Vegas, baby!
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegaswelcome2.jpg)
We reached Las Vegas at nightfall and stayed at the Plaza Hotel. I had never been there, having no interest in gambling and assuming Vegas to be a shallow, neon-lit crucible of addicitions where stale music acts go to die. It is; but it sure is pretty. The Pioneer Cowboy is a Vegas icon. His arm no longer moves but the various neon pieces in his face make him wink and move his cigarette.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegascowboy.jpg)
The cowboy, along with three blocks of Fremont Street, known as the Fremont Street Experience, is covered by an electronic canopy. I wasn't crazy about the hanging speakers, as they often obstructed what would have been my favorite views of the signs.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegasfremontlookingwest.jpg)
The cowboy has company across the way. I was surprised to see that the neon cowgirl is above Glitter Gulch, a strip club which advertises it's wares on a big screen TV overlooking the pedestrian mall.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegasglittergulchgirl.jpg)
I had heard that Las Vegas had veered toward a family appeal; the girls on the big TV, topless save for the words "Ooops" or "Zounds", seem to indicate otherwise. I wasn't offended, but was a bit surprised.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegasglittergulch2.jpg)
At night, every hour, on the hour until midnight (at least while I was there) the neon lights along the covered stretch of Fremont are turned off and a video show plays across the canopy, over the pedestrian mall. Sometimes these were music videos, at other times they were more like video game graphics set to music.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegasfremontshow.jpg)
Ace checked out the casinos and gift shops; along the way he made a few friends.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/showgirl.jpg)
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/showgirl2lope.jpg)
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/showgirls40p.jpg)
Of course, he had to try the slots.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/slotmachine40p.jpg)
Before I went to bed, I noticed the carpet of the Plaza Hotel has this cool googie pattern.
![](http://www.thelope.com/images/vegascarpet.jpg)
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