Some of you might be wondering why I would choose such an odd topic. Well as Melissa would tell you, odd things can be expected of me since I am an odd boy. Anyway...Las Vegas is commonly referred to as Sin City by those tourists that come here to participate in those inappropriate or immoral activities that cannot be found in their home cities. I will admit that Las Vegas does have a large community of immoral businesses. However, outsiders focus only upon the negative image of the Las Vegas Strip and the acts that occur around that area. People fail to recognize that there is more to this city than just the Strip...although it is the main source of revenue for this area. There are numerous other things here in Las Vegas that I feel redeem it as a city. I will give you a short list of things to see if you happen to come to Sin City.
1. Las Vegas Temple (the city can't be too bad if there is a temple)
2. Ethel M's Chocolate Factory - this place used to be much cooler when they gave out more free chocolate
3. Red Rock Canyon Preserve - an amazing national park that provides lots of hiking opportunities
4. Hoover Dam - an amazing sight to see and too behold the massive amount of water that it holds back...assuming it is full
5. Shows, shows, and more shows - come here to see the many different shows from Cirque de Soleil to Mama Mia and Phantom of the Opera
6. Skydiving - there are several companies that will take you up in an airplane and push you out of an airplane...just hope your parachute works
7. Concerts - Las Vegas has some amazing performers that visit and provide some great entertainment and some are permanent fixtures like Bette Midler
8. University of Nevada - Las Vegas (both Melissa and I will graduate from this university)
Certainly Las Vegas has it's issues but it is also home to over 2 million people that are hard working and simply trying to live a happy life. I love Las Vegas for its diversity. The people that live here have moved from all over the country and provide a multitude of experience that they can share with each other. There is much to learn and much to do in order to help. Many families here are dysfunctional or broken and I feel it is my opportunity as an educator to try and make a difference in their lives. I could definitely choose a different location to live where life is easier and my classes would consists of less diversity and more family stability, but I don't feel I could help there much. Even Melissa has had opportunities to improve the lives of friends she has made out here...one friend she helped reactivate and that friend recently got married in the temple to a returned missionary. Currently Las Vegas, or Sin City as many outsiders call it, is my home and I will love the time I have here. Eventually it will be time to move on, but for now I hope I can make the best of the time I have here.
2 comments:
Any city with a Temple cannot be half bad. I've always told people there are two sides to Las Vegas. They don't always listen.
A decent source of chocolate doesn't hurt either.
I've been to the Temple there, I have been to Hoover Dam an amazing experience, We have been to Vegas when the Stardust was the end of the Strip. We used to get on I-15 at Tropicana to head south to the beach and there was NOTHING at the end of the ramp but road, NOW there is 30 miles or is it 20? of houses and businesses. Ah well, as you say it can't be all bad, our Granddaughter lives there. :o)
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