What I saw while in Las Vegas
Welcome to the land of fantasy and make-believe. No, not Disney World.
The Mojave Desert city of Las Vegas is quite the enigma when one ponders its existence. Spanish for “the meadows,” Las Vegas is a sprawling metropolis in the middle of a desolate desert basin that has no practical reason to be there. There isn’t a natural source of water close by, nor is there a rational number of resources to justify the city being built, yet it is there. From a census population in 1900 of 25, the city as of 2020 has 642,000 residents, and a metropolitan population of 2.2 million. Here is a great post on the unnecessariness of Vegas.
Tropicana Casino
Staying in a casino slated for demolition is an interesting experience. There is a vibe in the air that even the building knows of its impending demise. The employees of the hotel continue to work cheerfully, almost with a defiance against the eventual shutdown. Subtle signs point to what is going to happen; more out of order slot machines, restaurants permanently closed, and general maintenance falling by the wayside. Why continue to keep things in tip-top shape when it is all about to come down with demolition charges? You really can’t blame them. Although, it was quite the inconvenience that only two of the four elevators to my room were operational.
The Electric Daisy Carnival, an electronic dance festival was also happening while I was in Vegas. With over 500,000 attendees, it was quite the spectacle. The Tropicana was one of the shuttle points that took festival-goers to the event, which gave us a front row seat to the many different costumes that were on display. Apparently, food prices were extreme, with a pizza going for $96 at the event. Here I was thinking that $19 was steep for the hotel pizza I ordered.
Walking the Vegas Strip
If only allowed to use one word to describe the Vegas Strip, it would best be summed up with: Busy. Daily pedestrian traffic averages around 50,000, and during my walk it seemed that I was sharing the strip with at least 48,000. One hasn’t lived unless you’ve been challenged to a fight by a wheelchair bound Elvis impersonator sitting outside the CVS.
Zac Bagan’s Haunted Museum
One attraction that I never miss when I go to Las Vegas is the Zac Bagan’s Haunted Museum. This was my 4th time seeing the oddities and artifacts held there, and the trip never disappoints. This is because the museum is always adding new additions to the collection. With over 30 rooms to see filled with objects like the cauldron from Wisconsin killer Ed Gein, or the cursed Dybbuk Box, one is sure to be entertained. The guided tour takes about 2 hours, but is well worth it. The friendly tour guides are knowledgeable and help answer any additional questions one might have. They even give disclaimers on some of the more haunted and cursed items if one does not wish to enter the exhibit.
All in all, a trip to Las Vegas offers a lot more than gambling these days.