Vegas, Baby!

[Janine]

I'm heading to Vegas next week for the PBS Tech Conference. I'll have a little bit of spare time - is there anything vital that I absolutely must see while I'm there or get kicked off the forum? I'll try to take a picture of my TB bags at a landmark. Do I get extra points if Elvis is in the picture?

I haven't done a packing list yet. I'm most likely taking my Aeronaut and Co-pilot, but the Co-Pilot might become a Synapse. I'll only be gone for 4 days, and while I pack lighter than the average bear, I'm not as efficient about it as some of you. :-)

[Darcy]

I'll try to take a picture of my TB bags at a landmark. Do I get extra points if Elvis is in the picture?

Yeah!!!

If you're like me and get overwhelmed by the Vegas-ness of it all, Red Rock Canyon can be a nice, close-by escape.

[dnarud13]

Be sure to see a Cirque du Soleil show. My favorite so far has been Mystere.

[dorayme]

Is it better there than elsewhere? Cirque de Soliel came to Charlotte some years ago, and Rocky took me. Very entertaining show, that I would definitely go to see again.

It is probably the only show of its type that I could tolerate with having Coulrophobia. Carnies freak me out.

[dnarud13]

Not necessarily better; in fact that's why I like Mystere, because it's a smaller stage and more intimate, like their road shows. It's just that Vegas is a good excuse to see another one of their shows.

[Badger]

Sup, Janine. I just got back from Vegas, aka "The Site of the Worst Migraine I have Ever Had. Ever."

Despite myself, I really enjoyed the Venetian, especially the facsimile of the Grand Canal.

For reference: photo #1, Grand Canal. Photo #2, "Grand Canal."





Vegas is surreal.

[tCook]

This may be obvious to everyone else, but I failed. Bring a sweater/long-sleeved layer because the AC indoors is relentless. I was freezing (then sweating, then freezing). I'm usually a good packer but totally blew it on this one - and went home with a great new hoodie.

[jannilee]

Ah, Rialto market! I think i might have to go back to Venice for a 4th time. Vegas/Venice definitely wouldn't cut it for me a;though I have no objection to the surreal.

[Miking]

Is it better there than elsewhere? Cirque de Soliel came to Charlotte some years ago, and Rocky took me. Very entertaining show, that I would definitely go to see again.

It is probably the only show of its type that I could tolerate with having Coulrophobia. Carnies freak me out.

The Vegas and Macau installed shows are normally of a much larger scale, more performers, more complex sets often taking place in specially made theaters. The tent shows are the next bigger affairs, followed by the arena shows that typically play from a few days to a few weeks. There is a friendly rivalry between the tent and arena technicians with the arena shows having t-shirts emblazoned with "because tents are for camping". Finally they have the "special events" unit which is typically a self contained acrobat or act that travels around doing acts for product reveals and grand openings

The neat thing to think about with cirque is that there is often more people behind the scenes than there is on stage, and hundreds more that worked to get the show set up in the first place.

[terayon]

Yeah!!!

If you're like me and get overwhelmed by the Vegas-ness of it all, Red Rock Canyon can be a nice, close-by escape.

We spent a week camping at Red Rock a few years ago. It was gorgeous hiking and rock climbing. We did go into Vegas a couple of evenings, but we were all so wiped from hiking all day that by ten p.m. we were dying to get back to our tents. So, maybe not a typical Vegas trip.

Anyway, I second the Red Rock vote, if you're the hiking type.