SHARK REEF AQUARIUM

WE WON ENOUGH MONEY ON THE CRAPS TABLE TO TAKE A TRIP OUT ON THE STRIP. WE TOOK THE EXPRESS BUS OUT TO MANDALY BAY, AND PLANNED ON USING THE DUECE BUS TO WORK OUR WAY BACK DOWNTOWN MAKING STOPS WHEREVER.

FIRST STOP WAS THE SHARK REEF AQUARIUM AT MANDALAY BAY.

WE WERE ALL IMPRESSED WITH THE SEVERAL TANKS OF FISH.  ALL THE FISH LOOKED HEALTHY, AND NOT ALL BEAT UP AND PALE.  THE SHARKS ARE THE HIT OF THE AQUARIUM.

THERE WERE TWO GLASS TUNNELS WHERE THE FISH LITERALLY SWAM RIGHT OVER YOU.

OF COURSE “GRANDMA JACK” HAS TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMETHING.

THEIR BIGGEST TANK HELD 1.3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER, AND AS OBSERVERS IT APPEARED YOU WERE ON THE DECK OF A SUNKEN SHIP.

TAKING PICTURES OF BEAUTIFUL FISH THRU GLASS IS NOT SOMETHING EITHER HEATHER OR I REALLY GOT THE HANG OF.

NEXT IT WAS OFF TO THE MINUS –5 ICE BAR.

DON’T EVER SPEND YOUR YOUR COLD HARD CASH TO DO THIS!!!  IT WAS A SMALL ROOM, TWICE THE SIZE OF A WALK-IN FREEZER. IN FACT, THAT’S JUST WHAT IT IS.  THEY CHARGE YOU $17 TO RENT A COAT AND BOOTS, AND THEN SELL YOU DRINKS FOR $10 EACH WHILE YOU’RE STANDING IN THE FREEZER.

YOUR DRINK IS SERVED IN A GLASS MADE FROM A PIECE OF ICE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ICE SCULPTERS TO LOOK AT. THE FURNITURE, AND THE BAR ARE ALL SOLID ICE.  THE ONLY GOOD THING I CAN REPORT IS THAT IS THE COLDEST BEER I’VE EVER HAD.

TO PRESERVE THEIR RIP OFF, THEY MAKE YOU SURRENDER YOUR CAMERA AND CELL PHONE, AND THEN TRY TO SELL YOU PICTURES AT THE END.

LOOK AT THE PICTURES ON THE INTERNET AND CROSS THIS OFF YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO IN LAS VEGAS!!!

WE WALKED OUTSIDE IN SEARCH OF THE BUS STOP TO FIND THE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF A MONSOON RAIN THAT LOOKED LIKE A HURRICANE.  WE WAITED INSIDE FOR OVER AN HOUR AND IT WOULDN’T LET UP, SO WE HIRED A CAB TO RETURN DOWNTOWN.  BECAUSE OF THE STREET FLOODING IT TOOK WELL OVER AN HOUR TO GET BACK ON FREEMONT STREET.