Bill's Blog

Odds and Ends in Las Vegas

Sunset over one of the many stalled construction sites.

Early morning reflections on plywood

Steve Wynn's Encore with reflection

Halted Construction site, in black and white

Marked Meter

Old Las Vegas

Rooooo Roo
(bronze statue unveiled in 1997 honoring the Riviera's long- running topless show)
(portions of the anatomies are "worn shiny" because of the many, many, many years of people rubbing them as they walk by)

Though they may be cherished pets, sometimes the primal animal essence shows through...

5:30am.
Early morning walkabout.

I hear glass breaking to my left and see a guy busting a beer bottle on a trashcan.
"Oops, time to get out of the way... quickly"

In an instant, two guys in the middle of the street, having at it.

Leather belt versus broken bottle.
A guy running into the street, maybe to break it up.
Another guy, standing by with hands in pockets, watching.

What am I doing in a bad section of town where stuff like this happens?
WRONG!
The middle of Las Vegas Boulevard in front of one of the premier properites on the strip and just down from another premier property. I don't think this is what Steve Wynn and The Donald had in mind. 

Aftermath:
after a about five minutes of dancing around they went their separate ways. No harm done. No law enforcement either, even though someone was calling 911 while it was going on.

A King Suite at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
We felt like we stepped through the door and were transported back to "The Day"

The Living Room.
Imagine members of the Rat Pack just lounging around.
The double doors on the left lead to the bedroom, begging to be flung open... movie style... revealing a scantily clad blond luxuriating on the king size bed.
On the far right you can see one of the room airconditioners that replaced the old central heat and air.

Dean Martin standing behind the bar mixing you a whatever to drink.

And four guys smokin' big cigars, dealing a few hands or maybe closing a big deal.

The Powder Room... Blond, hair, blue eyes, filmy pink negligee, carefully applying that last touch of lipstick, in preparation for...

The Bedroom. Doesn't need any more explanation.

Even the bathroom fixtures are reminiscent of times gone by

Unfortunately the view out the window looks down on the never- opened Riviera Pool. Your imagination has to fill in beach towels on lounge chairs, bikinis and guys in white jackets serving tall drinks.  

Candlelight

North of Tucson, AZ: June 4-5

Tucson Skyline

Hummingbird
Sentinel

Traditional Cactus

Night Cactus

Lowes Ventana Waterfall

Early Morning Cactus

Images from on the road:

Waukegan, IL.
Sunrise at an empty strip shopping center, once the home of law offices and a court

St. Louis, MO
Night and Morning

Illinois: 6/17-18

Missouri: 6/19-21