01/23/2023
Today, I bring you camels🐪
Here’s what you need to know:
1. In Giza, apparently ALL the camels are known as Michael Jordan or Mickey Mouse. This seems problematic because
(a) how does your camel know when you’re calling him and not the 20 other Michaels and Mickeys? Has no one read the Dr Seuss classic ‘Too Many Daves’?
(b) what if your camel is into individuality? Mine reallllly didn’t like being called Mickey and tried to do a fancy side step escape dance every time I said it. At first I thought he was trained to dance, but no, he was in fact trying to take off into the sunset
2. Camels’ knees look like they belong on elephants. If you ask their handlers whether it’s hard on their knees to bend down and let you on, they’ll look at you like you’re mad. I’d still like an answer.
3. Camels are thought to have been domesticated in Arabia during the 3rd millennium BC. My camel friend was unaware of this fact.
4. Horses (and some humans) are afraid of the smell of camels. This led to them being used in warfare to frighten away enemies on horseback. A French Camel Corps fought in WWII and was still in use in Algeria until its independence in 1962.
5. Camels are really freaking hard to ride. Especially if they’re trying to dance away.
6. There is a camel beauty contest in Saudi Arabia. What are they judged on? I honestly couldn’t make this up: their lips and their humps. In 2021, 40 camels were disqualified due to acts of “human deception in beautifying camels” (ie Botox)
7. If you’re thinking: this seems like an excessive amount of camel information and photos, then clearly I haven’t impressed upon you how weird and wonderful they are. Also. I know they’re vitally important for transportation and trade and milk and on and on, but since becoming acquainted with a few, I’d now really like to set them free and let them choose their own camel names. Anyone with me?
