What Goes On In Vegas...Shouldn't Go On Anywhere !

~~~Here we are, at the famous Mirage Hotel and Casino to see the beautiful lions and tigers, the dolphins and Secret Garden. The Lions belong to Siegfreid and Roy....in fact, I think all the animals here belong to them. The animals and gardens are beautiful. No one can argue that. BUT.......this was kind of like wading through open sewers to see a pretty flower. ~~~~~~Here #1 granddaughter poses for me in front of one of the pretty tropical gardens. ~~~

~~~#3 granddaughter and her fluffy stuffed pet. ~~~

~~~#4 granddaughter swings on the railing overlooking the amazing white lions.~~~

~~~#6 granddaughter waiting for me to stop taking pictures and PICK HER UP !~~~

~~~A good night's sleep after a very busy, fun, hot day in Vegas.~~~

~~~We were in Vegas because our youngest son and his wife had a business conference, and since Vegas is close to where the oldest son and his 4 daughters live., they invited me along for the road trip and family visit. We stayed at the Marriot, which is a good 10 miles from the famous Vegas Strip. I had seen the Strip oh, say 45 years ago when with my parents, we drove through on our way to Oregon. Our parents parked our family car in the shade, left me and my sisters in the car..and then they went into a casino to feed coins to slot machines. We were out of Vegas within 2 to 3 hours. The Vegas of the late 50's and early 60's was a bit different than the Vegas of today..probably no more or less decadent, it is just so much MORE of everything depraved and decadent. ~~~For some reason, after surfing the web and finding Vegas supposedly had Kid Friendly activities and attractions I thought taking the girls to the Strip for some of these attractions would be fun. So, let me put it this way...just tuck your child's bedtime story book into the pages of the latest very naughty, no one should read it, magazine. Now go ahead, read the story to your children....they won't notice the naughty pictures will they ? ~~~Yes, the attractions were noteworthy, and even amazing. Yes, many of the people working in these places were very nice and even helpful. But why view flowers in a sewer when you can view them in a garden? Everywhere you look Vegas has super huge signs and screens, with pictures you would not, should not have on view for children..actually, us grown ups shouldn't be viewing the filth either. I am choosing to NOT describe the pictures and videos the size of houses that were plastered all over the place. Let's just say that you have to have very special magazines and T.V. channels to see these at home. In Vegas they are IN YOUR FACE ! ~~~And........to reach any of the so called kid friendly attractions, you all have to traipse through the casinos. While you're traipsing through Sodom and Gomorrah your little ones will ask you all sorts of questions you do not want to answer. And( here I show my indifference to gambling) the casinos gave me the creeps. I have actually never gambled in a casino so was shocked at the zombies playing the machines. Really, glazed eyes, oblivious to surroundings. The noises and smells and what I saw gave me the creeps. I now know I do not ever want to get used to this and think it is a fine and dandy way to spend some time and money. But hey, I don't judge you your thrills. ~~~So I guess you know how I feel about Vegas. We had a pleasant and special time together at the hotel, on their grounds and in the pool. We cherish the time we had together and would do it again, except, EXCEPT---I would have stayed at the hotel and nixed the Strip. But you knew I would say that. ~~~"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,.......and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Romans 1:28 & 32