Las Vegas! “The Meadows” in Spanish, it is an ever-changing fantasy land. It has seen unbelievable expansion since it emerged from the desert just over a century ago; and is now the most populous city in the State of Nevada. Over 40 million visitors enjoy its sights and sounds every year. They stay in some of the most glamorous, unique hotels in the world, play at casinos, pools, health spas and golf courses. Sometimes they even marry each other! Vegas is internationally renowned for the gaming industry, and a centre for entertainment and shopping; and the city’s tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of “Sin City”. The topless waitresses at restaurants tell you the name has been earned.
Continental Airlines Boeing 777 flies non-stop from New Delhi to Newark, from where a connecting Boeing 737 flight of the same airline flies to McCarran International Airport at Las Vegas. Right on arrival, one is confronted by rows of slot machines where passengers are busy trying their luck. Gambling is the in-thing, and every hotel has a range of bars and casinos.
However, for those interested in the sights and sounds, there is a wide range of opportunities. Mind you, even the posh hotels with a 7-star rating are cheaper than Indian 5-star hotels, even though they are much superior.
A good place to stay is Planet Hollywood in the Las Vegas Strip, overlooking the famed Musical Fountain outside the Bellagio Hotel. Strolling outdoors, you feel you’re in Paris as one section of the street is called Paris-Paris, with life-size replicas of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc du Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. Yet another section is a replica of Rome, with its fountains, monuments and paintings recreated inside the sprawling buildings. Caesar’s Palace is replete with ornate sculptures, paintings, and exquisitely carved fountains, just as those encountered in the Roman capital, including the ruins of the Roman Forum. Inside Caesar’s Palace, one can ride a gondola in a Venetian landscape, with huge illuminated paintings on the roof symbolising the blue sky and the clouds. Yet another part of the Strip brings you to New York-New York, with the famed buildings and bridges of New York, along with a king-size roller coaster. A pyramid from Egypt looms over the landscape as one touches down at McCarran airfield. It is said that all these are torn down and re-built every five years with fresh additions; keeping Las Vegas young forever. Not to be missed is the high level of security in the city, chiefly due to the popularity of Vegas as a centre for gambling. Surveillance cameras are located all over — within the vast buildings and on the streets, hence the crime rate in the city is, like its rainfall, almost nil.
Located in an arid basin in the Mojave desert, the city is surrounded by mountains varying in hue from gray to pink. Just a short drive of about three hours covering nearly 500 km leads into neighbouring Arizona, via the massive Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, and shortly after, the Grand Canyon, carved over millennia by the Colorado.
For the adventurous, there are treks into the wilderness of the Grand Canyon, or experience the rapids of the mighty Colorado aboard a raft and wind through the canyon. Take the jet helicopter to get an aerial view of the mountains or try the 60-mile-long Grand Canyon railway from Williams to GC.
An interesting sign inside the bus between Las Vegas and GC reads: “We reserve the right/To refuse service to anyone/Regardless of who you are,/Who you think you are,/Who your Daddy is, or/How much money you have.” So, on a single visit to Las Vegas, you have the satisfaction of being in several famous cities at one go.