On the road: Las Vegas, part 3
Impressions away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip
The neighborhood where I’m staying for a week in Las Vegas is considered “historic.” Founded in 1947, the houses are ranch-style bungalows. Although it’s only 15 minutes drive to the city center and the Strip, it’s quiet and has a small-town feel.
When you turn off busy Rancho Drive onto tranquil Mason Avenue, a gravestone-like boulder on a narrow traffic island tells you that you are now entering McNeil Estates. Most of the 500 or so houses in the McNeil Neighborhood date from the 1950s and 60s. I see many palm trees and front yards with artificial turf, but also the exact opposite—cactus gardens lovingly adapted to the natural environment. During the current Christmas season, some of them are decorated accordingly...
Most of the residents here in the neighborhood belong to the upper income bracket and, in addition to their attractive homes, also have relatively large properties for a big city. A friend of the family lives around the corner, a former architect who was in charge of the designs for many hotels and casinos in the 1980s and 1990s, such as the Bellagio and Treasure Island. During my stay, two cars are stolen from neighbors across the street. A neighbor’s surveillance camera records a couple of shady characters sneaking out of “our” property at dawn. When I hear about this, I get an uneasy feeling, because from the backyard of the house you can easily see into the bedroom where Alan, the Chihuahua I’m looking after for the week, and I were sleeping peacefully at the time.
Some streets in the neighborhood are lined with lush deciduous trees that are now turning yellow in winter. Nearby, in Bob Baskin Park, where I walk Alan, the Chihuahua, every day, there are tennis courts, a playground, and grasy spaces for family picnics—but also many homeless people.
Time and again, sleek, well-maintained, and shiny oldtimers catch my eye. Among them are not only Cadillacs and Fords, but also Porsches and an orange VW Beetle. Some cars carry their owners’ concise messages to the world. “Too busy,” says one, who is clearly committed to the world of “Corporate America”, while a female driver proclaims that she is “Just a girl who loves Jesus.” As is well known, both worldviews are perfectly compatible in the United States.
During the Christmas season, the neighborhood naturally exudes a very special charm thanks to its diverse decorations—ranging from tasteful and cozy to “perhaps a bit excessive...?”
A few more pictures that, for whatever reason—colors, mood, aesthetics, nature, curiosity—have stuck in my memory.
This text was first published on my German website and translated by me.