Here we are, a Vegas recap post. Everyone repeats a saying, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," and while it is the land of sinful things like sex and gambling, Las Vegas has some interesting things that amazed me.

Should I name this post "A Broke Guy's Vegas Experience"? I think it's a cool title.

First impressions

I took a flight from Chicago to Las Vegas, and I was a little shocked. The vibes were very different, moving from a quiet village in Illinois to a top-tier playful area in the country. Well, the more the merrier. I told myself that I would get used to its playful mentality soon. And I would miss the Vegas vibes when I left.

Multiple classy hotels are linked to each other using ground levels or bridges. I was in Flamingo. There are also shopping malls with stunning designs. For instance, 2-3 shopping malls are decorating the ceiling to become the sky. Combining with the LED lights and store designs, they become replicas of Italy's Venice, with a replica of the river or a shopping street in Rome, thanks to the Roman-style statues. There is another hotel that looks like the center of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower and Versailles. Oh, and the Monumentum as well. But nothing beats the experience at the Bellagio hotel, which is by far the most glamorous and dreamy hotel I have ever come across. There is an indoor flower garden. The vibes were so dreamy that I was staring at the flowers for 20 minutes straight. I definitely miss it.

Image 1: Buildings and other attractions at the Strip. Image 2: The shopping mall at Caesars Palace. Image 3: Inside Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

The garden inside Bellagio.

Las Vegas has good Asian restaurants (probably). Sounds crazy, but I ate most of my meals at a pho place called Pho & Beyond. The thing that stands out is that it opens until 2 am, which serves the nightlife minds at most.

"Driving is horrible if you stay in the hotel." That was my thought when I got out of the Uber from the airport. Turns out, it was not too bad, as hotels in Las Vegas have massive garages for cars. Regardless, it was not easy to drive when people were walking everywhere at the Strip, plus there are not many spots allowing U-turns, which is understandable.

Weather

The weather was dry as hell. For the first time, my skin became very dry to the point that it became extremely thin and could be torn out at any time. Always prepare boxes of moisturizers — they are your best companions. I somehow understood how people would feel when they are in other playful deserted places like Dubai or Doha, Qatar. Very hot, very dry, and generally, you only want to stay indoors.

The scenery in Sloan, 25 minutes away from the Strip.

A different Vegas atmosphere in Las Vegas

When morning comes, you will not believe that you are in Las Vegas. No sexyness, no stripness, no naked baddies. Basically, what makes Vegas playful and *Vegas* does not appear in the morning. There are only suitcases of those leaving and a semi-business vibe from early birds. Besides the sleepless slot machines that are meant to be 24/7 inside hotels, Vegas is not different than other major cities like Chicago. Drivers drive, workers work, and they survive.

Image 1: The Strip in the morning. Image 2: Main Street Hotel in the morning.

Vegas = Top 1% + West Coast (?)

The sexiest, the richest, the most stunning people are mostly in casinos, bars, and high-class restaurants. On the contrary, the rest of us are just like us: driving, exploring the desert life, working, and surviving. Las Vegas is not just about casinos — it's an interesting mixture of the (not really) top 1% vibes and the fabulous vibes of Western states. For some reason, I found a lot of similarities to some cities in California, specifically Los Angeles. Tesla cars are everywhere, expensive gas prices (despite still being cheaper than California), have a touristy feeling, a deserted lifestyle, arguably rich Asian culture, and similar architectural influence as a result of being a part of Spain's Nueva España and Mexico.

Lessons from the failed ride to Antelope Canyon

That's what I realized during the drive from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon, AZ. The ride failed, but I thankfully learned a few things regarding desert life and nature. While Nevada, Utah, and Arizona are predominantly deserted, the differences in scenery are noticeable. Nevada has rock mountains with little to no non-desert trees. Utah has red mountains, which are the most well-known thing about the state. Arizona has both things, while having a slightly cooler climate among the 3 states, resulting in more trees in some areas and a more accessible highway system.

Image 1: A rock mountain in Kanab, UT. Image 2: Glen Canyon Dam, Page, AZ.

How to know if it's Nevada

Casinos! Utah does not legalize casinos, while Arizona does not see a frequent wave of casinos. Casinos are everywhere in Nevada — even in the middle of nowhere, you might find a gas station with casino machines available.