The magic of Vegas, Grand Canyon
Las Vegas is like a youthful maiden while the Canyon is like a classic beauty, writes Shalini Narang.
As a native of tech centric Silicon Valley for a decade, a trip last week to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon not only revealed the diametrically opposite physical uniqueness of the destinations but also the common thread of marketing savvy promoting and running two of the most popular tourist spots of the world.
While over five million annual visitors at the Canyon patronize nature's unique bounty as its primary attraction, the man made marvels are promoted to its hilt at Vegas. The two destinations complement their offerings to promote their special niche and geographic proximity to attract millions of tourists from all over the world.
Despite the divergences, the common thread is the seamless execution of the services and the infrastructural facilities catering to the staggering numbers.
The La La land of Las Vegas where glitz and glamour rule in every conceivable format was our first stop. It is the casino capital of the world where lucre, luxury and leisure are quintessential. On the outside, the place showcases millions of glittering lights making it the most lighted city of the world but it is the execution of the business inside that is both fabulous and flabbergasting.
The hotels cum casinos are rare wonders in architecture and infrastructure and also run restaurants, arcades and shows featuring varied cuisines, fashions and entertainment to cater to varying tastes and temperaments. On the gastronomic side, Gaylord restaurant in Hotel Rio is the first and only eatery in a major casino in Vegas offering a vast array of Indian cuisine. On the fashion front, the preference of Indian skirts and kurtis on people and on shop shelves was omnipresent.
Our second stop was at the Grand Canyon and I can't help but compare. The two destinations are about 200 miles apart but are diametrically distinct in their impact.
The beauty of the Grand Canyon like its depth takes time to sink in, while the starkness of Vegas attracts at the onset. The comparisons can be many and multi dimensional.
Las Vegas is like a youthful maiden attracting with her splendour and glamour while the Canyon is like a classic beauty that time and tide cannot wilt or wither.
Where the canyon is amongst one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Las Vegas showcases the replicas of the wonders including the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
The Canyon invokes a sense of nature's bounty at its best and the Sunrise and Sunset are heavenly experiences.
Vegas, on the other hand, displays human enterprise at its zenith and the million psychedelic and other lights are eye popping. The quiet and quintessence of nature contrasts the glamour and glitz resplendent of everything loud.
The varied shapes, sizes and structures of the casinos are definitely a sight of splendour and surprise but the ubiquitous ness of lascivious and lewd is repelling. The blare of the hoardings and advertisements promoting the myriad shows depicting curves and contours is disgusting and nauseating. The on your face ostentation of Vegas is fleetingly attractive, but it is the sublimity of the quiet, the green trees, the blue sky and the varied hues of nature at the canyon that is an eyeful and makes a lasting impression.
The sea of people from all over the world in the myriad casinos or on the streets at Vegas is a sight in itself. The mantra of the place is instant gratification of the senses and it is aptly named the Sin City of the World.
On the other side, the majestic Grand Canyon depicts nature's unadulterated beauty invoking pleasure of not only the senses but also stirring the soul. The satiation sinks in with each view of the chasm and increases with the sight of the wonder from myriad angles.