Vegas, Baby!

 As much fun as we had in Utah, what the Europeans were really anxious to see was VEGAS!  They wanted to leave St. George early in the morning to spend as much time in Las Vegas as possible.  On the contrary, it was probably the part of the trip I was least excited about, just because Vegas is such a cliche, and I've been there so many times.  Olympe was amazed when I told her I've probably been to Las Vegas 30 times, maybe more.

Well, I have to admit that the teens were right, and Las Vegas was a lot of fun!  It was great to see it through their eyes, for the first time, and see how thrilling the Strip looks, and how energizing all the glitz can be.  Now, whenever I pass through Vegas, or maybe even stay there, I'll think of these five teenagers and how much they loved their time in Sin City.  They wanted to see everything.  First stop, Victor's dream, the Stratosphere.  First on his agenda was to go to the top of the Stratosphere and experience some of the rides.  Ruby, Victor and Olympe were the brave ones who went to the top and dared to go on Insanity: The Ride.  I waited down below in the shops with Golda, Chloe and Ptolemy, scared to death the whole time at just the thought of the ride the kids were on.  I knew it was safe, but I still prayed the whole time that they would come back in one piece!  They did, of course, and with HUGE smiles on their faces.

 The casinos are a fun place to be, even if you're too young to gamble.  Especially if you're too young to gamble, actually, because people watching is the real sport here, and it's free!

 In-N-Out Burger for lunch.  Serious immersion in American culture.

 Dinner was at the fabulous rooftop pool of our hotel, the Springhill Suites Convention Center Las Vegas.  I will always stay there from now on, whenever I'm in Vegas.  It's perfect.  The view from the roof is incredible, too.  While the kids were doing Vegas, starting at the Venetian, I procured salad ingredients and pizza.  After In-N-Out, we needed some veggies!

 Trying to send a selfie to Scott.  My hair was having an identity crisis!

 Ptolemy and I dropped off the kids on the Strip with instructions to see the Forum Shops, Caesar's Palace, the Bellagio fountain show and whatever else they could fit in.  I also told them to go crazy and stay out as late as they could.  I only said that because they're not a crazy group, and I trusted them.  My little sidekick, Ptolemy and I did our own thing, which involved gelato, street performers, fountain shows and falling asleep under the Dale Chihuly glass ceiling at the Bellagio.  I was in people-watching nirvana, holding my sleeping babe as crowds of every stripe streamed by.  As it happened, "my people" ended up right where I was, well after midnight, and we sleep-walked to the car and tumbled into our respective beds at our Vegas retreat.

I am enamored with this picture.  And now would be a good time to tell you again how great this group of kids is.  They thanked me for everything, all the time, and they were perfectly respectful and fun.  They never complained about anything, and they got along famously together.  I could not have asked for a better group dynamic.  They laughed so hard, and they talked so long, my only challenge was to get them from one place to the next.  They were always having fun, no matter where they were.  I just loved them.  I knew from early in the trip that I would be sad when it was over.  We all realized, I think, that this trip was a special bubble outside of time and life, a magical journey that we will always remember with intensity.