Viva Las Vegas Final Installment

Part of the Las Vegas experience is taking in a some of the large production shows and/or exhibits that are a staple on the Las Vegas Strip. Every hotel has something to offer. It was hard to make a decision when there were so many activities to choose from. So many shows, so little time.

Kerry had voiced her opinion about wanting to take in the double exhibit at the Tropicana Hotel. The first exhibit was called The Bodies. Kerry is a pre-med major in college and really wanted to see this. I was hesitant but as always Kerry got her way with me and I was happy I had given in to her. It was an amazing experience for both of us.

This exhibit featured actual human bodies that had been dissected and preserved so that all the different systems of the body could be featured. Each room had a different theme. One of the rooms featured the respiratory system where we got to see actual human lungs. A different room showed the circulatory system where human arteries, veins and hearts were displayed. Another room was dedicated to the muscles and how there worked. Another room featured the reproductive system complete with conjoined twins. It was an awesome thing to see.

There also seemed to be an underlying theme of this exhibit which was healthy living. We got to hold both a lung from a nonsmoker and a diseased smoker's lung. The smoker's lung was black and had small holes in it while the nonsmoker's lung was pink and smooth. There was a huge see through trash can where people could throw away their cigarettes after holding the different lungs. It was about three quarters filled with different brands of cigarette packages.

We also got to see arteries and veins that were were clogged with cholesterol and fat from a lifetime of unhealthy eating and not exercising. There were human hearts with fatty deposits on them as if to say "eat healthy food and exercise or be sorry". I felt Richard's presence in this room. LOL

The second exhibit was called The Titanic. As far back as I can remember Kerry had been fascinated by the sinking of The Titanic. Long before the movie came out my house was filled with books and movies on this subject. Kerry was the house expert on The Titanic so we had to see this exhibit. She still has a piece of Titanic Coal that was brought up from the sea floor.

When you first walked in you were handed a replica of the boarding pass that was given to all of The Titanic passengers. Each boarding pass contained personal information of a real person who was on the ship when it sank. At the end of the exhibit there was a list of all the people who were on the boat and you got to look up the person on your boarding pass to see if your person survived or not. It was very moving.

We went through one of the doors and found ourselves standing in front of the grand staircase. It was beautiful and sad all at the same time. This was the staircase that was featured in the movie.

We went through another door and found ourselves in a replica of the first class cabin. Another door led us to the third class accommodations. There were things in the rooms that had been brought up from the Titanic when Richard Ballard found it so many years after it sunk.

One of the rooms was a replica of the outside deck at night complete with cold weather, boat noises, icebergs and stars. It was amazing.

We got to see many different things that were brought up from the sea. Plates, bowls, clothes, luggage, socks and shoes, hats, hair pins and many other things. It was very sad to think that these things actually belonged to someone.

In the last room Kerry and I looked up our boarding pass people. They had both died that night. It was very sad. We were both very glad that we had seen this exhibit. Don't miss it if you ever get the chance.

Our last night in Las Vegas we went to the Cirque de Soliel Beatles Love show at the Mirage Hotel. I had already seen it but Kerry had not. It was absolutely fantastic. It was like being dropped into a 60's acid trip. The costumes were amazing and the surround sound Beatles music made this Beatlefan very happy. Pictures of Paul that were 100 feet high didn't hurt either. LOL


This was a vacation that I will never forget. Kerry and I got even closer than before if that is possible. I know that she will always remember the trip to Las Vegas with Mom and that was what Pat wanted when he first suggested it. What a guy!

Thanks Pat, we love you.