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<< Previous: Vegas 2006, Part 1 | Next: College Football Rec... >>

Vegas 2006, Part 2
Saturday, 2006 September 23 - 11:08 pm
Wrapping up Saturday night, and the activities on Sunday.

After dinner on Saturday, most of the guys again went to an undisclosed location for undisclosed types of entertainment, while Steve and I went gambling. This year we discovered that the Tropicana, across the street from the MGM Grand, has cheaper tables and friendly dealers than the other casinos in the area. They also have a booty picture on their hotel sign.



I played some craps and some blackjack. At the blackjack table, there was an odd guy sitting next to me. I can best describe him as a retarded Joe Paterno. He was kind of troll-like, and he had a speech impediment, and he was just weird. He kept saying things like "GIVE ME A FIIIIIVE SO I CAN DOUBLE UUUUUP", in a really loud lispy voice. And when I would take a hit in front of him, he'd say things like "HEYYYYY, YOU STOLE MY FIIIIIVE".

The dealer was a Chinese woman, around 35 years old. One thing I've noticed: in Vegas, female Chinese blackjack dealers always seem to take a liking to me. She chatted with me quite a bit. At one point, she asked me if I was an engineer. I said, "Is it that obvious?" She said, "You've very stable. And calm. Not like this guy," gesturing at Retarded Joe.

After a while, I was done gambling, and done for the night.

Sunday morning, most of us met for breakfast at the MGM Grand buffet. (Except for Ed, who had an early flight.) I again ate an assload of corned beef hash. (Literally, an assload, as I had some severe pooping to do later that morning.) Then we did some more shopping. Did you know Las Vegas has ashtrays with any name you can think of?





Also, you can get some very classy sculptures, for $3500.



Or, some classy t-shirts.



(In case you can't read these: one says "Fuck You You Fucking Fuck", and another says "I [heart] to fart".)

Alan and I went to see an exhibit called "Bodies" at the Tropicana. It's an exhibit where muscles, organs, and blood vessels of actual human bodies are specially preserved. Whole bodies, sans skin, are put on display. It's a little disturbing, but pretty interesting too.

After that, I made one last stand at blackjack, and went up $50. It was a nice way to finish the weekend.

I had a red-eye flight coming back, scheduled to leave Las Vegas at 11:45 p.m. I got to the airport at around 9:30 p.m. and I settled in to wait for my flight. Of course, the flight was delayed for an hour and a half. I even fell asleep in the terminal for a little while, until a young mother with two rambunctious kids sat down next to me.

I was unable to get an upgrade for the flight back, so I sat in seat 19F. Seat 19F on an American MD-80 is one of the worst seats on the plane, because it's in front of an exit row and it doesn't recline. On a red-eye flight, that kind of sucks. But I still slept from takeoff to landing without any trouble.

I got back to Raleigh, and Amy was waiting for me at the airport. I have to say, having my hunny boo waiting at the airport for me is the best thing in the world. I went for fifteen years without having anyone meet me at the airport after a trip, so now I really appreciate it.

Looking back on the trip, I think the best thing about it is that all of us are so comfortable and non-judgmental with each other. We know each other like we know ourselves. We can make jokes and talk smack without worrying about offending each other. And when Javi comes out with a Travis Bickle reference, he doesn't have to explain it to anyone. As much as I love and appreciate all my friends in North Carolina, there will never be another group of guys like these.

See you all next year (if not sooner).
Permalink  2 Comment   Bookmark and Share
Posted by Ken in: lifetravel

Comments

Comment #1 from Jen (Guest)
2006 Sep 24 - 12:42 am : #
Oh! I had read about that Bodies exhibit. Sounds very interesting! It travels, or has a traveling version, I think. I'll have to watch for it.
Comment #2 from Noelle (Guest)
2006 Sep 25 - 10:14 am : #
Does anyone else notice that Alan never ages? He looks exactly like he did at 16. He could make a fortune if he bottled whatever it is that he's doing.

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