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As we strolled the fairgrounds, we were camel is getting on and off. As the camel adjacent town center, the commercial
assaulted with offers for camel rides rises or kneels on its front legs, the pas- and religious hub of the festival. With
on one of the extravagantly outfitted senger is jerked back or forward; but exception of horn-honking motorcy-
dromedaries – a bargain at less than with a firm grip on the saddle horn we clists dangerously zooming through the
10 dollars for a 30-minute escorted did just fine, taking in the sights as the throngs of people, the scene was excit-
walk. Contrary to popular belief, cam- camels gently swayed walking into the ing and stimulating to senses… about as
els – especially females - are pretty dunes and back foreign and exotic as travel abroad gets.
docile beasts. Mary and I settled on our After the camel ride, we made our way Brightly dressed and painted “holy men”
saddles with the camels in the kneeling through narrow crowded streets to the seemed to compete with each other for
position. The hardest part of riding a the most outlandish look hoping to at-

16 Wine Dine & Travel Spring 2014