Blackout on Las Vegas Strip

Our girls' getaway to Las Vegas kicked-off in the quaint little food court village, tucked deep inside the Luxor Resort Hotel pyramid.

We discussed the Luxor's off-set design. That is, it has no exact center. Some folks are quite sensitive to it 'off-centered-ness.' A few are so sensitive, they have approached the registration desk, only to cancel their reservation and stay elsewhere. They can't shake the sensation of feeling as if they just stepped off an out of control carousel. Their equilibrium is off. The whole time they are in the Luxor Hotel, they feel as if they are walking sideways and off-balance the whole time they are inside the structure.

Suddenly, In the middle of this off-centered conversation, all went black in Luxor's food court! Nearby, the magic carpet ride film went silent. Within a minute, auxiliary lighting came on, but the food court, rides, and shops remained dark to customers. There was just enough residual light for employees to clean and secure their areas.

Eerily, the casino gaming areas powered back up and the games commenced, as if nothing happened. The rest of Luxor remained oddly dark, while gambling and drinking continued at the computerized screens, slots and gaming tables.

We nervously joked that the pyramid's 'off-centered-ness' caused the power outage. Then, we slipped through the casino, holding our breath through the clouds of cigarette and cigar smoke enveloping us. The gambling machines had backup electricity, but apparently the ventilation system did not.

Few people joined us outside. It felt as if we were in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Were we the only pair who realized the power was out? Why did everyone just keep playing, as if nothing was happening? Were people stuck in the 'inclinators' and elevators? Without ventilation, it took only a couple minutes for the air to be a thick from cigarettes, so why didn't the staff at least ban smoking during the power outage?