Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Camel Trip

Last weekend we went out aimlessly again. And we chance upon a camel farm at the side of the road. Lover decided to get off the highway on to the bumpy road so we all could go take a look at the camels. Camel farm man! Them camels! How many have you seen a flock of camels in a big cage? Wooo hoooo.

qatarWe got there, went out but I didn't because Zachary was sleeping on my lap. The kids went out excited. The moment we came out, the camels were all then staring at us. They really like to look and they came nearer. It was almost intimidating. But such photo pleaser.

There were different colours. The young ones have nice cream coloured skins. The older ones are darker. But some are black camels. Some are hairy. I didn't know they have hair on their hump, and they do.

The camels are really huge. The one in the pictures are actually the smaller ones. An adult camel can reach up to 7 feet high.

Then we saw some men who were tending the camels. My lover waved at him. We were not sure whether it is okay to go to people's camel's farm and take pictures. The man came, smiling. Good sign I think. Then my lover greeted salam to him and said, "Ana min Malizia. Malizia lak jamal." (Wrong grammar of course. I am from Malaysia. Malaysia has no camel. ) Then he showed camera and sort of asked whether we can take photos. The man said ok ok and laughed at the kids.

He was probably thinking, God why would anyone wants to take photo of camels. But we are foreigners. And like all foreigners, we gawk with mouth wide open at anything different.

Then the man came back apparently with a bowl in his hand. He then gave the bowl to lover. It was a bowl of milk. Camel's milk!

qatar


I thought that was kind of him to give us the milk. Really we were surprise. But it was a BIIGGGGGG bowl. And lover doesn't drink milk. So guess who had to drink it? At normal times, I really do not mind drinking it. I think I am quite adventurous. But do allow me to take a sip. It was a BIG bowl ok. And we were also at a camel's farm. And camels shit where they live. So it stinks. There were dunk aura in the air. But the nice man was looking at us smiling thinking what a good deed he has done. The last we want to do is offend anyone.

qatarI am telling you, I really had to psyche my mind to drink. Focus! Focus! It was almost becoming a fear factor series. So I drank. It tastes like milk. Hey! It is milk. Except it was creamier I think. And the milk was warm. Oh yes! I saw the man milking the camels earlier. Don't lecture me about pasteurise ok. I had warm fresh camel milk.

Did you know that camel milk is believed to have health properties? The Bedouin tribes also believe that it has great curative powers if the camels eat certain plant. But wait there are more,they are also aphrodisiac! Ehem! Ehem! Look at me slurp the milk from a bowl and let the milk trickle to my chin is aphrodisiac itself. Except that my lover was staring at me in horror.

Anyway I didn't finish the milk. We had some mineral water bottles and pour it there instead. I boiled it later at home. Sya drank it and she likes it. Haziq sipped it but that's it. Lover had to finish the rest as well.

I think those camels are breed for racing. We saw them harnessed as such. Some of the male camels had their balls wrapped up. I really do not know why. My theory was they wrap it so it doesn't get in the way when they race. It is kind of big. Or could it be to restrain any humping with the female before the race day? Don't know lah.

So that was one surprise trip.

Tara for now.

Lollies, the new host of Lonely Planet or whatever they call it now.





Anyway. The arabian camel has one hump. They are referred as dromedary. Also found in North Africa. Generally in hot climates.

There are also the two humps camel found in mostly cold Asia climates called Bactrian.

Their humps are a reservoir of fatty tissue, while water is stored in their blood. Through some metabolic process, this convert into energy source. This allows them to survive without water for about two weeks, and without food for up to a month.


17 comments:

dlt said...

errr.... camel's milk? hmm... no thanks. rasa cam tak terminum jer. tapi if creamier, mesti lagi sedap. eh! diorang tak bagi u ride the camel ke? Alaaaa....

Nazrah Leopolis said...

waa i had no idea the bowl was so big. am pretty sure ur visit to the farm would be passed on to generations of camel herders. i bet the look on your face was priceless when you braved the first sip?

you see you see how women can do just about anything when they set their mind to it.

Anonymous said...

hah. baru nak cakap pasal aphrodisiac tuh. one of the MAIN reasons why Arab men drink them..
should try riding the camel..quite an experiencel pastu sakit bontot.

nef

Jill Yusoff said...

i am thinking of 'the other unta'. erks. i can see the cunning linguist at work again here.

Lollies said...

dlt - the rasa not too bad. it is creamier and higher in protein. tapi tulah i pun kembang gak tekak. tapi sopan santun lah katakan

nazrah - it was biigggg. macam takleh habis aje. adoi. telan aje makcik ni. I was reciting mantra to myself. minum minum

nef - part aphrodisiac tu sila bagi kat saya. heh heh

jill - oh tidak tidak itu. cunning linguist you are. an expert in all form of languages

anggerik merah said...

ehhh... teringin nak rasa jugak camel's milk at home.

simah said...

i salute ur bravery...bila kita tak biasa minum mesti rasa mcm tak nak rasa jer kan kan?

i dont think i will be like u though

simah said...

rasa geliii pulak bila pikirkan minum susu camel...eeeiii.. memang i tabik sama u lollies..!! :0)

Anonymous said...

satu lagi kalau nak - saffron (za'faran). put strands of it in your tea, or lover's tea. malam nanti, voila!!


guru nef

anne said...

Mcm host Globe Trekker la pulak...When i was in Bahrain, spotted Camel Crossing sign at the highway, i thot maybe its their version of Zebra Crossing, rupanya....jaga2, Unta melintas....

sare @ syah said...

their balls were wrapped up??? must be painful. hehe.

Lollies said...

AM - dengar cerita kat Mekah juat RM5 satu botol. tak tau lah saya.

Simah - ha ha ha. ramai jugak yang kembang tekak

anne - dalam buku undang-undang it says beware of animals itu camel crosing sign.

syahir - itu je yang awak nampak ya? sakit kot. :D

Jo Kontan said...

Loll : You know that TN* (ooops that word again..) has three humps. Do you ?

It is called Medartaket.

UglyButAdorable said...

dekat mekah and surrounding area memang satu bottle mineral tu selling at 5. pastuh some said kena boil dulu kalau tak sakit perut laa...but i took a sip..sedap..but anyway i like all milk pun..

muker camel tu sungguh adorable kan..dgn mulut dier tekulat2 tuhh..comei laa

Lollies said...

tj - eh? apa yang three humps tu? tak sure puak saya

comel - aku tak boil pun hari tu. nasib baik ok. tapi some people mmg ada lactose intolerent. sensitive perut. ha ha ha ko suka muka camel eh? bibir dia terjuih aje

Anonymous said...

and we thought the japanese tourists are wierd with their camera-thingy...

Lollies said...

aie - :p