Las Vegas - The City of Sins

Egypt, Venice, Rome & Paris, all within 3 hours. Nothing is holy here: fake mummies decorate grand casinos and a nightclub built like a Buddhist cave temple (photo) calls for “spiritual nightlife”.

Each of the following is a gigantic casino + hotel built on a central theme, most concentrated along the “strip”. They are free to enter and explore. Gambling is optional, but remember that you can’t beat the casinos who’ve perfected this business.

Strat(osphere) is a 1150 ft tower, taller than the original Eiffel tower, offering an observation deck ($24) and joy rides where you’re suspended & spun 108 floors above the ground.

Pyramid & Sphinx are found in Luxor, which is built like an Egyptian temple, complete with limestone-like walls full of hieroglyphics. King Tut has a place there, among several statues of other Pharaohs (Ramses?).

Gondola rides (indoor and outdoor) are offered in Venitian, another giant casino full of renaissance paintings and architecture. It also houses the Tao Buddha-themed nightclub.

Eiffel Tower, half the size of the original tower, is the main attraction of “Paris”. The view from the top was breathtaking, especially since it was located in the middle of the strip.

Caesar’s Palace is a truly gigantic complex of several buildings, built in Roman architecture. Cosmopolitan has some nice architectural elements inside.

In 2017, a 64-year-old man opened fire from his suit on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay hotel, killing 60 and wounding 867 people who were gathered for a music festival. He killed himself afterward. The motive was undetermined.

I only had 4 hours in Las Vegas, during a transit. I was surprised that things aren’t too expensive. So, I’m planning to return and leisurely explore for a few days, and also camp in the nearby Mojave desert for stargazing.