![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9ZjY7vMciLusDqt6jhElKNKGHe6hI1GC2TMZaN6jfIrLorgQOw3rjOZrbfsn8SaW9Q2EJGXViFJJ3SRX4UFGnGA-0t9za3tacNb30aU5xZ686ttPBMyjVOO95TLcF3vplsfOd1nQRCU/s320/Camel+2.jpg) |
The next-door visitor |
On my way home on Sunday evening (November 6) I couldn’t believe we had a next-door visitor – a most beautiful camel.
It was Eid al-Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice, and one of the families was having a party. They must have arranged for the camel and its handler to take children for rides. What a great idea.
The children were running in and out of the villa to take turns riding the camel.
I had to stop and take pictures. It was a good opportunity to test my new Nokia N8 camera.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3odrwWZ6jZf65RF7WbF55lzPULebAjgHAMmXDfsLM9IZ1EWx2Syf1w4vhK3TglnN8i_tJXX2mpmLPlNDz2goND0V8rUGfcHDyk0hmYLet6tf7BGOyHJ043lAahF975ESfzjtdOZykUzg/s320/Camel+3.jpg) |
Up close... |
The camel was all decked up in its best finery. When I got up close, it was as though the camel was talking, the eyes were so expressive and it was making a kind of purring sound. I am not sure whether it was moaning and groaning sounds, pitched bleats, loud bellows or roars or simply a rumbling growl.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XxDW8y7ahdmZPe6aYXQVVCGmFwQEAWFIM647V1XILYIk3jwVnjYe6jztEhJbSJJA7ZmeeK1J9yW9TsTbgVMIg76MkPbO7uBvgSnmjKLZs_C4nGb4NTDGcuDbh41WPAFoaKkUOj1Qsc/s320/Camel+5.jpg) |
The camel and its handler |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMNqEGOIapIvQuMdmKAl_-_oop4CMOs9ucLDdf4jEHwFfnu72th2uTWYHz7GbQWuVwbM6aC1_DSw3enpVY8hgea3fnNz9OH_dK5dRdlLOVlf-8nwkeLh2lM5F-eQsUYbVNqZDJkhEdLU/s320/Camel+1.jpg) |
Two boys get up on the hump |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNrhWbikh8VM7SobST5bYbI35ZISwFbeAkhzUTO7fka0MFP6132L75u04hcGMqXJdstnz7pjzL9nz044d7uv9WjaMBka5W0eKjlf5cSwDeNZOsQ1gWgeB7C8Yd1iRdKYB1S9juvIAIkU/s320/Camel+4.jpg) |
Off they go for a ride around the block |
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Not a usual sight around Umm Suqeim |
It was a good occasion to try out my new Nokia N8 camera, and I got clicking. But there wasn’t much time. Two boys jumped up on the hump and off they went for a ride around the block.
I still haven’t mastered how to transfer the photos from the phone to the computer via Bluetooth, so I had to email them to myself one at a time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6eY_hDV0M9_6QXl9yT_35PbVHa7XJ6kRnW30aB1OC_gYvI5ZalrzRd0-S9bybptvXgGL2Zi1lQsGl7CrUkIEt54yb7S2HYsQ9r4BpExN-P3NqDsG5uTTd09nRSwSUMOdzGVlj5OqzOw/s320/Car.jpg) |
None of the kids seemed interested in the Corvette |
There were all kinds of fancy cars around, and a topnotch Corvette. The kids, however, were definitely more interested in the camel… just the way it should be.