Falconry
We spent half the day in Doha tracking down the falconry shop. When we finally got there – way on the outskirts of the city – we waited two hours for it to open. Finally, we approached it:
Al Jazeera means "the river." The TV network of the same name is also based in Doha. Interesting side note: The Bush administration wants Qatar to sell off al-Jazeera to private investors. Bush is evidently pissed off that the network is too anti-American, and he wants to punish it by choking off its support from the Qatari government. The irony: Jazeera is continued too pro-American by many in the Middle East, including all of the Saudi oil barons who would certainly buy it instantly if it were put on the block. So privatizing it seems likely to make it much more anti-American. Wait! you say. The Bush adminstration, not thinking things through? I'm not buying it! Well, here at elktown – we report, you decide.
Anyway, back to the falcons. There was a strict "no-pictures" policy. So I waited until the guy turned around for two seconds, and I snapped off one (shoddy) photo. Sorry, this is the best I've got, but if you've got another source for live falcon photography, you go there instead, OK? Maybe they've got some falcons at the Burger King.
We were particularly taken with their little hats. They're just too precious! Like little German WWI soldier dolls! But then we learned that their job is basically to gruesomely hunt and slaughter lesser birds. Not unlike the German WWI soldiers, come to think of it. And those hats are the only things standing between the bloodthirsty falcons and their prey. In other words:
Falcon with hat: sweet precious angel.
Falcon without hat: vicious killer.
They are released from the roof of the Burj every hour, on the hour, to circle the building and drive away gulls. With extreme prejudice.
Al Jazeera means "the river." The TV network of the same name is also based in Doha. Interesting side note: The Bush administration wants Qatar to sell off al-Jazeera to private investors. Bush is evidently pissed off that the network is too anti-American, and he wants to punish it by choking off its support from the Qatari government. The irony: Jazeera is continued too pro-American by many in the Middle East, including all of the Saudi oil barons who would certainly buy it instantly if it were put on the block. So privatizing it seems likely to make it much more anti-American. Wait! you say. The Bush adminstration, not thinking things through? I'm not buying it! Well, here at elktown – we report, you decide.
Anyway, back to the falcons. There was a strict "no-pictures" policy. So I waited until the guy turned around for two seconds, and I snapped off one (shoddy) photo. Sorry, this is the best I've got, but if you've got another source for live falcon photography, you go there instead, OK? Maybe they've got some falcons at the Burger King.
We were particularly taken with their little hats. They're just too precious! Like little German WWI soldier dolls! But then we learned that their job is basically to gruesomely hunt and slaughter lesser birds. Not unlike the German WWI soldiers, come to think of it. And those hats are the only things standing between the bloodthirsty falcons and their prey. In other words:
Falcon with hat: sweet precious angel.
Falcon without hat: vicious killer.
They are released from the roof of the Burj every hour, on the hour, to circle the building and drive away gulls. With extreme prejudice.
posted by Eric at 2:59 AM
3 Comments:
I'm touched that you remembered to evoke the Elktown mission statement.
And it's true. I had a Falcon Whopper w/Cheese at the BK just last night.
And, as a friend of the blog and it's creator, I submit that I am concerned to see this prima facie evidence of lawlessness with photography from a region whose trial coverage typically involves the word "stoning."
Don't worry Scott, stoning is only for adulterers. Illicit falcon photography is 20 years in jail, tops.
Smells like teen spirit.
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