More from Abu Dhabi

Yesterday we took a tour at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, a local foundation dedicated to the care of captivity-bred falcons.

Kathryn had seen the tour written up in a local magazine and as it turned out we were the only 3 people taking the tour.

Here you see me with one of the falcons they use for visitors, and the poor little guy sitting patiently on the bench with his hood on is waiting to have bandages on his feet changed, or his talons clipped or his beak trimmed or similar.

We had a very comprehensive tour of everything that happens at the hospital. It is currently the moulting season so many birds are "hospitalised" there while they lose most of their feathers. The tour is followed up with a lovely Arabian lunch. More here.

Today we drove back to just south of Dubai to Madinat Jumeirah, a beach front resort which has its own souq, hotel accommodation, Venetian style canals, and cafes.

This very close to the Palm Jumeirah, a new set of islands being specially constructed off shore.

Below is a view of the souq, where it would have been lovely to spend a small fortune, but we had to be content with some very packable wind chimes.

In the background of the photo below you can see Dubai's very famous monument, Burj Al Arab and just behind Kathryn and me, part of the canal system that divides the souq of Madinat Jumeirah from the hotel accommodation.

Prices for 1 night's accommodation start at 999.99 AED ( about $300$AUS) for a very basic room.

And no, you haven't gone mad - I haven't got my photos muddled up. The photo below is at Ski Dubai which is at the nearby Mall of the Emirates.

A mere -4 degrees C in there, and only 42 C outside! People who work in there must have serious thermal adjustment problems when they leave work.