Stunning Beauty of Inner Vegas

Upon wearily arriving in scintillating Las Vegas after enduring a two hour road closure on Route 93 north  from Kingman, Arizona yesterday, I immediately became revitalized. For I sensed the omnipresent aura of human vitality of adesert oasis that has always provided me with stunning, visual stimuli and fun, adult play. While my wife and I would be fortunate to have arrived in the cooler time of late March, this visit to Las Vegas would primarily function as an indoor experience. Hoping to leisurely “hang out” in several casino resorts on or near the strip, I took time to photograph interior scenes from my favorite casino meccas. Accompanying these snapshots are some brief, sensory impressions I experienced in visiting each of them.

“The Bellagio”

On this stay in Las Vegas, we made it a priority to re-experience the floral elegance of the Bellagio Botanical Gardens. The current “Chinese New Year” Exhibition displayed a captivating exhibition of birds, butterflies, and human warriors intricately designed primarily from roses, bromeliads, and orchids. We found this garden sanctuary to be a wonderful respite from the human chaos of the bustling casino area. Gazing upward at the ceiling as we slowly made our way through the lobby, my attention focused intently on the colorful, Chihuly glass sculptures adjacent to the guest registration desk. This short excursion to the Bellagio would end pleasantly as we leisurely made our way to the resort’s man-made lake to await the captivating “Dance of the Water Fountain”show.

“The Rio”

We have opted to stay at the Rio Resort several times in the past due to its location off the chaos of the surrounding strip.So the decision was logically made to book three nights there at a lower weekday rate on our present adventure. Making the long walk from the self-park area through the casino to the Hotel Registration desk, a distinctive atmosphere of “Mardi Gras” carnivality invited us to indulge in hedonistic pleasure. For slot machine diversion, there were scantily clad dancers descending on floats from the ceiling to perform the popular “Masquerade Show in the Sky.” For adult entertainment, the “Chippendales” Club advertised the sexy thrill of watching scantly- clad “hunks” dancing for tourist pleasure. At the romantic “Voodoo Club”, there existed the options of ordering  a popular “Witch Doctor” drink, dancing to pulsating, electronic music, or simply admiring the spectacular view from the rooftop lounge area. Looking forward to a break from our long, road trip travel days, however, we opted for the simple alternative of window shopping and casual lounging in our oversized bedroom suite for now.

“The Luxor”

As we ascended to the second floor lobby area today, this unique pyramid-shaped casino hotel provided a myriad of visual pleasures for us today. For me, there was the illusion that I was entering an ancient Egyptian time of secret passages guarded by towering pharaohs and fierce-looking animals. Scanning the pictorial hieroglyphics of nearby obelisks, I also envisioned learning something interesting about the culture of this ancient era in my brief walkabout today. As we exited the hotel to have a glance at the massive. pyramid exterior, I envisioned this impressive pyramid as one of the “Seven Wonders of the World.”

I’ve traveled to casino sites all over the country but have found none of them able  to duplicate the ultimate escape feeling that a Vegas experience provides. Slot machines frantically ring in the background. Serious roulette/blackjack game enthusiasts crowd smoke-filled tables.Suitcases dizzily come and go by my side. Yet here I stand, gazing at the kaleidoscope of a perfect moment portraying astounding beauty of a desired place and time.

NOTE: I will be in hiatus from Word Press until April 1. My wife and I are taking a ten day tour of India. I am looking forward  to sharing some new blogs about this exciting experience after I return.