Said to be one of the 10 largest buildings in the world, the Venetian is 980,000 sq metres of what might be described as Casino Gothic architecture, packed to the gills with busloads of goggle-eyed tourists. Features include some 3000 hotel suites, a full-sized arena, an on-site medical and plastic surgery clinic and more than 46,000 sq metres of gaming floor.
Its centrepiece is the Grand Canal Shoppes, an indoor mall surrounding three enormous curved canals, where gondoliers push boats of tourists through pool-blue waters while singing opera. The ceiling is painted and lit to resemble the sky at dusk, the shops are housed behind Venetian-style facades, and wandering magicians dressed like carnival revellers entertain the crowds. Surreal.
