Insanity is a dish best served microwaved

Okay, this is my fourth trip to Las Vegas and it’s official… not a fan.  There are a variety of reasons why I have a disdain for the City of Sin.  First, it’s the City of Sin.  A bunch of middle aged people that don’t really want a sense of culture come here to gorge on the buffets, which aren’t cheap by the way, and see the cultures of the world in a two mile strip.  Then we have the newly minted 21 year olds that are just here to get drunk and stupid while pushing up the STD count.  They don’t usually appear until around 7p because they are just waking up then from the walk of shame the evening before in their “dresses”  or the classy dress shirt, vans, and jeans attire from the night before.  If they have woken up any earlier, they are hanging out by the pool trying to get a mid-day booty call.  It’s almost too classic to watch and sad that I once thought that was the standard.  Third, Vegas is dirty.  I hate walking down the road and being harassed by a bunch of people trying to get me to call some hooker.  Entertaining as it is, just not feeling it.  Fourth, I really just don’t like people on vacation.   They have no idea of traveling or being a good guest of a city.  They throw crap where ever they want and leave a mess because it’s not their city.  This is also a city that attracts “recreational travelers” which I REALLY dislike… see ( Summer of Traveling ).  These people travel once every few years and they are the quintessential Ugly American.  Finally, what the hell are people thinking dragging their TODDLERS to freaking Las Vegas?   Leave them in their cages or with the grandparents.  I don’t want to see freaking strollers at 2a just because you’re a selfish parent and want to drag your poor children around so you can get $100 in free slot play.  Put them to freaking bed.  Yes, the shows are pretty cool at night, but they should do what the rest of the normal people do and wait until they are 21 to enjoy it.  Come on people.  Vegas is not made for Children.  That was soooooooooooo 1990s.

Having said all that, I still had a great time in Vegas.  Jen flew down on Friday after my meetings with HJ.  She hasn’t really been in Vegas so we got something to eat and walked through the hotels catching shows here and there.  This was really the first time we have spent a long period of time together and it was great.  We just clicked.  It wasn’t searching for conversation and it really was just us for two days.  We both wound up with some sore feet from walking up and down the strip.  But we got some PF Changs which was worth it.  I forgot how good those darn lettuce wraps are! We got lost in the Forum shops trying to avoid the heat by walking through the properties.  Eventually we made our way out and stocked up for the night.  After a great nap, we went got some dinner and just had a little party for 2 in our room.  Then we watched the frog at the Wynn and the pirate show at TI.  By then we were too far gone to really do anything else and I passed out.  I woke up this morning to see Jen on her way.  She had an earlier flight than me.  I went back to bed and I didn’t get out of it until almost 11:30.  By then Jen was already home and I had done nothing.  I went downstairs to the exercise room and did my workout.  I will have to say that the Trump hotel is the best hotel on the strip.  The room was huge with a whirlpool tub, great pool area, and an amazing exercise facility.  Plus the hotel was smoke free and didn’t have a casino.. so it attracted a different crowd.  I came back upstairs after I lost my room key for the third time in two days.  I was just reading the paper waiting for the toothpaste that I requested to come up.  After a half an hour, it didn’t show and I decided to walk down to get it myself.  I made sure I had a key and went downstairs.  I achieved my goal and I was looking forward to soaking in whirlpool tub.  When I got to the room I made it through the first door (the room had a sound barrier room… very cool) and the second… nope.  Damn.   I wasn’t going back to ask for a room key yet again.  I just waited for security to let me in.  I got a nice soak going in the tub when I hear a knock on the door.   I thought it was housekeeping trying to get me out, but it was the toothpaste I asked for a hour ago.  Oh well, no one is perfect.   I headed over to the airport and I again got reminded that this town is a tourist dominated city.  All these darn people that are getting in the way because they don’t know how to move efficiently through the security lines and it’s just a giant clusterfuck.  By the time I get to the gate I realize that flight is late to SFO and I have 25 minutes to connected.  Well at least I get some exercise… but now I might be staying the night again because the flight is overbooked.  Joy