Bikinis and Bridal Gowns

Welcome to Vegas sign

Where can you see a bride in a beautiful long wedding gown holding a bouquet of red roses and two young women in bikinis standing a foot away? (The bikini girls were in a Starbucks line) Only in Las Vegas, right? This was just one of the bizarre sights I encountered during my recent trip to Las Vegas to work a conference.  There was no shortage of wild and skimpy outfits and certainly no shortage of body art, as in tattoos and piercings!

One of my favorite pass times is people watching. I think that I might be addicted. The past few days provided me with more than enough entertainment to last a few weeks. Honestly, people have always intrigued me. I love to notice hairdos/haircuts, clothing styles, accessories, the way people walk, what food and drinks they order. I am also fascinated by peoples’ body language plus the way that people communicate and interact with others. I’m just mesmerized!

Most of the time I’m not passing judgment but there are times when I have to wonder if the individual owns a mirror or has at least looked in one before leaving the house. These individuals make my imagination kick in and I try to guess their “story”. I’m sure these people are much more “creative” than I am and their creativity is just coming out in the way they dress.

Maybe next spin will be a winner!

Since Las Vegas has gambling everywhere you look, it’s the perfect location for people watching.  People get so intense – it’s better than theater. I didn’t have much time to participate in my pass time but in just walking through the lobby from my room to the meeting rooms, I saw all sorts of dramas. And it amazed me that on the last morning as I was checking out at 4.30am, there were still a number of people in the lobby casino.

A lot of people go to Las Vegas for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. This was the case for some of the people on my plane out and the shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. I don’t want to admit that I was eavesdropping but they were talking so loud, it was impossible not to listen to them. There was also a group of young women in the hotel lobby who were celebrating Katie’s 21^st birthday. How did I know this when I had never seen them before? Because they were all wearing identical tank tops saying “It’s Katie’s 21^st” – except for one, whose top said that she was Katie.

Too many candles for my little cake.

I got to celebrate my birthday in Las Vegas too. I worked during the day but three of the people I was working with bought me a little cake and sang to me. In the evening I went to an incredible photo exhibition celebrating the 125^th anniversary of National Geographic – by myself. There were fifty of the most well-known photos that were featured on National Geographic covers. I’m guessing this isn’t the most popular entertainment in Las Vegas since there was only one other person in the whole exhibit while outside it was complete chaos and pandemonium. The exhibit was absolutely wonderful and I got to spend as much time as I wanted without feeling guilty for taking so long.

Conferences have always made me feel as if I’m in a microcosm, a whole different world where the outside world doesn’t exist. This is especially true when I’m staying in the hotel where the conference is being held. Days can pass by without my ever going outside into the “real” world. When the location is Las Vegas, the outside “real world” is filled with strange and peculiar displays. It’s like walking through an over dramatized reality show.  I’m back at home now and have transitioned back to peace and calm with a big sigh.