Camel Beauty Queens
Long legs, an elegant neck, pert ears, expressive eyes framed by upward curled eyelashes, droopy lips, and, of course, a shapely hump – this is how camel beauty queens look – and Al Dhafra is the place where they hang out. Thousands of hopefuls from all over the Middle East come here to compete for prestigious titles and huge sums of prize money at camel beauty pageants. For several weeks a year, the area is the centre of the camel universe with Bedouin families setting up camp between the dunes and market traders selling everything from camel jewellery to sweet Karak chai. And as the sun sets, the desert begins to sparkle as the celebrations for the winning camels continue until late into the night.