Las Vegas

The last stop on our epic journey was Las Vegas. Court and Albie like the place and have been there many times, while I have deliberately stayed clear of it on my previous trips out west. It's not the America I know, love and like to study. The architecture and inside decor can be stunning in Vegas, but the only reason why there's more here than a crossroads and a couple of gas stations is human stupidity and the willingness of some to exploit said stupidity. I detest gambling with all my heart and Vegas is the world capital of all that is shallow, tacky and gaudy in society.

I finally decided to make a quick stop there on this trip, just so I could say "been there, done that". Initially I wasn't even planning on staying the night, but external circumstances led to some changes to my schedule, and when Albie and Court joined me and I managed to find dirt cheap (but decent) accomodations I decided to book rooms.

Sunday evening we had buffet dinner at Planet Hollywood - good food and service, but not cheap. We then went for a walk and I snapped a few shots of a couple of buildings. We walked into the Paris casino where the interior is made to look like France - bridges, cafes etc. They've even painted the ceiling with sky and clouds so you feel like you're walking outdoors. Of course, three things told you immediately that you were not in Paris - the streets were clean, the people smelled good and there were no immigrants throwing rocks at police.

Still, a few minutes in there was enough to give me a physical reaction. Creativity and craftsmanship aside, I just can't stop thinking about the very foundations of the city - crime, misery, stupidity and the cheerful, amoral exploitation of people. I realize Vegas is increasingly about traditional entertainment and shopping and that it has art and culture and that organized crime doesn't run things they way they used to. Also, I am not questioning people's moral and legal right to throw money down a hole, nor other people's right to stand beneath and collect it. I just don't want any part in it.

The America I love is the one that builds its wealth on real products, real services, real people, not the fake facade of Vegas. The America I love is the story of hard working immigrants who gave it all to build a better life for themselves and their families, not the folly of get-rich-quick schemes through gambling and amorality. I've seen Vegas, and I detest it even more than I did before. I'm never going back and I'm going to try and forget that the city is even part of this country I love so much.

I have some pics here, if you feel you must.