THE BALLOON MAN

Big cats show up at RAK circus after Egypt delays

UAE - Ras Al Khaimah - Feb 02- 2011: Workers during the preparations for Monte Carlo�s International Circus. ( Jaime Puebla - The National Newspaper )
Anna Zacharias
Feb 27, 2011 RAS AL KHAIMAH //
The Monte Carlo circus opened its show to a full tent Friday after the safe arrival of its lions and tiger, which were delayed in Egypt for almost a month by the popular uprising.
The circus was to have opened January 27 but was postponed because the animals could not be shipped.
The first performance on the Qawasim Corniche on Friday drew 1,300 spectators. Crowds since have averaged 700 a day at its morning and evening shows.
The show almost did not go on amid the chaos caused by the upheaval in Egypt, where Hosni Mubarak was toppled after almost 30 years in power. The country's infrastructure and economy ground to a virtual halt during nearly three weeks of protests, holding the big cats unwitting hostages.
Organisers had searched for replacement animals in other countries before their own lions and the tiger were able to leave Egypt.
"Everything is OK, they are here," said Chiheb Berrejab, one of the organisers. "They arrived a few days ago and the trainer and her father are here."
The Egyptian situation was not the first encounter with a nation in turmoil for the Monte Carlo circus, which recently finished a three-month tour of Iraq where the performers found themselves surrounded by a 24-hour military guard during their appearance in Basra.
Iraqi audiences were very appreciative of the entertainment on offer, said Jarda Ross, an Austrian magician whose family founded the circus in the 1800s.
"They wanted to show it was very safe and the people were very kind," he said.read more at: http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/big-cats-show-up-at-rak-circus-after-egypt-delays