Downtown Vegas

Once again, I ran away to Vegas for a day. My trip was nearly thwarted when the hotel room I had booked (it was confirmed even - Las Vegas really doesn't have scruples) cancelled my reservation just an hour before departing. Michael MIchael moved quickly to find a new room, discovering one at El Cortez located in downtown old Vegas. In my many trips to the reviled city, I've never spent any significant time downtown, though now I must say that I love it. Whereas the strip is expensive and full of people attempting to be trendy, slick, and over-the-top, the people that frequent downtown are trashy (yes, even more so), unapologetic, and true fish out of water. Given that the hotels, food, and minimum bets were cheaper than its commercialized counterpart (though, admittedly, it's silly to suggest any part of Vegas is not commercialized), it attracts a different crowd: the toothless and the couthless. And you know what? I fit right in. Or at the least, I felt better about it, knowing I couldn't possibly be judged harsher than the broke alcoholic seniors adjacent to me. I learned some interesting things, too: you can walk around in public with patches missing from your hair without apparent embarrassment, you can hold your crying child upside down by the ankles in an attempt to get em to shut up, and you can still play slots even if you have only one arm.

After a couple of successful blackjack hands, I went down $80-90 early. Fortunately, I was able to drown my sorrows. In addition to drinking a lot, I was genuinely having a fun time. I love a social dealer and the chatting/taunting that manifests in these situations makes even losing a fun experience. Later, I made up my money at the craps table, which I should by now realize is my area of expertise.

Though I was voted by my tripmates to be most hungover the next morning, I woke up without a care, solidifying my lucky streak. (There's no better way to greet the world than to an alarm singing, "This is why I'm hot!") I won more after Laura enticed me into giving blackjack another shot, walking away $40-50 up overall. Of course, after you subtract gas, hotel, and food (which includes two cuts of steak), I probably only broke even for the trip, but how many vacations can you say that about anyway?

Until we meet again, Vegas.