Friday, January 20, 2012

Torreadors and Sphinxes

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2012-01-15 Las Vegas - Mexican Restaurant At The Luxor

A bit more from Vegas while I pull together some STL stuff. As I have mentioned, we stayed at the Luxor, built with over-the-top Ancient Egypt themes. The building itself is a 15 story black glass pyramid with a fiberglass sphinx out front and topped with a blinding searchlight pointing into the heavens (see Wednesday's post). So what's with a Mexican restaurant in the lobby? The Aztecs and Mayans had pyramids but I don't think that's the connection.

Like everything else in Las Vegas, it's about money. Something to pull the visitors in. The guest rooms of the hotel are inside the walls of the pyramid and there is an atrium within that. This pic was taken from the walkway near our 9th floor room, looking down at the top of the restaurant. The mural is very attractive but this crenelated aluminum something over the tables is a puzzle. No one like Escamillo in sight, either. Made me wonder who would win a fight between a toreador and, say, Horus.

After taking the shot, we got on the elevator to go eat there. All of the elevator cars are decorated with this image of Pharaoh Akenaten and his family. Weird, weird, weird. But how many visitors to Las Vegas know their bullfighters from their ancient rulers with Marfan's Syndrome? Who cares?

6 comments:

  1. I'm trying to figure out how you took this photo. Yes I know you've explained but I still don't understand. Maybe because it's Friday and I can't wait until tonight? In any case, I like it, the movement of the torero's capota is beautiful I think. Shame that Las Vegas visitors aren't required to take history (and myth) classes...

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  2. I guess the riddle of the Sphinx is that Mexican food sells better than Egyptian cuisine.

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  3. Lovely soft image Bob, Vegas always seems to me to be a very over the top place, I haven't been so I shouldn't judge, just going on hearsay..

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  4. I"m home and what a wonderful....not so Vegas image you have for me B. I had a ball , looks like you and C. did too! :)
    V

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  5. Ooooh I adore this photograph, Bob. Not sure I could cope with Las Vegas. I remember it in the sixties - a crazy town in the desert and wonderful singers.

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