INNER AWARENESS Leaving Las Vegas with amazement

GAMBLING, either for fun or for more serious stakes, is one

activity I've never really enjoyed doing. That's why I've never

been a gambler. And yet Las Vegas in Nevada, considered the

gambling capital of the world, has held a strong fascination and

attraction for me that goes beyond casinos, beyond fabulous

entertainment and beyond those spectacular neon lights which

can be seen even from outer space.

It was in late August, 1997 that I first visited Las Vegas upon

the insistence of my daughter, Sophia, my sister-in-law Cely

Nazario and her daughter Margie, who all felt I should see Las

Vegas at least once or regret it for the rest of my life. They were

not mistaken. Ever since I lay foot in this city that never sleeps,

I've always wanted to come back to it over and over again. Last

month, I was there again.

It's difficult to get bored in Las Vegas. There's always

something new one discovers there. Las Vegas is like a living

organism. It grows and reproduces; dies and renews itself.

During the last decade its growth has been phenomenal. From

258,000 in 1990, residents swelled to 405,000 by mid-1997. By

some estimates, the population is expected to hit 1.5 million by

the year 2010. By next year alone, Las Vegas will have 127,000

hotel rooms. That's more than those in New York, Paris and Los

Angeles put together.

Why do I like going back to Las Vegas even though I don't like

gambling? What most people do not realize is that Las Vegas

has been changing over the last few years and has more to offer

than merely gambling and adult entertainment. According to a

Time magazine cover story about Las Vegas, there are less

people going to casinos to play despite increased numbers of

visitors, which means people are going to Las Vegas not just to

gamble. Las Vegas has a become a major tourist destination

which attracts various types of visitors who are not necessarily

gamblers.

Bigger than life

There is no other place in the world that can compare with Las

Vegas. Everything in it can only be described in the superlative.

When the city builds a structure, it must be a superstructure. At

the Bellagio, more than a thousand fountains dance in front of

the hotel, enhanced by music and light. The display spans more

than 1000 ft with water soaring as high as 240 ft into the air,

dancing to the classic arias of Pavarotti and to the ballads of

Sinatra. And at Caesars Palace, the huge Roman statues at the

Festival Fountain come to life in a 7-minute show featuring

special lighting effects. In the Great Hall, an epic battle filled

with fire and smoke takes place around a 50,000-gallon

aquarium.

When they feed you a meal in Las Vegas, it must be a super

meal fit for a king. The competition in what is known as the Strip

in Las Vegas is so stiff that if one cannot think of some gimmick

to exceed audience expectations, the establishment soon loses

its patrons and dies.

The latest and biggest mega hotel to emerge in Las Vegas is the

Venetian which will have 6,000 guest rooms when completed

this year. It will be a faithful replica of Venice, complete with

lakes and gondolas that visitors can ride on.

Another one being built is a replica of Paris complete with the

city's greatest landmark structure, the Eiffel Tower. When

completed, Paris-Las Vegas will have almost 3,000 guest rooms,

an 85,000-sq. ft. casino, five lounges, a two-acre rooftop pool

and a European health spa. What will they think of next?

Well, there's a rumor I heard when I was over there that the

owners of the Stratosphere were planning to build an exact

replica of the Titanic. I suppose complete with Leonardo

Dicaprio and Kate Winslet?

Disappearing elephant

Fabulous entertainment is still one of the major attractions of

the city. Seeing a great show in Las Vegas is incomparable with

anything one has ever seen elsewhere in the world. During last

month's trip, for example, we finally saw the much talked about

''Siegfried and Roy'' show at the Mirage Hotel. One has to book

a few days in advance to ensure a seat. It is not just an ordinary

magic show, it is a mind-blowing experience. How the two are

able to create the illusion of teleportation (i.e. disappearing in

one place and appearing almost simultaneously in another

place), of Roy floating or levitating on the air effortlessly, of

lions disappearing and appearing again on stage at an instant,

accompanied by dazzling choreography, is truly a wonder. For

their last act, Siegfried and Roy made a real live elephant

disappear from the stage. After a few minutes, they made the

huge animal reappear, to the delight and awe of the audience.

Girlie show

Las Vegas is, of course, also famous for the many types of adult

entertainment available on the Strip. A visit to Las Vegas is not

complete without seeing one of those sexy, topless show girls.

So we went to the longest lasting show on the Strip, ''The Folies

Bergere,'' which had its opening 40 years ago. It was imported

from Paris, but was Americanized in Las Vegas. Although it was

not bad, it was not as sensual or lust-inspiring as its

advertisements suggested. In fact, compared to some strip

shows in the Philippines, the ''Folies Bergere'' is quite tame. It is

a show that you will not be embarrassed to bring even your own

conservatively religious mother-in-law to see.

The Luxor

One place I do not seem to get tired of going back to again and

again in Las Vegas is the Egyptian-inspired Luxor Hotel near the

airport. Luxor is a huge, pyramid-shaped hotel that has been

built to the exact proportions of the great pyramid of Giza (only

slightly smaller than the original pyramid in Cairo), complete

with a giant Sphinx in front.

Address letters to this column to 308 Prince Plaza I, 106 Legaspi

St., Greenbelt, Makati City or e-mail me at

jlicauco@geocities.com. Visit my website at

www.geocities.com/eureka/concourse/5969 for more details.