

...I might return to The Strip for a shower, dinner and cheap lodging after a weekend of climbing at Red Rocks (stunning!) or another concert (great venues!), but beyond that I can live without Vegas.

**LegionnaireX** · December 16, 2008, 04:34 PM

The casino architecture, and audacious displays of wealth, were reminiscent of cathedrals...as if commercialism had found a place to be worshipped in all due extravagance.

Bingo.

Thats vegas in a nutshell.

Drunken cowboys hitting on cornered and terrified Japanese chicks.

Wide-eyed 12 year olds collecting hookers' call-cards from Mexicans in fluorescent T shirts.

Uber-wealthy Saudis flanked by intimidating bodyguards, casually buying $50,000 photographs at a gallery.

LOL. What part of the Strip were you on? I never saw much of that. I did see loads of middle class people blowing their money on gambling and other ridiculously expensive things. My dad and I got roped into paying $36 for a couple of ice cream cones.

Little old ladies in wheelchairs and oxygen respirators, plugging away at electronic slotmachines at 3am.

Thats classic.

Over all I liked Vegas. It is its extravagance that makes it unique in the world. There really isn't anywhere else like it.

As for living in Vegas, hell no! Too crowded. Too expensive. People are

s.

**chamaeleo** · December 16, 2008, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by LegionnaireX

LOL. What part of the Strip were you on? I never saw much of that. I did see loads of middle class people blowing their money on gambling and other ridiculously expensive things. My dad and I got roped into paying $36 for a couple of ice cream cones.

I guess you could call it a survey trip...everywhere btwn Mandalay bay and Farrah's. Stayed in Monte Carlo, the most generic casino...saw the cowboy/japanese chick "interplay" there. Mexicans w calling cards...every block on the strip, EVERYWHERE! Saudi princess and sugar-daddies: at Peter Lik gallery in Caesar's Palace (I think!).

I agree, I would not want to live there either. That said, it is worth going there once if only to see what it's about.

**VALIS** · December 16, 2008, 04:36 PM

Never been but having seen it on TV and knowing friends who've been it looks AMAZING!!! Lots of hot women, good weather, interesting places, amazing nightlife, good food, lots of shops, and a chance to make it big.(in terms of money)

I'd love to go sometime.

**IronBlood** · December 16, 2008, 04:53 PM

Great Shows and Casinos but a really rundown city outside the Strip

And yes it lives up to its nickname Sin City.

**Ramashan** · December 16, 2008, 05:17 PM

Go there once or twice a year just to have some fun and escape reality for a bit. But its really only as dangerous as you make it. Nothing really different than going out clubbing and spending all your money on admission and drinks, except you can lose a heck of a lot more money more quickly in Vegas.

If someone is irresponsible and reckless, then yes I can see them getting into trouble. But for the most part usually you'll end up with a few good adventure stories.

**Captain Jin** · December 16, 2008, 05:50 PM

Being from Nevada I've spent a great deal of time in Las Vegas. It's an incredible city that I love going to. I used to make it there every couple of weeks, and I have to say it's a blast all the time but it's expensive.

I fortunately had friends that lived there so I just stayed with them, this lessens the cost considerably. But I have also stayed in many hotels, including Tropicana, Imperial Palace (the two cheapest on the strip really), the Luxor, Excalibur, and had an opportuniy to stay in a free suite at the Caesar's Palace which was literally half the floor, like a condominium really-- it was awesome.

I've been to many of the strip clubs, and the last night in the states before I went to Iraq my buddy's neighbor who was a dancer at the Crazy Horse Too took he and to the VIP area of that club and I had women all over me for four hours, she spent over a grand on us and I didn't pay a cent.

If you go I highly recommend McFadden's at the Rio, that place is fun as hell. Dick's at Excalibur is a fun resturant where the waiters make fun of you and are very rude, thus the name. Pure was cool filled with ridiculous hot women but there's always a huge line. We went once cause my friend knew the manager and he let us go VIP and to the front of the line for free, but to be honest it wasnt worth it. Some people were throwing hundreds at the bouncers to get in, the place was overly packed.

Nine Fine Irishman in the NY NY is great, they have live bands often from Ireland. Stay away from Coyote Ugly though, there's always a ton of dudes and very few girls. Hmm, where else... I have to think more, oh yeah Margaritaville is awesome too, lotsa fun not toooo expensive and the best Nachos in Vegas.

Nothing wrong with 'sin' City. It's really only as sinful as you make it. You can go have a blast the same as any other city or you can get into sinful business too. It's a bit easier is all. I suggest the city to everyone and anyone.

Living there isn't bad if you're in the suburbs. Because it's nice to go to the Vegas shows, been to a few and they were awesome. But it gets horribly hot there in the summer. Most people only need about four days, and then they are sick of Vegas and are ready to leave, or because they got so tanked and partied their asses off those four days they are ready to leave or die.

**Manoflooks** · December 16, 2008, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by chamaeleo

How do you feel about Vegas?

Wide-eyed 12 year olds collecting hookers' call-cards from Mexicans in fluorescent T shirts.

Heh. My friend did that last year.Although maybe without the wide eyed.
He also had to hide his dad's cards from his mom, and said that they were his.

**Strattios** · December 17, 2008, 01:02 AM

I have a friend who lives there. Maybe I could use that as an excuse to visit the place. Though if I went I wouldn't gamble, I already know that I have terrible luck. I don't need an empty bank account to prove it.

**Chaigidel** · December 17, 2008, 07:15 AM

would like to see it nuked.

**Captain Jin** · December 17, 2008, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Chaigidel

would like to see it nuked.

Why?

**MaximiIian** · December 17, 2008, 11:03 AM

Las Vegas = /b/ in real life.

**the_mango55** · December 17, 2008, 11:12 AM

Somewhere between option B and option C.

I would like to go sometime, and would make a point to go if I ever take my "GOING WEST" road trip I'm always planning on taking, but it's not really a priority for me.

**gambit** · December 17, 2008, 11:23 AM

Vegas: The only place with as many wedding chapels as casinos.

**chamaeleo** · December 17, 2008, 01:10 PM

I absolutely agree w everyone who's stated that, in essence, "it is what you make of it".

For those who have been: how influential did you feel Vegas was, in altering your typical spending/drinking/wenching habits? Did this surprise you?

I'd say at least 95% of visitors maintain an adequate level of self-control, but for the pathological crowd The Strip is kinda like shutting a drug addict in withdrawal into a hospital medicine locker overnight. I'm not being judgemental, it's just....damn, there's a whole lot of room for error! My take is similar to my attitude towards suicide: everyone should be able to decide for themselves which actions they take (so long as they're not hurting others), including suicide, but for others to facilitate the act (ie Vegas) is really borderline. Anyone can kill themselves on their own if that is their true desire, except quadraplegics, who I suppose might need a little help...