My Cinco de Mayo

I'd had no idea when my Las Vegas trip was scheduled, but May 5th was a particularly crazy day to be there, because of two big events taking place that day.

First up was the running of the Kentucky Derby. I was playing poker at the Bellagio at the time, and TVs were tuned to it all afternoon. It seemed like three or four hours of non-stop sports coverage on a major network, for what in the end is two minutes that actually "matters." (I guess it's rather like a basketball game that way...)

The sports book at Bellagio is located right next to the poker room, and as the afternoon wore on, more and more people were packing in back there. And when the race actually began -- pandemonium. People were spilling out the door, unable to get into the sports book. Half the players at poker tables stood up and left their games to jam in at the window/openings looking into the sports book. Which is just as well, because for all the screaming, those of us left couldn't really hear a thing to keep going anyway.

And when the two minutes were up? Well, nobody had really won much of anything. The favored horse won the event as expected, so no instant riches were claimed by anybody betting a long shot. Still, quite an experience to see in person. Manic, crazy energy.

Then, later that same night, there was a much touted boxing match between Mayweather and de la Hoya. I learned later that it drew the biggest ratings of any pay-per-view fight ever. At the time, I only knew that you didn't want to be anywhere near the MGM Grand that night (if you could even push your way through the door).

Lots of celebrities were in town for the fight. I personally didn't bump into any, but my sisters had at least one encounter with, of all the random people, Patricia Arquette. (I would have pegged David as the Arquette interested in going to Vegas for a fight. Go figure.)

Just because MGM Grand was the hotel actually hosting the event didn't keep nearly every other place in Vegas from cashing in, too. Most of them set up special closed circuit simulcasts of the fight, and sold tickets to watch. Treasure Island actually closed their Cirque du Soliel show, Mystere, for that evening. We found out because we tried to get tickets earlier in the day. (I've seen Mystere twice, actually, and I think it's the best show in town.)

Oddly, the woman on the box office telephone told us that "Mystere is on vacation" when we called. "On vacation?" What a strange choice of words. Where does Las Vegas go for vacation, I wonder?

In any case, I didn't really get to experience the craziness of the fight as much as the running of the Derby. But I could certainly feel that there were a lot of people in town. Even for Vegas. Even on a weekend. Definitely a fun energy.