It wasn't until the last several years that I began to seriously consider taking a trip to Las Vegas. After listening to a 99pi episode about how the city teeters on the bleeding edge of emerging architectural styles before they become popular, I wanted to see it for myself. As a result of being laid off earlier this year, I've found my schedule to be far more flexible than ever, which has opened many new opportunities to see distant cities and places I've never been to before. The Las Vegas trip became a more plausible reality as a result, and the prime opportunity presented itself when friends discussed going out together for a few days.

I met up with Travis and Justin on the morning of July 22nd at McCarran Airport. After loading our luggage in the rental car, we went to B&C Camera to buy film for our SLRs. I purchased a roll of Portra 400 and Ilford HP5, both in the 35mm variety. It was more expensive than I thought it would be, with Portra costing just shy of $14 for a single roll. It was at that moment, as I plunged my card into the chip reader, that I was grateful to only have a casual interest in analog photography.

Moving on, we decided on In-N-Out for lunch. The burger was excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed the fries contrary to what I'd read about them, but I do not subscribe to the general hype that it is the pinnacle of fast food. Still, I'd eat that regularly if it were local. Probably a good thing it's not, now that I think about it...

When we failed to check in at the Rio due to a massive line at the lobby desk, we stowed our luggage in the rental and hit the Strip, beginning at Wynn. The air was nearly 100ºF outside, so we snaked in and out of the casinos to stay comfortable.

*Fashion Show Shopping Mall on S. Las Vegas Blvd*

I really enjoyed the artistic element of Vegas. Not everything was up my alley, but this moving carousel made of flowers was extremely impressive and a great example of Vegas’ more wholesome over-the-top showiness.

*The Venetian was a lot of fun to walk through. Also, maybe the best place to walk on a hot day. I could’ve spent more time wandering around there if I had the chance.*

*You will never see a more concentrated amount of ads in one place than Las Vegas.*

*Justin takes a photo of his surroundings. I am very eager to see what he and Travis shot on this trip once they get their film developed.*

*I didn’t try Las Vegas’ best friend chicken, sadly.*

*Las Vegas is as much a feast for the eyes as it is a capitalist’s dream.*

We settled on refreshments at Beer Park and got under cover just as a fierce storm blew over the Strip. The wind and rain were so sudden and heavy, they moved us indoors from our covered outdoor table. Once the storm passed, we walked over to view the 3:00 PM Bellagio Water Show with hundreds of other onlookers. The fountains ended on Con Te Partiro with an enormous burst that dwarfed those that preceded it.

*A relatively calm part of the fountain show in front of the Bellagio.*

*Hundreds gathered along the edge of the water to watch the show at 3:00 PM.*

*Fountain onlookers take photos and videos on their phones.*

*There was no shortage of drama during the fountain show.*

After wandering around and having a few more drinks over several hours, we'd had our fill of the Strip and finally checked into The Rio. Justin and I stood in line for nearly an hour due to the automated check-in kiosks not accepting our IDs while Travis got right in. My room was on the 25th floor of Masquerade Tower with a sprawling view of the area. We dropped off our bags and freshened up, then shot a few photos on the top of the parking garage before heading out.

*A shot of the view through dirty glass from my hotel room.*

*A view from the top of the parking garage at the Rio. The moon was just beginning to show up over the skyscrapers.*

We went out for steak at the Golden Steer. Unfortunately, they had power issues that night and couldn't seat us, so we found pizza at Good Pies in the Arts District instead. The food was excellent but not as excellent as when the waitress told us about how Brad Garrett regularly comes in to eat their cannoli (which is, by the way, delicious).

*We didn’t get to eat here. That didn’t stop us from photographing the exterior, though.*

*A view of The Strat from the Arts District.*

After that, we picked up Rob from the airport and went to Golden Tiki for a mixed drink. I ordered a refreshing virgin dole whip and let it melt on my tongue with every bite. There's truly nothing better than soft-serve pineapple ice cream.

*Inside the Golden Tiki—a brilliantly designed tiki bar with no shortage of colorful decor.*

*Travis and Rob got mixed drinks that were set on fire before they were served. The spectacle of lighting them was impressive.*

*A DJ spinning retro remixes was at the Golden Tiki the night we went. One dude in the bar was happily dancing by himself much to the enjoyment of the other patrons.*

Having been up since 4 AM Cincinnati time with a three-hour time difference, I was pushing the 22-hour mark and could barely keep my eyes open. Having been in the sun all day and with a stomach full of alcohol and pizza/Brad Garrett-approved cannoli, I was done. We called it a night after leaving Golden Tiki and headed back to the Rio.

~ ~ ~

In the forthcoming ‘A Trip to Las Vegas: Day 2’, we venture into the Mojave Desert to photograph fluorescent boulders, abandoned gas stations in California, forgotten motels, and find a former mining town overrun with donkeys in Arizona.