It's Sin City, dontcha know

So I spent 5 days between Christmas and New Years on a much-needed break from home, from jewelry, from New England. I finally got my big skies, and I so loved that. I came back with over 1900 photos to upload. I'll be splitting them into separate groups: real Vegas; glitzy Vegas; Gorgeous Desert; Beautiful Desert; and more Lovely Desert. (Guess which I preferred, Vegas or the remote Mojave?)

First stop: Vegas. I have to say, 36 hours was plenty. The strip was crowded beyond measure, simply walking from the check-in counter to the elevators at The Mirage was like walking through Times Square. Inside. While dragging your luggage. And then you wander up to the "north strip," up past the Sahara, and everything changes. Giant plots of dirt, trash everywhere, meth heads (don't look them in the eye!!! big mistake), and the iconic Chapel of the Bells. What a strange, strange place.