9/20/1999 10:15 PM

            It is now about 16 hours or so since I was in Vegas.  Everything I remember now might be a tad faded.  I think it will be better if I refer to events rather than points in time.

Return to the Bellagio:  This time around, we went to the Bellagio hotel / casino to view the art exhibit.  The display was magnificent… wonderful paintings from Picasso, Rembrant, Van Gogh, and more were gazed upon by the visitors.  Where else can one see artistic masterpieces in a sinful, decadent locale?  I was the first one out of my group to leave. 

I was along with some other poor guy who happened to be done with viewing the exhibit before the rest of our parties.  Of course, the four chairs outside of the exhibit were occupied, so I decided to sit on the floor in the hallway, and the other guy followed suit.  About two minutes later, some pompous asshole in a red suit told us we couldn’t sit there and we had to move along.  Vegas is a city that embraces extreme spending, but frowns upon anything that doesn’t quite meet their standards. 

Star Trek: The Experience: what can I say?  I loved this total dive into geekdom that this part of the Hilton offered.  All around us were uniforms, props, displays, and facts of the fictional universe.  The simulator experience was quite unique, the best simulator ride that I’ve been on, although like any half-baked piece of Star Trek, pretty cheesy.  The end of the whole experience consisted of being bombarded by a group of Deep Space Nine style shops.

Mystere…  there’s not much I can say about this French circus show at Treasure Island.  Saying that it kicked ass wouldn’t do it justice.  The strength of the human body is amazing sometimes.  The acrobatics, feats of strength, and the concentration of the people involved in this are breath-taking. 

Rio…  what a memorable experience.  Good food, swing dancing shows, awesome architecture, nice people.  There is just so much to love about the atmosphere.  Matt and I went here twice, and I’ll have to come back when I’m 21. 

Others… dance clubs, like most of Vegas, are inaccessible unless you’re 21 or older.  It’ll be nice to get into Studio 54, Club Rio, and Ra eventually.

Strip club…  we never did go.  Matt kept on hesitating about this one, and finally late Saturday he decided this just wasn’t him.  I was pissed at first, now just disappointed, not in him, but the fact that I didn’t go.  I’m sure my hormones will get the better of me in a few months and I’ll see women get naked in front of me.  J