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Photo by Chris Karidis
It seemed very apt that I sat down to talk to Lee-Ann Johnstone about casino-themed holidays just a few weeks after getting back from Las Vegas.
In many ways, Vegas is the creme-dela-creme of casino-themed holidays. Full of bright lights, casinos galore, and an overall atmosphere of good luck – this city seemed to be made by casino players, for casino players.
That’s what I said to Lee-Ann Johnstone, an award-winning digital marketing strategist, when we sat down together.
In Conversation With Lee-Ann Johnstone
When I told her I’d just come back from Las Vegas, her eyes seemed to light up.
“It’s beautiful there, isn’t it?” She proceeded to list out all the things she loved about the Vegas architecture and casino setups. “Can’t say I saw much of the outdoors,” she jokes.
“There’s a nice parking lot outside Caesars Palace,” I replied.
We go on to discuss a rather interesting night Lee-Ann had in Vegas last year, involving a deck of cards, a pinball machine, a pair of gloves, and a loose tiger. A la…
“Don’t say it,” she stresses. She seems to be joking, but just in case, I leave the point at the door. Lee-Ann Johnstone has a very serious face, stretched at the eyebrows, which gives her a permanent suspicious glare.
“So you like casinos?” I move the conversation along.
“I love casinos, and I love the whole iGaming industry. It’s growing so fast at the moment. As a digital marketing strategist, it’s a playground.”
“So that’s why you’ve gone on so many casino-themed holidays?”
“They weren’t planned. I didn’t get up and say: ‘I’m going to go on a casino-themed holiday’. It just sort of happened that way. Although maybe it was something in my subconscious.”
“Your brain was urging you to have a few spins in Macau!”
“I didn’t actually go to any casinos, actually. Apart from in Vegas. They’re all on my phone. Much easier!”
“So what are your favourite casino-themed locations then?”
“I’ll start with my number one…”
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
I must admit, at this point, I did raise my own eyebrows in much the same way that Lee-Ann has been doing.
“I know,” she smirks. “Not Las Vegas. Scandalous!”
“I didn’t even know Atlantic City was a casino city,” I reply, perhaps naively.
“That’s because I’m the digital marketing expert and you’re the travel expert. We see things you don’t pick up on.”
“You see casinos and we see beaches and hotels.”
“Quite right.”
“So what’s so good about Atlantic City?”
“I liked the beaches and the hotels were pretty nice. But for people who love casinos, they’re a really popular attraction in their own right in this city. More so than some of the more traditional Atlantic City tourist attractions. Really, it’s just such a fun city. You feel like you can do anything and be anyone when you’re there. The people are lovely too.”
- Montenegro, The Balkans
“My close second would have to be Montenegro,” she says after reminiscing about Atlantic City.
“That’s in the Balkans, right?” I ask.
“Yes, Mr Travel Expert.”
“No flies on me!”
“None at all. Yes, it’s in the Balkans. Such a beautiful part of the world and perfect for casino and movie lovers. Can you tell me why?”
“I guess it’s a location in a popular casino movie?”
“Correct again. Double points. This is where Casino Royale is set, my favourite James Bond picture and the ultimate casino movie. If you want a casino-themed holiday, you really can’t get that much better. Just know that the actual casino itself doesn’t exist.”
“Oh,” I reply, “that’s a bit of a letdown.”
“Yes, I was very let down in my bikini and sunglasses, drinking a mocktail on the beach.”
“Sounds terrible.”
- Paris, France
“Hold on,” I cut her off before she could get started on her last location. “Are you telling me Las Vegas isn’t on this list at all?”
“I wanted to be different. Everyone knows about Las Vegas.”
I shrug. “Everyone knows about France, as well.”
She shrugs. “Not in the way I do, honey.”
I leave that comment at the door too.
“Okay, so why is this a casino-themed holiday?”
“For anyone who has read Don Quixote, they’ll know that it contains the first mention of the most iconic casino game, Blackjack. It’s debated whether it really originated in France, but it seems like there’s a pretty good chance. As I said, it got a mention in the novel, which dates the game back to the late 16th to early 17th century. At the time, it was referred to as ‘vingt-et-un’, which translates to 21 in French. Apart from that, the city itself is just beautiful in so many ways. There’s so much to do, see, and eat, of course. I was only there for a week but did all the best things to do in Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and the Palace of Versailles. I would really recommend it.”
“And the casinos?”
“As I said, they all exist on my phone. I did play some live blackjack in a restaurant while waiting for a friend, though. Just to get in the mood.”
“Did you win?”
At this, Lee-Ann leans back in her chair and gives me a smile. “What do you think?” she asks.
I’m not sure about the game of blackjack, but one thing is for sure, Lee-Ann is definitely winning. In life, that is.
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Courtesy : https://drifttravel.com/askgamblers-lee-ann-johnstone-shares-her-3-must-see-locations-on-a-casino-themed-holiday/