Sin City vs. Religion

There's plenty of religion in Las Vegas. You just have to look for it.

And I don't mean worshipping at the blackjack table, although there are certainly people who do that.

I accompanied Sweetie to Las Vegas, and she worked at Ner Tamid, the synagogue in Henderson, while I played. I attended Friday night services for shabbat -- I really liked the music and Rabbi Adar's sermon -- and also came back the next morning for a rousing session of Torah study. And I met her for an occasional lunch and dinner.

My new "home" is the Sunset Station Casino in Henderson, a mere two blocks from our Hampton Inn motel. I thought the Sunset Station Casino would be something very small and inadequate, much like I was used to when I was stationed in Fallon -- you know, Chinese food, and the owner would quickly jump up to deal blackjack if you sat down. (Then scowl if you won.) No, the Sunset Station is fairly large. I immediately went over to get my player's club card. They offered you free money when you play. I didn't bother to look to see how much. I would've played anyway.

And they have the slot machine games I really like. The video-type ones with bonus rounds. I found three Reel 'Em In games. A bank of four Star Trek games. The Goldfish game. And a new one I just love: Invasion from the Planet Moolah.

There are 5 cows in flying saucers above earth. As you play 20 lines, the next commonplace items (a barn, a person, a truck, things like that) fall into place. Every now and then, a cow (which is WILD) falls into place. And sometimes they stack in 3's. If there are two of anything touching it, it turns into wild. And when you get paid, the flying saucers zap the items that have already been played, and everything drops again. If you get four matches like that, you get 7 free spins, another one and you get three more. That's the bonus round. Very cool.

The Star Trek game disappointingly did not recognize my rank and medals from the last time I played (which was four months ago). So I now have 9 medals and am some sort of recruit. That game doesn't pay off very well although the bonus rounds are well worth the wait.

And I actually sat down to play some blackjack today before we left for home. I played about an hour, and did well. Five dollar minimum, which is really good. It was a shoe, but I don't mind that. And they paid one-and-a-half times for blackjack. Unlike the newer places at the Strip and downtown. I think I've found my new favorite place to play.

They also have a bowling alley and a cineplex at Sunset Station. We went to "Australia" last night. Stadium seating, but the rooms are very small. They fill up quickly.

I really like the idea of going to services, then enjoying myself at the casino and all it has to offer. And I don't think any of it has to do with absolving myself of sin at the end of the day. It's just a wide spectrum, a continuum, of enjoying life.