Jeff and I took a short vacation in Las Vegas. Over the years, we’ve puzzled about why we are drawn to this glitzy, showy town. When I visited it in the early 1990’s, I couldn’t wait to leave. Jeff and I first visited in 2000 to enjoy the Star Trek ride (yes, I love Star Trek), and we expected that one extra day would be all we could stand.

Instead, we were enthralled with the themed casinos: Luxor, Excalibur, New York/New York, Treasure Island, and the Venetian. The waste of electricity and water violated our green sensibilities, and yet we loved the lights and Bellagio Dancing Waters.

After mulling over it, we finally realized that we love the creativity and sense of design. The details in some of the themed casinos are beautiful. Unfortunately, the new business attitude in Vegas wants to erase the themes. This is unfortunate, because most of the crowds were in the casinos and shopping areas that still looked different.

We found enough in Vegas to again want to return. This year, we went to Shark Reef in Mandalay Bay. I touched Stingrays, Horseshoe Crabs, and baby Zebra or Leopard Sharks. Our feet hurt from the miles we walked each day and we’re nursing blisters, but we’re elated from our adventure.