After a reasonable drive through Northwestern Ohio and part of Michigan, we cut over into Canada just after Detroit's rush hour. Though the room was quite nice, even if the view wasn't, we headed down to the casino floor to take it all in.
To be honest, I must have missed the allure of casino gambling. Though I generally hold the opinion that government-managed gambling is simply a tax on those with a poor grasp of statistics, the possibility of scoring big with little investment was tempting none the less.
Perhaps a more mindful attention to cashflow since I started working for myself made the law of averages more intimidating?
At any rate, the new sterile electronic slots with purely decorative side arm failed to deliver the nostalgic charm and thrill I'd hoped for. Successive tokens were unavoidably equated to the corresponding value in Volkswagen parts, DVDs or other more desirable touristy fare awaiting us in Toronto. Futility and boredom quickly set in amid the counterfeit Vegas charm.
The noise and neon was a bit much after an exhausting work week for both of us, not to mention the thick clouds of duty-free cigarette smoke and cheap cologne. (Maybe it's just the weeknight crowd that seems to have stumbled in off the street on their way to Wal-Mart.) With a four-hour train ride and three films after 6pm awaiting us the following day, we called it an early evening. I stayed up for Tom Jones' performance on the Brits (UK's equivalent to the Grammys). Michelle knocked off after the discouraging realization that Eminem apparently epitomizes American music to our cousins across the pond.
Admittedly a somewhat pathetic highlight of the night was ordering from Pizza Pizza, a Canadian chain known for cheap pie and exotic toppings. If you ever have the itch for grilled zucchini, bacon strips, asparagus or roasted red peppers we highly recommend them.
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