viva las vegas

well, it's been a whirlwind of a trip.  apparently it rains four days a year here in vegas.  we've been here all four of those days.  but so thankful that it's been reletivly warm [like +10 to +15C] and dude, there's no snow {#77}  so we spent our days here combating the rain the best way we could - by shopping, using umbrellas and heading to places that didn't require being in the rain!

on sunday we found a target - it was in a bit of an "interesting" part of town, but hey, target.  it was all good!  and plus the list got whittled away in just one store!  {#78}  then we tried to walk to macy's.  ha!  we could see the sign...so we just kept walking [it wasn't pouring at this point, thank goodness!] and eventually we found it.  it seemed like everything was an adventure, and plagued by "interesting".  and it had started when we got selected for the "fs" on our boarding passes that morning.  yes.  it means "full search".  we got the full body scan of strangeness!  and it seemed like sunday just continued down that path.  it was fun showing leanne around the strip and taking pictures off the bridge between mgm & nyny!

on monday we hit up the outlets.  and it poured.  and my feet got very, very wet.  that fact was highly minimized by my lack of sleep and the good deals we found - but wet, sloshy uggs are still not so much fun!  {#79}  so on monday night, we just stayed at our hotel [because it was raining so hard!] and went to margartiaville for dinner and drinks.  it was predictably good.  and the margartias were perfect, as always.  we just hung out, chatting with people in the bar - met a guy who has an ambiguous music-record label-knows bands-guy who showed us pictures of his 5 month old little girl all night!  it was that kind of night.  I like those.  {#80}

so then yesterday, the rain was a bit lighter, so we explored the strip - walked through the venitian, the encore, and the wynn.  then we crossed over to fashion show mall where we shopped some more!  needless to say, we got smart with our foot wear, which turned out to be a fun social experiment.  everyone [okay, not everyone, but a lot of people!] literally would point and stare.  but, you have to realize that it wasn't cold, just wet.  so we wore flip flops - it really worked to have intentionally wet feet that would dry in minutes after coming inside.  people thought we were nuts!  what can I say?  I had virtually dry feet most of the day {#81}

and then the rain got worse, so we took the bus to fremont street.  it's covered.  we played the penny slots, drank some free beer and collected nickles in a bucket!  I put $4 in a machine - turned it into $20 and then played until it was at $0!  the best $4 of entertainment ever!!

and this morning, we're getting out of town.  there are great concerns about flash floods and the rain is intense.  I am hoping our flight can leave!!  sitting in the airport, I can't even see the usually visible strip.  fog and rain are a good time.  but I can't complain.  it's dec 22 and I am lucky to be in a place where there is no snow.  in mere hours, I'll be knee deep in the white stuff...  {#82}

odd bits of joy in a town that could suck the joy off the bones of life.  what can I say?  I enjoy striking up conversations with cab drivers and service staff - learning about what life is like in different places.  which is oddly the same wherever I go.  people want to be recognized.  people want to belong.  and people really want to say "merry christmas", not "happy holidays".  it's all good.