140
TRAVEL
36 hours in... Las Vegas Time: -8hrs GMT | Currency: Dollar | Average temperature: 19.5°C
‘Bodies…The Exhibition’ at the Luxor Hotel
The sparkly lights of Sin City lure hardened gamblers and those who just fancy a flutter from all over the world. However, it’s also the convention capital of the world and a popular business destination, as BM discovers.
T
he city that never sleeps – and it truly never does – is without doubt the world’s largest adult playground; exchange the climbing-frames for blackjack tables and swings for slot machines and you get the idea. But nothing can replace the moment when you realise you’ve just walked past two pyramids and a sphinx in the middle of the Nevada Desert while the skyline illuminates everything behind you. Fortunately, Las Vegas is a hub of events and conferences, spanning across hotels, arenas, and incredible customised venues that have been serving the industry’s biggest and brightest for a good few years, so if you haven’t had the privilege of having your jaw-dropped recently, BM has the answer in its own version of Las Vegas tourist information. Take our word for it.
Back Section.indd 140
The Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel and Casino Two types of people walk through the doors at the Stratosphere – those there to relax, which is completely understandable for a hotel – and those there for an adrenaline rush. If you’d consider yourself one of the latter, then this is a must. Standing at a chilling 1149 feet high in the Vegas skyline, the Stratosphere Tower boasts of being the tallest observation tower in the US. Not that exciting? Well, add three roller coasters and a controlled free fall, all outside the roof of the tower, and you have your answer. The ‘X-Scream’ propels you 27 feet over the edge of the tower while you look 866 feet below you, while ‘Insanity’ extends you 64 feet out from the tower on a huge mechanical arm and spins you with a force of 3G for a truly memorable experience. Just don’t try to take your drink up with you.
Perhaps not one to visit immediately after the Stratosphere rides, ‘Bodies…The Exhibition’ will easily trump any science lab dissection you did at school. With an intricate, 3-D vision of the human form, visitors get to see real bodies preserved along with their inner organs. Showcasing 13 wholebody specimens from China and more than 260 organs and partial body specimens, each piece goes through a method known as polymer preservation where all the tissue and water is replaced with silicone rubber. There are sections dedicated to bodily decay, wonders and anomalies that will leave you with a completely different perspective on the human body – after all, it’s not everyday you get to see what makes you tick.
23/09/2010 13:28