Archive for the ‘Travelling’ Category

It’s A Kind of Magic

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

One can eat too much. I realized it today. Painfully of course…

There are a plenty of “All you can eat” places around here. I’m not an expert, but most of them seem to have a quite limited selection of food. After some googling I found a very nice place called Spice Market Buffet. They serve food from around the world and the price ($20) wasn’t too bad for gourmet quality food (even if it’s a lot compared to many other buffet restaurants here). The food was excellent and I tried to eat my way around the world, but I had to give up after Italy.

The pool was OK, but I didn’t want to stay there for too long as there is no sunblock to protect my delicate Lappish skin from the Sun in Nevada desert.

Tix4Tonight is a great service. They have small stands around the city and they sell last minute tickets to different shows and I got a cheap ticket ($55) for Penn & Teller show. Brilliant stuff!

I feel they have too strong opinions about too many things and they bring them up too often in their TV shows and other performances, but their skills in showmanship are exceptional. I really like the way how they involve the audience, combine humor and surprises to their tricks, and keep breaking the rules of magic time after time by showing the audience how the tricks are made. Both guys were available after the show for a chat, pictures and signatures – which is nice considering that these guys perform every night.

And, yes, that Teller guy talks a lot when he’s not on the stage. :)

I will go to pick up the car early tomorrow morning. So, I’d better sleep a bit.

Pic A: I'm sure David Hasselhoff appreciates how Planet Hollywood has treated his "contribution": they built a door through his plate that contains his handprints and signature

Pic A: I'm sure David Hasselhoff appreciates how Planet Hollywood has treated his "contribution": they built a door through his plate that contains his handprints and signature

Pic B: This piece of art at Harrah's illustrates how to Las Vegas with style

Pic B: This piece of art at Harrah's illustrates how to Las Vegas with style

Pic C: Penn & Teller wanted to sign my ticket and I let them

Pic C: Penn & Teller wanted to sign my ticket and I let them

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Sprint 1: Helsinki – Las Vegas

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

My life has been pretty hectic for years and I started feeling in the spring that I really need a brain break. So, one day I just did it and booked a trip to Las Vegas.

Why Las Vegas? I was married in Las Vegas five years ago so I know the place, but there is something fascinating in this city. I can’t put my finger on it.

I arrived today after 24 hours of travelling. That was rough. For the whole trip I imagined how nice it would be lay down and sleep. But no… There is constantly this feeling in the back of my head saying that Las Vegas is not for sleeping. So, here I am planning activities for the next few days. There is a way too much options to choose from. Anything from test driving Lamborghinis and Ferraris to skydives (also indoors) and a Billion shows and whatnot. Somehow these two weeks of relaxation by the pool sipping margaritas are changing to an action-packed super-hyper-performance project. Let’s see…

The overall plan is to spend a couple of days here now, then drive to San Francisco through Yosemite National Park and finally get back to Las Vegas next week to relax a bit before the 24-hour trip back home.

But now, it’s time to go and see if I could get some sleep.

A truly nice sight after all that travelling

Pic A: A truly nice sight after all that travelling

My room is definitely not luxurious, but I think it's worth 30+ Euro per night

Pic B: My room is definitely not luxurious, but I think it's worth 30+ Euro per night

Testing neon light photography with Nokia E71

Pic C: Testing neon light photography with Nokia E71

Some more Nokia E71 testing...

Pic D: Some more Nokia E71 testing...

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