Only in Vegas

When i asked Abigail what she thought of the Cirque du Soliel performance we had just seen.  She replied thoughtfully “it makes me appreciate Vegas.”  The performance was amazing and CdS reliably delivers that.  And what is true about Abigail’s observation is that this show will never tour and can only happen here.  The multimillion dollar stage was built into this space and the complex show depends on it

Love is a Beatles tribute

Love is CdS’s Beatles tribute

It costs 13.40 Euros to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  They told us it would cost US$19 each to go to the top of the 1/3rd scale Eiffel Tower here in Vegas.  Which means at current exchange rates it is cheaper to go to the real thing, than the scale model (tho Abigail points out the lines are much longer for the real thing).

1/3 size is still impressive

1/3 size is still impressive

Vegas is a symphony of distorted scales.  There is a 1/2 size scale model of the statue of liberty is here.  There is a 3/4 scale model of the pyramids and a full sized Sphinx.  And perhaps a half scale model of the Trevi fountain from Rome.  And the odd thing is i have seen the originals of most of these in the last 6 months.

comparison of Pyramids

comparison of Pyramids

Vegas is also the best case out there against humanity.  If an alien race (or omnipotent being) were to show up and evaluate humankind based on the behavior of the strip, we would certainly be doomed.

Willow would have loved this

Willow would have loved this

If you have been to a lot of tourist destinations, you will know that there are street actors dressed up as popular fiction characters, so you can have your picture taken with them.  Vegas has Freddie Krugar, and Sponge Bob and Vegas Show girls and a guy doing a pretty compelling imitation of Captain Jack Sparrow.  What i have never seen in such quantities are people handing out cards with pictures of mostly naked women on them with phone numbers.  These “clickers”, as they are sometimes called because of the way they snap their cards to get you attention, wear vests that say you will have your girl within 20 minutes of making the call.

full scale minus the history

full scale minus the history

What is especially interesting to me is that prostitution is not legal in Vegas (other parts of Nevada yes, Vegas no).  So everyone who is handing out these cards is an accessory to a crime.  And thus Las Vegas is the largest display of routine lawlessness i have witnessed.  And there is much more interesting and disturbing stuff to come on the sex industry in Vegas.

Trevi Fountain ome

Trevi Fountain Rome