Visited Sharjah's "Breeding Center for Endangered Arabian Wildlife". Although a research center, and sactuary for Arabian wild life, its more of a modern day zoo too! The enclosures are superbly designed. Non of the sad, claustrophobic feeling you get when you see animals trapped and caged in other Zoos. I've been to Dubai and Mumbai Zoos. Believe me they are the worst. I'm really glad the Mumbai one is closed for Renovation. Hope they do something sensible with it this time.
In Sharjah Zoo, which has a animal farm for children and a musuem too, the the Aviary and Carnivor sections are specially well designed. Aviary is walk through with birds flying all around you. The Carnivor section has you inside an enclosure with animals out in open. Although the variety of animals is limited, its still a good place to have an outing with family. Our friends Adnan & Fatema, accompanied us with their daughter Mariya who's just a month and a half younger than Naqiyah. Naqiyah & Mariya surely had a great time, although at times Mariya seemed more interested in Tura rum pam pam's songs, rather than animals :)
Also was fun to watch the two kids bonding and getting to know their way around each other. Completely different personalities both.. its amazing how at such young age, they both seem to be so unique and well defined in their behaviour. Naqiyah is a shy child who opens up only around people she knows very well. She's specially aware of presence of any strangers and will immediately mind even me, or Umaima talking to others. Mariya simply couldn't care less about whos, doing what. She's happy enough in her own world!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Naqiyah!
Hello world! (all programming language training texts tended to start with 'Hello World' prg. Wonder whether this is still the case.. )
Was thinking of having a blog since a long time. Got around to it a bit late though. Since I'm creating the blog with my passions as the theme, it ofcourse starts with the most important one.
My daughter Naqiyah, a wish I couldn't have dared wish for, and having come true, my life has truely become more meaningful wonderful place. She just turned two and to celebrate her birthday my life and my dear wife Umaima as usual keeping with her style wanted to do something special and different. First we considered doing a chinese buffet in a restraunt with KTV. But although interesting, we felt, it stll lacked spunk.. Umaima, came accross this brand new Burger King hall that was to open in Cinestar, in Citicenter and we decided to keep the location secret and have a treasure hunt. After all the hall was brand new too and our party day would, be the day that they inaugarated it.
Our invitation card read as follows:
I'd like to invite you,
Friends, family, well wishers all,
To celebrate my birthday, my parents and me,
Are having a small party!
To get to this place you need to play,
A little game of Treasure hunt,
Like the olden days,
To begin, I present here the first clue,
Please read with patience and you'll know its easy to do!
CLUE
Hickery dickery dock,
Mouse ran up the clock,
And we cross the sea, southward bound,
To the north at this place on with your back to the sea,
Is doorway for people, in Baku to be..
Find this place and sms to my folks,
I'll direct you to the next place to be,
Seven such places when you complete,
Surely you'll be a winner, rightly to be crowned!
Best of luck to all my guests,Hope you enjoy our little quest!
For those staying in Dubai - If you haven't guessed the answer is Azerbaijan Airlines office at Clock Tower round about! Since this clue was given with the invite, guests had time to think about it, and reach the place by 11:30 am on Friday which was the start day and time.
On Friday they were to sms me or my wife the answer, on receipt of which we started providing them with the next clues and so on, as follows :
Second Clue
Go back up south, towards the sea
Right on the corner you'll find me,
It’s a land of Aden and Sanaa too
Till now by far it’s the easiest clue!
Answer: Yemen Airways office at Clock round about
Third Clue
For lovers of football, this channel is a must
As also for the politics of the arab world
If you got the channel than u know the place
Its door way too is your next base
So easy is this place to find
My dad's office building is just behind
Also its opposite, where nation's telco is found
Answer: Qatar Airways office opp. Etisalat
Fourth Clue
Look around here about
You'll find a place that’s related to my birth place
About this place u let me know
Incredibly, easy enough, just have a go
Answer: Incredible India office opp. Etisalat
Fifth Clue
A institution from land of Alps
But actually from Jinnah's nation
Look for me
Behind Abra station
Answer: Habib Bank AG Zurich branch at Nasser Square
Sixth Clue
Four is this function of my age
And so is sixteen a function of four
Since its this where you are now anyway
Do guess this, just remember it’s a place
Answer : Nasser Square
Seventh Clue
Back towards city off you go
On a signal before the same just let me know
A gateway to all lands, near and far
But at rates that are cheapest by far!
Answer : Air Arabia office near City Center
Final Clue the best one!
Since seven clues u already got
First character of each, make a slot
Jumble it around to make a pronoun
Dial this one, just du it, du it, du it Now!
Answer: First Characters of the answers are A,Y,Q,I,H,N,A its easy to see that it would form NAQIYAH .. dial this one means dial NAQIYAH on your mobile phone - du it , du it refers to the operartor DU which is the new operator in Dubai besides Etisalat.
Needless to say, the winner had to dial 055-Naqiyah and got informed of the destination of the party which was the new hall in Cinestar Cinemas in City Center. Most of the people who participated enjoyed the game thoroughly, specially since I'd selected the locations in easy reach of one another and it being friday morning there was absolutely no traffic on the road.
