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Las Vegas
never dares to rest on its laurels, so the basic concept of the Strip
casino has been endlessly refined since the Western-themed resorts and
ranches of the 1940s. In the 1950s and 1960s, when most visitors arrived
by car , the casinos presented themselves as lush tropical oases
at the end of the long desert drive. Once air travel took over,
Las Vegas opted for Disneyesque fantasy, a process that started in the
late 1960s with Caesars Palace
and culminated with Excalibur and Luxor in the early 1990s.
These days,
after six decades of capitalism run riot, the Strip is locked into a
hyperactive craving for thrills and glamour. First-time visitors tend to
expect Las Vegas to be a repository of kitsch , but the casino
owners are far too canny to be sentimental about the old days. Yes,
there are a few Elvis impersonators around, but what characterizes the
city far more is its endless quest for novelty . Long before they
lose their sparkle, yesterday's showpieces are blasted into rubble, to
make way for ever more extravagant replacements. The Disney model has
now been discarded in favor of more adult themes, and Las Vegas demands
nothing less than entire cities . Replicas of New York, Paris,
Monte Carlo and Venice now jostle for space on the Strip.
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The
customer is king in Las Vegas. What the visitor wants, the city
provides. If you come in search of the cheapest destination in America,
you'll enjoy paying rock-bottom rates for accommodation and hunting out
the best buffet bargains. If it's style and opulence you're after, by
contrast, you can dine in the finest restaurants, shop in the most chic
stores, and watch world-class entertainment; it'll cost you, but not as
much as it would anywhere else. The same guidelines apply to gambling
. The Strip giants cater to those who want sophisticated high-roller
heavens, where tuxedoed James Bond lookalikes toss insouciant bankrolls
onto the roulette tables. Others prefer their casinos to be sinful and
seedy, inhabited by hard-bitten heavy-smoking low-lives; there is no
shortage of that type of joint either, especially downtown.
Caramel -Bellagio
This sweet spot serves as the
perfect vignette for revelers. Cherish the art of the cocktail and
sip on an exotic medley of Martinis, infused vodkas, sake, and
specialty drinks
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Las
Vegas
travel guide
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 Vegas
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