I’m here on the show floor having a cup of coffee and a muffin, stealing a little mental break before the day starts (it’s 7:45 am as I’m writing). It’s been a jam packed couple of days - these shows always are - and my whole body is tired.
Last night we walked from one end of the strip to the other, from Treasure Island to Mandalay Bay, for dinner. Wow, Vegas has definitely grown since I was last here in spring of 1999. Everything is bigger and brighter and more over the top.
And even while each resort / casino is unique and impressive and some even awe inspiring, a few of us decided last night that it’s not engaging. There are no shops spilling onto the streets. No peddlers hawking their wares. No carts with hot pretzels or ice cream or whatever. All there is is excess, and neon and architects trying to outdo each other. In order to experience any of it, you have to walk up the steps, through the doors, across the casino floor and into the hotel. And each of them is basically a self contained, air conditioned mall with restaurants and shops.
And yes, I understand that this is the desert, and that it’s hot during the summer. But it’s not hot right now. This time of year it’s beautiful in the desert and no one here is taking advantage of that. Instead everyone is inside in artificial environments engaging with artificial cultures and machines. And to me it’s really weird.
I guess I spend too much of my life engaged in the real world. Out in the garden, walking the dog, riding my big, clucking at the chooks. I cannot relate to why people vacation here or want to live here. To why they would prefer this over a day at the real beach or in the real New York.
It seems wasteful and irresponsible and completely unsustainable. And I’m really glad that I don’t have to stay. Yet at the same time concerned that as Americans we think that this is okay - that this is the fastest growing city in the nation. See you back in Seattle tomorrow.
Silly goose. It is wasteful and irresponsible and completely unsustainable. I think its total decadence may be one reason people like it. That is, it makes their own wastefulness seem insignificant. If it makes you feel any better, I believe it also suffered the greatest percentage of mortgage foreclosures of any city in the country recently.
Welcome back to the winter wonderland that is western Washington! Even though it isn’t winter…. We have four or five inches of snow today and it’s still going. Nuts.
wow! snow in washington this time of year? Is that normal? The east coast (at least cape cod) was mid 60’s and sunny. I guess I always think of the west coast as the warm coast. I have never been to vegas and it’s funny as I have no desire to go. I love the real venice and new york and will go there again, but not so much with the neon and excess.
I’ve never been to Vegas, but I think you saved me a trip. I know what you mean about spending too much time in the real world. I would rather be out in my garden than at a mall. Too much canned air and artificial light makes me cranky.