Travel around the world: Las Vegas

This trip is actually not a pleasure trip but a work trip - we are participating in the SAS global forum in Las Vegas and we decide to drive down to Vegas as it is more convenient than flying. As such even though we are in a place full of attractions we don't really have time to see anything except on the way there and back and a bit in the area of the hotel. The hotel where we are staying is the Venetian where the conference is also and the room is impressive.


Hotel room at Venetian	Nice lounge room

We are tired when we arrive in the evening and hungry so we eat at the hotel at a Vietnamese cuisine restaurant - there are few people inside but the food is good and full we go to sleep for the evening.


Pho for dinner	And something more substantial

In the morning we are doing a tour of the huge hotel and casino - the Venetian is built to look like Venice and it is quite opulent in places. It even has an interior canal wth gondolas that you can ride - impressive.


Entrance to the Venetian	Casino is that way


Venetia inside the casino	Complete with canal and gondolas

The view from our room is also impressive with some nice view of the hotels on the Strip including the Trump Hotel which sits apart from the other visible hotels.


View from the window	That is the Trump Casino to the right


The pirates attraction at Treasure Island is unfortunately closed	The Strip

The SAS Global Forum is quite a large conference with participants likely in the thousands and is probably the largest we attended which makes it interesting to see how it is set up top handle this many participants. The lunch is quite automatized but everyone can eat when they come in which is quite a success. And no conference is a success of course without the free goodies and we wander through the exhibits while collecting goodies until we cannot carry them anymore and have to return our room before a few scheduled sit down sessions.


SAS Conference	Included lunch


Bag of goodies	And the goodies

In the evening we attend the gala where the president of SAS speaks - it is quite a spectacle with some nice visuals and even a concert and confetti at the end.


Lots of people at the evening gala event	And some glitter


Glitter with the music performance	The performers

Afterwards we wander a bit through the area to view the Venetian from the outside and also explore the Plaza San Marco reproduction and the very expensive stores in the plaza before going to sleep.


Venetian from the outside	Butterfly waterfall


Plaza San Marco in the Venetian	With lots of restaurants

The lunch is quite similar the next day with salad and tea and a rice cake - it would be difficult to do something special given the number of people.


Lunch at the conference	Salad and tea and some rice cakes


Signs for the conference are everywhere	Interesting way to show results

There are a few more big screen presentations from motivational authors and more interesting from a visualization technique guru with some rather nice and interesting examples.


Another evening event	Before the majority of the crowd gets in


Interesting research	Visualization techniques

The last evening concert is at separate location however it is One Republic - the venue is full as everyone is expecting Counting Stars which of course is the last one for the show and creates a rush of people to the exit that we barely outrun.


Evening concert	One Republic - everyone is waiting for "the" song

And then it is time to return to Phoenix but on the way we have one more stop that we want to do - Hoover Dam. We haven't been here for quite some time (after the bridge was built) and want to see how it changed the view. First we stop at the new viewpoint parking lot from where a steep trail (especially in this heat) leads to a walkway next to the bridge. The views are impressive and we also like that you can actually enter Arizona on foot on this trail. It is also quite windy which helps with the heat a bit.


Climbing towards bridge walkway	Crosssing the border on foot


Old road and Hoover Dam	View of Hoover Dam

Next we drive over the Hoover Dam and intend to return using the old highway to the new one however to our surprise it ends completely at a viewpoint so we take pictures and enjoy the view before returning using the same way we came in and then driving back to Phoenix without stopping again after the intensive conference.