“Recycling has arrived………”, Las Vegas, August 9th, 2011

After New York City, Toronto, the train ride to Vancouver and two weeks on the road it felt nice to be home. Especially as not much has changed since I was an exchange student here in Michigan. The house is beautiful, the great yard fantastic and mom and dad as nice as ever. Only the horses are replaced by more dogs, dogs that can not be not liked.

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Besides the church football match we also visited one of these very typical American fairs. It’s rather an animal show combined with fun and training activities. Dad works as a judge in agility (leading your dog through a course of obstacles) after years of winning prices with their own dogs in it.

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Then it was time to say good bye to mom (the German one) and hello to all my brothers and people I remember or who remembered me from back in the days. Mom ceased the opportunity to celebrate here 60^th birthday so we all got together before visiting Geoff at his great house about an hour away.

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Thanks to varies social networks I also got in touch with Bill and Nate who were really good friends in High School. I even attended Bill’s wedding and Nate visited me in Germany once. He lives near Chicago now and I had to take the train to get there. Train rides are not particular popular in the US. First I wondered why as the service was good and on time but then I found the problem, it’s security. For the following video turn up your volume and listen carefully. I swear it went on like this for the entire 4 hours, it drove me nuts. Just built gates on these railroad crossings………….

Anyway, after a few days with Nate, his wife and his wonderful kids I had some more days to kill before Mexico for the sad reason of Bob, who I wanted to visit, passing away this spring. I decided for Las Vegas and my arrival proofed me right. Las Vegas combines everything of the United States in one city. The first picture shows slot machines at the airport, yes it is the airport. Regarding the second photo what can I say. It’s the USA, its 2011, its sad. But its also good news, they could have waited another 20 years as well. Then my hotel area 20 minutes away from the strip (in the far background), very spacious, as always.

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After two nights of Poker at the Bellagio I fleet from the city to avoid crazy hotel prices over the weekend, to get some rest and to visit the death valley. The first and the third objective worked out fine but rest was not in. They also had a Casino in tiny town of Beatty and so I ended up playing with the locals. It was so much fun, more for listening them talk than winning around 50 Dollars that night.

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Where they had there thoughts from I found out listening to the radio during my hours of dessert driving. I have never seen (Fox News) or listened to a more one sided broadcasting then this. Listen carefully, the moderator makes fun of celebrities (Operah) supporting Obama. “even if Obama was found passed out in his office, Hollywood would still support him……”

For Sunday night I was back in Vegas, as fascinating as it is disgusting. Such a city should not be in the middle of the dessert (alone all the flight to get people here and the energy uptake) but on the other side life is about having fun, enjoying yourself. The Americans and all tourists do that here, everybody has a good time. So did I, I admitted. I caught myself not knowing what to think of it.

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I decided to take it on, kept playing poker and made some money. The buffet food was also great and after 5 days of almost no sleep I was ready to move on. So is Vegas, recycling has arrived.

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