"I also believed that Casinos considered their patrons holy and no one could mess with them..."

Now THAT'S funny! It hasn't been that way in Vegas since about 1959. Funny thing, when the Mob was in (obvious) control of the town, it really was like you thought. The locals pray for them to come back, because current management really sucks.

Today, the casinos and the pickpockets fight each other to pick you clean. You really can't tell them apart. I don't know what casino security is really for, unless it's just to protect the cash once they've got it.

The crime there is one of the best-kept secrets. There's LOTS of it, but the paper and TV only give a few snippets to make the place look normal.

Water, water, water. Carry it on your waist and it doesn't feel quite as heavy.

Hat and sunscreen. And hat doesn't mean a baseball cap.