Arabian Daze - 18

An 8-day cruise in the Middle East continues. 

To review previous installments of "Arabian Daze", please visit  THIS PAGE. 

In the last post, the author visited the falcon hospital in Abu Dhabi. 

During the tour of the falcon hospital, we had a great guide, but it turned out she was extremely afraid of the falcons. As I was traveling alone in the tour, the guide and I agreed to swap cameras and take each other's photos. I got a hilarious reaction from her:

Right: a falcon is fed meat

The doctor escorted our group outside to view more of the hospital grounds. We learned falcons are kept here by their owners in something like a 'pet hotel' service provided by the hospital. Falcons are welcome to board for months at a time. They are monitored, fed, and exercised often. Inside the visitor's center, I could get a souvenir photo of myself wearing traditional Arabian dress, holding a falcon. Yay! 

Top: hospital grounds / falcons rest inside a covered exercise area: 

Bottom: "Practical Handbook of Falcon Husbandry and Medicine" &
cutenekko with a very photogenic falcon ^_^

Our tour group piled into the van and returned to Abu Dhabi. Along the way, we got caught in a traffic jam. The cause? Two severe traffic accidents. Our guide explained, people in the U.A.E love fast cars, thus a plethora of accidents. 

Right: street sign & license plate

As mentioned in Arabian Daze #17 post, buildings and bridges here are architecturally interesting. As our tour van passed through the city, I tried to get photos of several unique ones:

The final stop for the afternoon was the infamous 'white mosque'. Our tour did not include entry into this famous spot; I would return after 3pm with my friend (who was still nursing some seasickness) in a hired taxi. 

This white mosque, officially called the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, is an award winning 2014 attraction on Trip Advisor. The opulence inside is unimaginable. I will post photos from the inside soon. Be sure to visit again to see. 

Sign showing 'mosque manners' -- appropriate dress versus inappropriate wear.

~ Information ~ 

The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is open to visitors. All tours must be booked in advance. The hospital's website is HERE. 

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque will be featured in a later blog post. Information can be found HERE. Trip Advisor photos and reviews are HERE. This mosque is a 'must see' when in Abu Dhabi. 

!! Mosque visits in the Middle East require appropriate clothing. Women, you MUST wear a head scarf. Men, long shorts, pants and shirts are best. Shoes must be taken off before entering the main prayer halls. 

Arabian Daze - 17

Back in late February of this year, a friend and I traveled to the U.A.E and Oman for an 8 day adventure aboard the cruise ship, Costa Fortuna. It's been a while since I updated the 'Arabian Daze' series on this trip; today, we'll play catch up. You can review the series (1~16) below:

Arabian Daze 1   2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16

In the Middle East, many rich Arabs keep falcons as pets, training them to hunt small desert critters. The local airline, Ethiad, even allows these beautiful birds inside the cabin with their owners, when they must travel to Saudia Arabia or other countries (source).  So loved are these birds in Arabia, there is a hospital which treats falcons -- the only one of its kind in the world -- in Abu Dhabi. At this port, I joined a tour organized by the cruise line to visit this special hospital and see the birds up close.

Our tiny tour group of nine traveled via van through the city. I could snap a few photos of the honeycombed buildings and the Arabic nation's other love -- horses:

Bottom left: a falcon passport 

Once arriving at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, we were treated to a lecture by one doctor. He explained the history of falconry, the birds, how they are trained, etc. The most unique piece of information we learned, was that each falcon has its own passport!! The passport is not only used for identification, but also to show legal ownership and vaccinations. Wow!


We passed quickly through the hospital's waiting area, which was quite surreal: inside, I saw several Arabs, in full white dress, sitting playing with their cell phones, while, at their feet sat several beautiful falcons. 0_0

Beyond the waiting area, we got to see even more of these stellar birds up close; below are some examples. The white falcon was from Canada, I was told. ^_^

Bottom right: the hospital's waiting room,
with 3 falcons awaiting their appointments.

The hospital was extremely professional, and I noticed many doctors were busy taking care of various falcons. The doctor explained the most common appointments are for:  replacing missing feathers, filing down beaks and talons, as well as general check ups. 

Top left: benches of falcons awaiting their checkups / 
Top right: wrist guard, feathers and tools

Bottom left: table with gas mask, designed specifically for the falcon/
Bottom right: leather glove for holding the falcon

Our guide/ doctor demonstrated how all falcons must be put to sleep before any procedure can be undertaken. Sliding the bird into the fitted mask, the gas took about 3~4 minutes to put the falcon out. The doctor then explained and demonstrated how to trim the falcon's talons. 

Top right: Tiny, leather eye masks, which are placed over the falcons' heads to keep the birds calm and relaxed. 

Bottom photos: cutenekko gets to hold one falcon, even touching it!!!

This concludes the tour of the inside of the hospital. The doctor took our group outside to view the immense grounds of the hospital. I will post photos soon. I hope you'll come back for more! ^_^


~ Information ~

The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital offers tours of the facility. Advanced reservations are required. See their website HERE for information. 

