What a night folks, what a night! Nothing like street preacher riots, drunken mishaps, and police take-down and drag-outs to bring in the new year in Vegas!
Arriving at around 6pm, I got onto the strip just in time before they started closing it off from traffic. By this time you had a good number of people walking around. It wasn't until around 7pm that they opened up the street to everyone. It was crazy. Imagine the entire Las Vegas Blvd open to everyone. This early you didn't have a whole lot of people though. Despite the lower crowd, you could imagine people still got drunk.
Walking along the Blvd between Treasure Island and Paris, you would encounter so many different people. Parked along the sidewalks you had people selling the glowing glasses, hats, swords, and of course the massively over-sized beads that could be worn about the neck. For some, perhaps over compensation? Who knows. I suspect the highlight of the evening for many people where the "Street Preachers". These individuals would speak on scripture, damnation, and other aspects of their belief. In my opinion, it is fine as it is their right. But it ended up getting out of hand. They would set up just beyond where the police barricades were. They then began to banter, instigate, insult, and harass a number of men, women, AND children. This was quite uncool. There were a few times a man would take up for his wife or children, as they were just out there to enjoy themselves, and would get in the preachers face defending them. A few guys even got too close in the Damners faces, who were subsequently taken down by the police and pulled into the fenced off area. I appreciate freedom of thought and expression. I do not accept using the police as protection when people insult and instigate fights, over their "Word".
By 10pm it was shoulder to shoulder traffic all along the boulevard. It was a sea of people either trying to get somewhere, or having been "swept" away with the stream. I stood their on the side just watching and capturing the havoc. Quite enjoyable for an on looker.
While there was no grand event during the New Years Eve as there was last year when the son of Evel Keneval did his motorcycle jump, you still had entertainment. You enjoyed watching the either tear or joy of people who specifically went to the Vegas Strip to experience it Vegas Style.
I did not get home until around 6am, safe with not having drunk anything. I have to shoot straight, you know? :) I hope everyone made it home safe, or slept in their car like I know a few had done.
May the new year be great and prosperous!
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