The humpbacks of Al Ain

Al Ain Camel

You have two teachers, Bob and Cam. After a big test, your buddy’s wondering which teacher will grade it. You know that Bob is on sick leave, so you can say confidently: “Cam’ll mark it.”

Or, if you’re in Al Ain and your buddy asks you where you want to go, you can answer with the exact same words.

Al Ain Camel Market
We hear witty

Tee hee hee.

Al Ain Camels
My kinda Valentine

Anyhows, Al Ain Camel Market was one of my favourite experiences in the UAE. I went to visit the crazy modern Dubai, but luckily got to experience the magnificent local sites too. This ended up being one of the most fascinating excursions of my travels.

Al Ain Camel Market
Our humps
Al Ain Camels
Our lumps

Apparently Al Ain Camel Market is the last of its kind. This market, or souk is located around 15km from central Al Ain, and it is buzzing with vendors and camels from early morning onwards.

Al Ain Camels
Clean them humps
Ride them humps

Avoid eye contact with the keen salesmen ready to let you pet or feed baby camels for a pricey price, but wander around and take in all the different camels – big, small, beige, sandy, dark, young and eager, mature and responsible-looking. My faves were the munching camels. Please, watch camels munch.

Camels
A munchy bunch

Al Ain would be an epic place to stop for other reasons too, as it’s known as the Garden City due to its vast amounts of greenery. Apparently it also has the highest proportion of Emirati national (30.8% according to Wikipedia), so you can get a more authentic feel to it than neighbouring metropolises Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Al Ain Camels
Though we prefer camels to greenness and Emirati, right?
Camel in pigeon's clothing
Spot the impostor
Al Ain Camel Market
Who’s a fluffy hump

For further reading: http://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Camel

Al Ain Camel Market
Someone call for a camel?

And that’s the UAE done and dusted. What’s next? Stay tuned.

And as always, my friends, my camels, FEEDBACK MAKES MY WORLD GO ROUND.

Emzy xxx

Camel kiss
Happy Valentine’s day!
Al Ain Camel Market
Love from us

PS. What do you call a camel with no humps?

2 Replies to “The humpbacks of Al Ain”

  1. Such camels exist? Perhaps they’ve used up all their water, and the hump has shrunk? Anyway, your lumpy and humpy camels are adorable: so majestic! They look like their mind is in an ivory tower all the time. Äx

  2. Love that tree in the uncaptioned picture between ‘our lumps’ and ‘clean them humps’. Clever caption, ‘spot the impostor’ – I’ve been studying that picture hard and everyone seems to be suitably humped. Humpfrey.

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