Interested in taking a cruise of the Middle East? Explore Costa Cruise line's website HERE. Our 8-day cruise cost $515 USD per person. 

Canadian Embassy Visit

At the end of May, I received an invitation to attend a special luncheon in Tokyo hosted by the Canadian Ambassador's wife. As a member of the Canadian social group, Canadian Women in Japan, I was able to enjoy this event with about twenty other ladies.

When I arrived at the embassy, I had to give my name to the security guards at the main gate. They actually had "a list" and checked for my name.  My first VIP experience = priceless. ^_^

I had never been to this yearly event before, so when I asked a groundskeeper for directions to "Marler House" I was expecting a small cottage. This was the actual place: 

Whoa! @_@

Marler House is the official residence to the Canadian Ambassador to Japan

Marler House was designed by Kenneth G.Rea and Antonin Raymond. According to an information pamphlet, the building is in a neo-classical style. The main dining hall, in which we held our luncheon, can seat up to 34 guests.

My seat placing looked like this; I was surprised at the opulence:

So this is where my tax dollars go, eh? (laugh)

Here is a close up of the menu for the luncheon. I was really excited about the main dish -- Atlantic salmon! Cats love fish, especially salmon. ^_^

The table had a lot of uniquely Canadian accents, for example, 

this paperweight in the shape of a maple leaf:

... silverware with the crest of Canada:

... even the wine glass had an etched maple leaf: 

I met a number of very interesting women at this function. A Japanese woman next to me immigrated to Canada and even played violin in the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra. Another woman was a military officer, heading back home; yet another Japanese woman had lived in Nova Scotia. It *almost* brought a tear to my eye hearing all the stories of life back home.

The ladies:

The chef, from Ontario, Canada, whipped up a feast for both the eyes and palate. Enjoy the mouthwatering photos!

The first course, caramelized carrot bisque:

Roasted cauliflower salad:

Atlantic salmon!! Yum!! 

Strawberry peach tart: 

This event was very fun; however, after exiting through the gate, I reflected on one point:
I should try and get a job working for the Canadian government. (laugh)

~ Information ~ 

The Embassy of Canada is located in Aoyama, Tokyo. It's open to the public. There are numerous art exhibits and a library full of Canadian books. 

Access: 

Tokyo Metro, Aoyama 1 Chome station. Walk to the Embassy in under 5 minutes. A map is HERE. 

For Canadian women in Japan, especially in Tokyo, you can become a member of the club mentioned in this blog post. (website HERE). During the summer months, the club members are on hiatus. 

Events start again from September. 

Meguro Gajoen 目黒雅叙園

Back in May, a hiking friend invited me to a special exhibition featuring Japanese flower arrangements, called ikebana. Photography was prohibited in the exhibition space;  however, I was able to snap shots of the host building, Meguro Gajoen. Tucked in one of Tokyo's best districts, Meguro Gajoen houses a hotel, conference rooms, restaurants and the most beautiful toilet I have ever seen.

Please enjoy the photos!

Outside garden area with seating for tea:

Inside, you can find a large torii (gate) flanked by a mikoshi (a portable shrine):

Meguro Gajoen is immense; a huge glass atrium holds two restaurants -- one for light lunches and teas, the other, a traditional Japanese house which serves course meals called kaiseki riyori. (see photo above)


My friend, who is a former ikebana teacher, encouraged me to explore the outside gardens. We encountered a delicate waterfall and hiking trail -- all in the center of Tokyo!

As mentioned earlier, Meguro Gajoen's best feature is the ladies toilet, on the first floor, opposite one restaurant. My friend said "you must go to the loo here..and take your camera!!" (laugh) So I did. ^_^

Inside, the ceilings are decorated in gold leaf, showing Japanese senso (folding paper fans).

Bottom: small bridge to the toilets and a private powder room.

A month later, I invited another friend for afternoon tea at Meguro Gajoen. The tea set consisted of numerous sweets; after eating, my friend and I felt a little sick due to the sugar rush...

Left: chocolate cake, fruit, macaroons and tart. Right: chestnut mousse

Meguro Gajoen is a beautiful spot in the heart of Tokyo. If you visit this big city in Japan, I recommend popping in to enjoy the gardens and waterfalls. You may spot some wedding couples having their photographs taken here as well. Enjoy Tokyo!


~ Information ~ 

Meguro Gajoen is a short, 5 minute walk from Meguro Station (Toyoko Line). If you walk, you can pass by the Japanese headquarters of Amazon! There is also a free shuttle bus opposite the station that will whisk you to the entrance of Meguro Gajoen -- a good option if it's raining. 

The website is HERE. 

The afternoon tea is held at Pandora; get a seat near the waterfalls for the best view. Afternoon tea is ¥2,400 (approximately $24) each. It includes: a selection of teas and coffees, sandwiches, and many sweets on 3-tier plates. Reservations are not necessary.