Party was fun, although the Karaoke system although sporting huge collection of Hindi numbers, refused to work!
Thinking of which, its amazing how long it took someone to come up with a proper Karaoke with Hindi numbers. In China I can't do business without socialising in KTVs. I was always wondering why KTV or atleast the Karaoke wasn't as popular in India. Kudos to Mediacom (although they are our competitiors ) for having comeup with this option. I'm sure it will be a hit!
More on this and much more to come. Now wee hours of morning already, and have to prepare a briefing for a newly joined CEO of one of the biggest DTH Broadcasters in India so that he can look informed regarding STB when he talks to his team ;-) Have been putting it off whole night, and its already morning now. Think will have to do it now or never!
Was thinking of having a blog since a long time. Got around to it a bit late though. Since I'm creating the blog with my passions as the theme, it ofcourse starts with the most important one.
My daughter Naqiyah, a wish I couldn't have dared wish for, and having come true, my life has truely become more meaningful wonderful place. She just turned two and to celebrate her birthday my life and my dear wife Umaima as usual keeping with her style wanted to do something special and different. First we considered doing a chinese buffet in a restraunt with KTV. But although interesting, we felt, it stll lacked spunk.. Umaima, came accross this brand new Burger King hall that was to open in Cinestar, in Citicenter and we decided to keep the location secret and have a treasure hunt. After all the hall was brand new too and our party day would, be the day that they inaugarated it.
Our invitation card read as follows:
I'd like to invite you,
Friends, family, well wishers all,
To celebrate my birthday, my parents and me,
Are having a small party!
To get to this place you need to play,
A little game of Treasure hunt,
Like the olden days,
To begin, I present here the first clue,
Please read with patience and you'll know its easy to do!
CLUE
Hickery dickery dock,
Mouse ran up the clock,
And we cross the sea, southward bound,
To the north at this place on with your back to the sea,
Is doorway for people, in Baku to be..
Find this place and sms to my folks,
I'll direct you to the next place to be,
Seven such places when you complete,
Surely you'll be a winner, rightly to be crowned!
Best of luck to all my guests,Hope you enjoy our little quest!
For those staying in Dubai - If you haven't guessed the answer is Azerbaijan Airlines office at Clock Tower round about! Since this clue was given with the invite, guests had time to think about it, and reach the place by 11:30 am on Friday which was the start day and time.
On Friday they were to sms me or my wife the answer, on receipt of which we started providing them with the next clues and so on, as follows :
Second Clue
Go back up south, towards the sea
Right on the corner you'll find me,
It’s a land of Aden and Sanaa too
Till now by far it’s the easiest clue!
Answer: Yemen Airways office at Clock round about
Third Clue
For lovers of football, this channel is a must
As also for the politics of the arab world
If you got the channel than u know the place
Its door way too is your next base
So easy is this place to find
My dad's office building is just behind
Also its opposite, where nation's telco is found
Answer: Qatar Airways office opp. Etisalat
Fourth Clue
Look around here about
You'll find a place that’s related to my birth place
About this place u let me know
Incredibly, easy enough, just have a go
Answer: Incredible India office opp. Etisalat
Fifth Clue
A institution from land of Alps
But actually from Jinnah's nation
Look for me
Behind Abra station
Answer: Habib Bank AG Zurich branch at Nasser Square
Sixth Clue
Four is this function of my age
And so is sixteen a function of four
Since its this where you are now anyway
Do guess this, just remember it’s a place
Answer : Nasser Square
Seventh Clue
Back towards city off you go
On a signal before the same just let me know
A gateway to all lands, near and far
But at rates that are cheapest by far!
Answer : Air Arabia office near City Center
Final Clue the best one!
Since seven clues u already got
First character of each, make a slot
Jumble it around to make a pronoun
Dial this one, just du it, du it, du it Now!
Answer: First Characters of the answers are A,Y,Q,I,H,N,A its easy to see that it would form NAQIYAH .. dial this one means dial NAQIYAH on your mobile phone - du it , du it refers to the operartor DU which is the new operator in Dubai besides Etisalat.
Needless to say, the winner had to dial 055-Naqiyah and got informed of the destination of the party which was the new hall in Cinestar Cinemas in City Center. Most of the people who participated enjoyed the game thoroughly, specially since I'd selected the locations in easy reach of one another and it being friday morning there was absolutely no traffic on the road.
Party was fun, although the Karaoke system although sporting huge collection of Hindi numbers, refused to work!
Thinking of which, its amazing how long it took someone to come up with a proper Karaoke with Hindi numbers. In China I can't do business without socialising in KTVs. I was always wondering why KTV or atleast the Karaoke wasn't as popular in India. Kudos to Mediacom (although they are our competitiors ) for having comeup with this option. I'm sure it will be a hit!
More on this and much more to come. Now wee hours of morning already, and have to prepare a briefing for a newly joined CEO of one of the biggest DTH Broadcasters in India so that he can look informed regarding STB when he talks to his team ;-) Have been putting it off whole night, and its already morning now. Think will have to do it now or never!
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