Monaco?

Casinò
Originally uploaded by Delizia.

Thor's company has sent him to Monte Carlo for a seminar! Unfortunately it is not the Monte Carlo in Monaco, but rather the one in Las Vegas. Ugh.

I think I am perhaps, the only person in the world who truly despises Las Vegas. But getting away is getting away and so a free hotel room is tempting. Thor's company pays for the room and travel expenses for him to get there and he gets a food account. S'mee rides in the car for free and, because we took S'mee's car instead of the company car, I can drive around town if I want to. I pay for my side of the meals and whatever I use/do and so it all comes out pretty cheap. The problem is that it is still Vegas and the cheese factor is always there.

We have a lovely room on the 28th floor, overlooking the "strip", with all the lights, etc, it is pretty to see it glitter at night; although it still can't hide the funk underneath it all; nor the less than family appropriate advertising from the larger than giant screen t.v.s in front of the other hotels. Nothing says, "RUN! Run for your mortal souls!!!" like 50 foot an air brushed, plasticized, and silicone filled 23 year old show girl showing her buns via a sequin thong, dancing and encouraging you to get all the pleasure you can. I need to be steam cleaned. Speaking of cleaning, we have only been here about 28 hours and I have already washed my hair three times. It looks somewhat like Whitney Houston's fro during that nasty "cocaine" episode of hers in the late 90's. Hopefully I can get my doctor to prescribe a nicotine patch when I get home, the second hand smoke is killing me.

Our window opens up about two inches, I assume so that when the patrons lose their fortunes they don't jump out in a fit of depression. When Thor opens the window we get a distinct aroma - of all things- mac and cheese. If you look downward, directly below our room is the roof top of the front portion of the hotel. I thought at first that it was a parking structure or some such, but after the constant climb of macaroni fumes, I now think we must be over the all you can eat buffet.

We drove out to dinner tonight and then down the strip to see all the sparkle. There is a new hotel, supposedly "the biggest, the best, the most luxurious" yada yada yada. To me it is sad. This is what this man perceives as the best of everything. This is as good as it gets. For him, probably, it will be.

This morning however, I was surprised to hear from my niece, who invited me to join she and her sister for the day and visit. It was very fun. They live out of the city in a smaller community away from all the "stuff". I can tell that these two gals don't associate too much with, nor venture too close into their more notable city neighbor. They have somehow remained sweet in this bazaar world. Giggly children, happy babies and lots of family photos on the walls of each of their homes. Not too much glitz and "glamour", but it seemed to me to be as good as it gets in this world and with an eternal promise for even better as time goes on.