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Las Vegas: Jewel in the middle of the desert
Las Vegas
This May, Las Vegas arrives at 110 years since foundation. Can you imagine a cake with 110 birthday candles? Sure, you can. On May 15, 1905, Las Vegas became a city in the United States; at that time was a rail town in the way to Los Angeles, located in Nevada’s Mojave Desert. The perfect stop for refueling and rest point before continuing the railroad that linked with Salt Lake City and Southern Carolina. It was a little town in the desert with water, a place that remembers the cowboy movies.
More than 100 years ago, none ever thought that the small rail town will become a point of lights, fun and gambling in the west coast of the US. After this time, the population growth went from 800 to 619,419persons in Las Vegas; people that lives off tourism. A city was known for easy weddings and divorce, since 1931 you only had to live six weeks there to get a "quick divorce". In this days, get married costs $60 in this city and a lot of couples choose to get a married licensed in Las Vegas, because the law doesn’t ask for the blood test or waiting period.
Gambling became a legalized business also in 1931, when the first license was issued to Mayme Stocker at the Northern Club and only in 2011, more than 368 million people visited Las Vegas to have fun, gamble and to know the legend of a city where never partying stops. It’s a common show this day in hotels, to launch parties hosted by entertainment and celebrity people like the Kardashian family and musicians as Jay-Z, Beyoncé’s husband, and great rap singer.
Actually in this may, Jay-Z hosted a huge party the same weekend when Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought billed as The Fight of the Century. That day, May 2, Las Vegas became again a point of attention in the world. Millions of people saw how Mayweather defeated Pacquiao, and the fight happen in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Celebrities as singer Justin Bieber and Beyoncé were there, also Leonardo DiCaprio, Drew Barrymore, Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington, among others.
More than $700 million were made only in that weekend, related to the Battle for Greatness fight. Las Vegas is a jewel in the middle of the desert. Hotels and casinos made a lot of money every day, not just with gambling also with shows like Cirque du Soleil, concerts and fights. Also, more than 20 thousand of conventions have placed in this city every year, like the global stage for innovation, CES International where big technology companies show to the world their new products every year.
Every January, companies like LG, Samsung and others, shows the advance of technology in televisions, video cameras, cell phones, smart watches, video games console, and everything have the place in Las Vegas. This is a city leads the events that show the world the best things of tech and television. Is a place where you can find celebrities, royalty and common people hanging in the same club.
Las Vegas have a total of 294 sunny days in a year, and it’s also the perfect place to spend four days in tourism trips, with 24-hour casinos and endless entertainment options. Only in 2014, there were 41,126,512 visitors in the city and this amount growth every year because this place became a must for US tourists. Las Vegas is the city that everyone wants to experience at least once in their life. It seems like, back in 1959, the people of Nevada knew this when they made the “Welcome to Las Vegas” famous sign.
Remember that the better thing is not take children or young people under 21 years to Las Vegas, in the US that’s the required age to allow the entrances to casinos and clubs. Most of the people that visit this city are already married, although getting married in this place it’s a very known motive to go. A lots of Hollywood movies talks about getting married in Las Vegas or having bachelor parties like The Hangover movie.
At least every 8 of 10 people that visits Las Vegas; comes back to have more days of fun. In this city, you have the facility to access to the eight amazing shows of Cirque du Soleil, in each you can see their own unique performances. You can choose between the stunning aquatic acrobatics of "O" to thrilling dance moves of Michael Jackson ONE, and Love Inspired in The Beatles songs. There's always a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas for everyone's taste.
Like this, you also have magic’s shows, like see on live the magician David Copperfield perform his world renowned illusions and the mastery of Jan Rouven, directly from Europe, with his hair-raising, death-defying show. Singers like Celine Dion and Mariah Carey always have a spot in Las Vegas hotels, also Elton John and Rod Stewart. You can plan your trip according to the show that you want to see, only checking on The Internet and buy your tickets with time. There are shows in Las Vegas that sold out just in minutes.
Las Vegas is the right place to spend 3 or 4 days if you are visiting the Westside of US. There are flights every hour from Los Angeles Airport and also from any airport in the area. You can also drive from LA and see the Mojave Desert with its beautiful reds and yellow colors. This is a trip to remember forever because every visit to Las Vegas is different.
If you are visiting Las Vegas for gambling, you will feel realized. Even if you don't like gambling, in this city you should try slots machines. All casinos offer free drinks and appetizers to the customers who are playing and spending money. So, you can save some money and use it to try your luck.
In Las Vegas, you will find every starting with cards plays, like famous Black Jack or Poker tables. Also, you are invited to toss some dice and try the Wheel of Fortune, which is waiting for you. There are people who won more than $200 thousand and even millions, betting on $1 Wheel of Fortune, which starts with 25 cents. Legal gamble was the big idea of authorities of Nevada in 1931's, to rescue jobs in the state during Great Depression when people were leaving like flies when the lights flicker. Now, married, single or divorced you can play with your money in Las Vegas.
Wagering on sports is also a way to gamble in Las Vegas. This jewel in the desert takes in close to $3 million in wages each year, only sports books and roughly 95% of that gets returned to gamblers who won. These kinds of bets are legal in Nevada since 1949, and this is the only place in US where you can legally wager on sports games. You will find people betting money and odds in Las Vegas for baseball, football, basketball, hockey and also college sports.
If you want to have a quick look of Las Vegas, you can take a bus tour that will show you in 120 minutes, 2 hours, the spectacular Sin City starting for Las Vegas Strip and finishing in downtown. You will see the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, the greatest Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Miracle Mile Shops/Planet Hollywood, Excalibur Hotel & Casino and Tropicana Hotel & Casino. In downtown, in the notorious Fremont Street area, you will see the places that made Las Vegas a huge point of lights in the desert more than 100 years ago. Come and feel the Fremont Street Experience, Fremont Street East and discover the story of the people and facts that have contributed to the city’s growth.
Take photos and videos for your Social Media in the Fountains of Bellagio Hotel. This is a free show of water, music and light that amaze tourists and locals. This is the only fountain in the world with this choreographically complex water feature, now with the music if DJ Tiesto, "In the Booth". According to the Bellagio Hotel, "each dynamic performance from the Fountains collection is unique in its expression and interpretation" and you will be amazed with the view, having in the back "Las Vegas’ lavender sky".
From Las Vegas you can also enroll in tours to visit near places like Area 51, the popular location among many UFO aficionados. Please, don't miss the Hoover Dam this is a sight that you will remember for life, because you will be standing 725 feet above the Colorado River and learn about the construction of this great wonder. Check out to the beautiful terrazzo floors installed in the 1930's and the massive generators. Another place that you should not miss is the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. You can drive between the park's South Rim Village and the North Rim Village it takes 5 hours.