Columnist Susan Snyder: Curiously, writer lacks curiosity

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004 | 8:18 a.m.

Iinvite Alan S. Oser to visit Las Vegas again, but to pack his imagination this time.

Oser wrote a scathing review of a recent Elderhostel trip to Las Vegas in the Dec. 28 New York Times Travel section.

He starts by describing himself as "tight-fisted 72-year-old who abhors gambling, scorns ostentation and takes little pleasure in most forms of popular entertainment."

Note, he said "most forms." He did concede that he enjoyed watching the nearly naked women of Bally's "Jubilee" show. Evidently, he's not too sophisticated to stare at women young enough to be his granddaughters.

But he shunned a visit to the Liberace Museum and only attended a lecture on the Rat Pack after his friends said they had learned so much about Las Vegas history.

Oser said that "with little interest in gambling or shows" he "met the challenge" of filling his free time "by trudging from one hotel to the next." He considered Bellagio fountains a bore but didn't mention the lobby's Dale Chihuly light fixture. Maybe he didn't look up.

As one who truly abhors most of what attracts visitors to Las Vegas, I found myself wanting to strangle the irascible sourpuss with a strand of Rio beads.

It's hard to swallow criticism from people whose experience is limited to a few days trolling a 1.5-mile stretch of road in a valley that encompasses 600 square miles and 1.5 million people.

But travelers with Oser's obviously discerning tastes and worldly expectations should know better -- or at least should know how to call a cab.

It seemed that unless a prearranged bus shuttled his crabby self off the Strip, the guy was unable to find anything beyond casinos to explore.

Maybe his blinders were too tight to notice the mountains on all sides of town. Did he not wonder even once what might be out there? Or did he think that was some giant backdrop we painted and erected to impress people from Toledo?

A quick stop at the concierge counter at any of the hotels probably would have turned up at least mention of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park and its historic ranch, the Clark County Museum or the Old Mormon Fort.

While members of his Elderhostel group tossed their retirement supplements at craps tables, Oser could have learned about geologic and human history spanning thousands of years.

He could have looked for desert tortoises at the Red Rock Visitors Center or spent some contemplative minutes on a bench at the Scenic Loop Road's high point.

At the very least, he could have proven himself worthy of the huge amount of space afforded him in The New York Times by being even marginally curious.

Vast numbers of visitors come to Las Vegas on group tours and might have appreciated Oser peeking behind a curtain or two, in case their organized activities are a bust.

He even lamented that "for the 43 in our group, the main goal seemed to be to have fun," and "it became clear that for many this was the main goal of life itself."

The slackers.

Maybe Oser should tighten his fist and save his money for cable television -- including the Travel Channel.