KA, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Last night, we went to see the Cirque Du Soleil-KA show, one of several Cirque shows playing Vegas. I attended the original about twenty years ago and the differences are immaterial. The original was much like a fancy, musical circus with high fliers and acrobats. One particular acrobat act was stunning and unforgettable with one man balancing on the head of another moving with muscular precision in slow motion through all of their gravity defying positions.

KA is more of a story line with gracefully acrobatic fliers, and fast moving, dance choreography for the war scenes accompanied by thunderous music. The costuming was very original. The full theater aspects of the show, meaning acrobats running about the theater at every level, above and around you are unique to my experience and very exciting.

Several scenes, like a tragic opera, were so beautiful, and emotion rending, that even without words, the "play" is understandable. The special scenes, sinking a boat, the underwater rescue, the acrobats in the wheel and a war played out on a slippery perpendicular stage kept you glued to the action. The perpendicular stage is like nothing I've heard of or seen before. Just watching the machinery in motion was amazing.
Now, I want to see them all.

My son suggested we use valet parking to see the shows and we loved pulling up into valet parking with the old Bronco with a bike hanging off the back among all the El Dorados, Saturns, Mercedes, Rolls and other fancy cars. The looks we get when the valet brings us our vehicle are a riot. At MGM they have a lava heat to keep you warm while waiting for your vehicle.

PRIDE OF MGM CASINO HOTEL

He towers above the road below, the proud symbol of MGM Grand, all 100,000 pounds of him. The symbol for MGM movies and now their MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO. We visited MGM yesterday to see the lions, who remain a continuous part of MGM's logo and identification. They are said to be descendants of the original MGM lion.

They are majestic creatures. They live on a ranch but for 5 hours a day, three or more are brought into a multi-million dollar, sound-proof, glass enclosure for the benefit of the viewing public.

They know they are safe and they have no fear of prowling quite close to the glass, often touching the glass and looking directly at you. Photo conditions are absolutely horrible and getting a half-decent photo is difficult. If they would hold still...

  For yesterday's viewing, they brought in three females. Sometimes they bring the cubs to a special showing room as well where no pictures are allowed. And, the males regularly take there turn in the "tank".

I'm never totally comfortable with animals in captivity. Captivity is unnatural, but I will say they are very clean and healthy looking animals compared to those who fight every day just to eat in Africa. I went on Safari in Kenya and Tanzania in 1997. The lions were bigger, more muscular, but I saw those who had ribs showing from hunger; wounded and struggling to maintain life. It was an eye opener and fascinating.

After MGM, we visited Luxor and Excalibur and Madalay Bay by tram. Since I'm flying out to a cousin's 50th Wedding Anniversary today, I'll blog my pictures and impressions another day.
It you'd like to see the 24 pictures I took of MGM, click on the link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1579penn/21011MGMLions#