las vegas: the taking of the strip

A view of Planet Hollywood and the Bellagio

Planet Hollywood at close-up

Celine Dion at Caesar's Palace

I came across an article that I found wickedly funny and shocking at the same time. Tips for Your First Walk Down the Las Vegas Strip, by Larry Poupard - where a "Las Vegas regular" offers tips and advice for the "Las Vegas virgins" experiencing the Las Vegas Strip for the first time.

Quote: 
"I have walked down the Las Vegas Strip in the past with, "Las Vegas Virgins," and witnessed them struggle with overwhelming emotions that they were not prepared to face. I have seen them freeze in shock, throw up, be enthralled with exuberance and excitement, faint, and cry like a baby..."

Well, I was a "Las Vegas Virgin" when I visited the city in 2012. Fortunately for me, I did not freeze in shock, throw up, faint nor did I cry like a baby upon seeing the Strip for the first time. No credits to me, I was just probably jaded by years of watching CSI on TV!  Nonetheless, I did feel a sense of rush standing there on the Strip, with everything else just swirled around me.

The Las Vegas Strip is not a place that sleeps, period. In fact, it buzzes around the clock with people walking up and down, from one hotel to another. Their destination would be either the casinos or to see one of the hundreds of  attractions available. I would certainly recommend one of Cirque du Soleil's shows, or if you are on a tight budget, the complementary Bellagio's Fountain show.

One sure thing, the Strip is only fully awake after sun down. And, you will only understand truly the "overwhelming emotions" mentioned by Poupard once you have experienced the Strip at night. 

Overwhelming emotions, a result of sensory overload - I think that was how he put it.

At night, every hotel, resort, club and bar would barrage your senses with their huge, bright marquees and bill boards. To me, the whole Strip was like a never-ending carnival with flashing, bright lights from Mandalay Bay right up to Treasure Island. As you move along the Strip, do not be shocked with the smell of alcohol everywhere, on top of the cigarette smoke, perfume and sweat, all mixed together. And of course, vomit and urine stench occasionally.

Walking along the Strip,  I noticed men and women handing out call cards every 5 steps or so. After a while, I just learnt to ignore them. An eye contact made means being handed a card showing scantily clad women in provocative poses, regardless if you are male or female.

Holding a conversation along the Strip proved to be quite a challenge. It just get drowned in the loud music blaring from the clubs and bars. This and the constant traffic.

But honestly, who needs a conversation, when you are too busy soaking in the whole new mind-blowing sights: a 26-seater limo for instance, or the city of Paris with its Eiffel Tower, right smack in Nevada. And if you are lucky (or unlucky- depends on how you look at it), you would probably witness a real police arrest made on the street!

At the end of it all and as cliche as it sounds, the Las Vegas Strip is a sight to behold! Expect the unexpected, go with an open mind and you will survive your first walk on the Strip and live to tell the tale...

View of the South Strip