camel souk, al ain

At the edge of the desert, behind a mall, is Al Ain's camel market (souk), where hundreds of camels, sheep, goats, other animals and traders create a bustling glimpse of traditional life in the Arab world.  Literally hundreds of animals are cramped behind steel bars, grouped by size and whether they are intended for meat or milk.  Men in white thobes and colorful headgear mill about as camels roar like bears across the souk.  The smell of excrement, hay and animal hangs in the steamy air.

We rounded a corner to an extraordinary sight:  a camel dangling mid-air in a sling over a truck.  He moaned deeply, his crooked teeth protruding from his large snout, as he was lowered and his nose cracked against the truck.  Men yammered in Arabic and stared at our motley group until we hurried from the dusty souk and into the gleaming coolness of the mall.  #ibmcsc uae