What happens in Vegas gets posted on social media sites

Viva Las Vegas baby.

What happens in Vegas is posted online on any given number of social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. Or at least that’s what many associated with Vegas will tell you — from magician Criss Angel to a pilot from WestJet.

For the uninitiated Vegas is the land of excess, laced with madness but chaotic wonder.

From the moment a visitor wakes up he/she is bombarded with the sights and sounds synonymous with Sin City — slot machines ringing and dinging, loud Top 40 dance hits blaring in the background and foreground, crowds like you have never seen, expensive prices for everything and anything but an unbelievable experience nonetheless, worthy of a visit, just to say you were there.

This was my second trip to Vegas. It was jam-packed, mind-numbing fun with a slight hangover from the intoxicating ordeal that is Vegas.

Criss Angel’s “Believe” Cirque du Soleil show was the first spellbinding experience of many on the itinerary in Las Vegas and luckily the show was located at the Luxor — where home was for a week.

I used to watch Angel’s “Mindfreak” show almost religiously and his unique illusions mixed with a little bit of vaudeville and historic Houdini-inspired tricks live were entertaining and a lot of fun. He’s a showman and delivered a Vegas-esque kind of performance complete with girls, comic relief and Angel’s bizzare but contemporary metal music (which rocked). I even picked up a Criss Angel oversized cup, which is part of any true Vegas experience.

Art and culture is alive in the city with great exhibits and performances by some of the world’s best including the Jabbawockeez hip-hop ensemble from “America’s Best Dance Crew” on TV and the “Titanic” and “Bodies” exhibits — all at the Luxor.

Faceless, except for white masks to conceal identities — Jabbawockeez is a must-see for all ages. Mixing pop cultural samples with hip-hop and dance music hits, stunning visuals and silent comedy (the troupe doesn’t speak) — Jabbawockeez was a highlight and a memorable evening to say the least. Parents visiting Vegas with kids should most definitely check out this live show, as it is inspiring for both young and old.

Who would have thought a sinking ship from the past would continue to peak the interest of many a world traveller with an exhibit of artifacts straight from the bottom of the ocean featured at “Titanic.”

Truly, this exhibit dives into the history of the supposed unsinkable ship — offering visitors a chance to view bits and pieces from the actual ship plus belongings from passengers close-up. Visitors can also read stories from survivors and be transported back to an unforgettable time with a tragic end. For Titanic enthusiasts or those with very little knowledge of Titanic history — this exhibit explores the entire gamut of Titanic-ology. One of the neat gifts in the giftshop at the end of the exhibit is a package of reprinted newspapers from the era’s headline of “Titanic Sinks,” which described the details of the event and its aftershock felt around the world.

The “Bodies” exhibit was surreal, sometimes creepy but overall awesome. The body is such an intricate piece of art and this exhibit celebrates what it’s like to be human from the inside out.

Real dead bodies preserved for the world to see.

Examining the bodies close-up, I often commented on how the specimens were similar to a marionette, with all the strands holding the body together. It made me want to sing, “The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone.”

Both exhibits were breathtakingly beautiful but also deep and disturbing, as the two exhibits had tragic ends to their stories. But their stories were told delicately and with respect, which made the experience one to remember and one to tell others about, without a doubt.

Next week, I will write about CSI: The Experience at the MGM Grand, the Tournament of Kings medieval dinner theatre at the Excalibur and the Shark Reef aquarium at Mandalay Bay in the second installment of my Vegas summer excursion.

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