We crossed another bridge to the MGM Grand, which opened in 1993.
The lion statue weighs 50 tons and is 45 feet tall. It is the largest bronze statue in the USA.
David Copperfield was a long-time show here.
A statue honoring his various magic tricks... including walking through the Great Wall of China in 1986.
The Whiskey Down had a back hallway lined with historic bar/whiskey-related photos.
Xing Yun (Lucky, the Smiling Water Dragon) was built for Cirque du Soleil's show in China. In 2012, the show ended and Lucky was sent here.
We made our way back to Excalibur over the bridges.
The Eiffel Tower replica rises 540 feet whereas the real one in Paris is 984 feet. The observation deck can hold up to 96 people.
Those are some ominous clouds forming!
Excalibur
Inside the resort, we grabbed some lunch at Baja Fresh with its bottomless salsa bar. The mango salsa was excellent!
Suddenly we noticed a lot of commotion outside. A massive windstorm swept in and pounded the area. Then, as quickly as it had arrived, it dissipated.
At 3 pm, we returned to the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. The exhibit opened in 2000 and was divided into several distinct sections.
The impressive entryway
A crocodile welcomed us.
The first section contained reptiles and fish. It was designed to look like an ancient temple and even had many features that are found at Angkor Wat (the large temple complex in Cambodia).
The Johnston's crocodile lurks in freshwater lakes, rivers and wetlands of Australia. It can get up to 9 feet long and hold its breath for 2 hours, drowning its prey long before it eats it.
Real-life towers such as these are found at Bayon temple.
