There is no way to sugar coat my feelings about Las Vegas.  It is simply a city I do not care for.  I don’t drink, I don’t gamble, I don’t appreciate veneered beauty. I can’t help but look past the glitz and glamour to the sadness I see everywhere.  On an extended walk this afternoon, I encountered a quotation by Ralph Waldo Emerson which really caused me to stop and think.  At first I thought about all the magnificent sights I had witnessed during the prior week. Then I thought about the scene pictured above.  I am really looking forward to playing soccer but can’t wait to be out of this place.

I dined at the Hard Rock Cafe across from the Monte Carlo where my team is staying (a healthy salad, for the record) and found the interior lighting to be quite interesting.