Way Out West: the Vegas bit (Part 3) ( 1 ) ( 2 ) June 16 - 17. Hoover Dam And
Steaks With Nothing.
I booked myself on a splendid tour of the Hoover
Dam.
 
The tour itself was thoroughly well-organised and enjoyable. The Dam defies all
attempts at description or comprehension - all you can really do is experience
it. While it is of course one of the greatest engineering marvels of the world, only when
you walk around it can you begin to appreciate the sheer scale of the challenge and the
achievement.
I have added lots more details and photos here.
In the evening I saw the wonderful David Copperfield show at the MGM Grand hotel
complex. Incidentally, the MGM is the biggest hotel in Vegas, with a staggering 5034
rooms. The economics of such a place are truly mind-boggling.
On the following day I attended to various mundane chores, and then had the pleasure of
meeting up with Michael Flint again for lunch at Palms restaurant in Caesar's Palace (3000
rooms). We were served by a charming waitress called Kelly who bore an uncanny resemblance
to Kylie Minogue, except she was far better looking. I ordered the New York strip steak
and asked Kelly what it came with. "It comes with nothing," she said, and she
was absolutely right.
Afterwards, it was an evening of extremes. I saw Cirque Du Soleil's Mystere,
possibly the finest show I have ever seen, and then Showgirls Of Magic, which is
easily the worst.
June 18 - 19. The Canyon, The Pendulum And Feet In Crisis.
There are some people who come all the way to Vegas and then don't go and see
the Grand Canyon. I regard this is the purest madness. It's not as if it's hard to get on
a Canyon tour. On the Strip, everyone and his cat is offering tours to suit all tastes and
budgets. The tour that I happened to choose turned out to be exceptionally enjoyable in
every way. I have added more details and lots more pictures here.
 
After the Canyon, I went to see the Steve Wyrick magic show. It was the perfect show
for people who like their magic big, given that it features the production of a
helicopter, live on stage!
The next day was largely devoted to mundane chores, such as preparations for the
lecture show I would be giving the following Sunday at Caltech (the actual reason for this
whole West Coast trip). My preparations involved visiting Denny's magic store in Vegas,
where I picked up a few secret bits and pieces. I hadn't been there before, and it was a
fun place to hang out for a while.
In the evening I met up with Allen Gittelson, a first-rate mentalist and magician. We
had a drink or two in Caesar's and then went off for pizza. I enjoyed Allen's company.
He's a stylish and distinctive performer who does some really excellent material. In the
picture he's demonstrating one of his 'pendulum' routines for me. He also has some great
stories to share which cast fresh light on many aspects of mentalism and performance.
By this stage I had been walking up and down the Strip (not to mention Dams and
Canyons) for 9 days or so. Even though I had packed suitable footwear, my feet had taken
their toll. I have some utterly revolting photos of the state my feet were in by
this stage. Click here if you want to see
them, but be warned the pictures are deeply unpleasant.
This concluded my 10 days in Las Vegas, the first third of my Way Out West vacation.
The next 10 days would be spent in Pasadena and Los Angeles, so the story continues here.
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