The famous camel bazaars of Saudi Arabia

The Faisaliah Tower soars into the sky (far L). (Photo: Saim Orhan)

The city of Riyadh is very well planned out, especially when one sees it from the air. It is lined with wide boulevards and streets that crisscross these boulevards in a regular, grid-like pattern. Everything seems to sit neatly in its own place here.

 
We wind up taking photographs from one of the tallest buildings in Riyadh. All around Riyadh are valleys filled with beautiful date gardens. The one we visit is called Wadi Hanifa.
 
We set out from the capital on a journey that takes us just 45 minutes, to one of the largebazaars where camels -- those kings of the desert -- are sold. On arrival, we begin conversing with one of the men selling camels here. We see all sorts of camels around us in a range of colors: white, black and brown. Their sizes vary as much as their colors, and there are even some very young camels for sale here. As we stroll around, we learn something about the pricing that goes on; the prices are high! In fact, camels start at around $1,000. We ask people what the average price of one camel is, and learn, to our surprise, that it is $50,000. In fact, one man tells us that camels can go for as much as $2 million.
 
No matter how modern Arab cities are these days, their abiding interest in desert life and camels shows no signs of abating. In fact, they continue to take advantage of every aspect of camels; their meat, their milk and their fur are also used. People at the camel bazaar noted that in recent years, more and more black camels are being sold. It should be noted that one adult camel weighs around 500 kilograms.
 
One camel seller with whom we spoke, Ebu Muhammed, showed us a juvenile camel he had raised since it was born. He tells us he is asking $150,000 for this camel.

Extraordinary camels

We ask what makes the price of this particular camel so high. He responds, "The beauty of its face, its well-formed head and neck.” He goes on to list more characteristics which account for the extraordinary price of this animal.
 
Right next to us some fierce negotiating is under way for this young camel, and it appears that the seller has no intention of lowering the price at all. Perhaps it is to his benefit to hold onto this camel; after all, adult camels raised with care from the time they are young can wind up bringing in much more money for their owners than if they are sold when young.
 
Nearby, we see one camel that has already been sold being hoisted by chain and harness into the back of a vehicle. The camel is making quite a scene as it is finally placed into the back of the truck, prepared now to be transported to its new home.
 
Muhammed invites us over to his tent, offering us tea, coffee, even camel's milk. However, we must decline, as the time has come for us to go. We cannot help noticing that the desert is full of homes, villas surrounded by large walls on our left and right as we travel down the desert roads. We learn that these are mostly weekend homes for Riyadh residents tired of city life.
 
Some of the most popular forms of entertainment here are camel races. People take them very seriously, with preparations occurring many months in advance and riders doing everything they can to train. First place riders win big prizes.
 
Traditional folk dances are performed at Arab festivals, weddings and other special days; from region to region, there are very different dances, and of course, there are the Bedouin dances that live on in Saudi culture. Foreigners who witness these dances often find themselves entranced by what they are seeing. Often, the foreigners present at such a dance find themselves standing up to join the other dancers, even if they are not quite sure what they are doing.

Poetic lifestyle

 
Poetry also occupies a very important place in Arab culture. In fact, Arab poets often read their work publicly, and to great effect. Of course, part of the reason for this is that traditional Bedouin culture was a nomadic one, with no written language or culture per se. So poetry would be passed from person to person in spoken form. Thus it was that long ago, well-spoken poets able to recite flowing verse gained fame. This has carried on to this day, with poetry read at cultural activities and festivals.
 
Many Saudis spend their weekends at places they call "istiraha” (resting spots). We head to one of these spots, and another of our days finishes here in Saudi Arabia. We sip tea made by some local residents studying Turkology here, and make plans for our next day. What awaits us is the endless Saudi Arabian desert, a world of sand that stretches as far as the eye can see. The following day, we are to be hosted in the traditional Bedouin “Khayme” tent, with a classic “ful” breakfast. After this, we go on a desert safari and watch shows put on by local youths. Some other things that await the visitor here include the world's highest standing masjid (place of worship), traditional Arab hospitality and even special feasts featuring camel meat followed by bowls of delicious and healthy camel milk. Who knows, if we are lucky we may get to experience it all!

Quick Facts: Saudi Arabia

Capital: Riyadh

Language: Arabic (official)

Government: monarchy

Chief of state: King and Prime Minister Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud

Head of government: King and Prime Minister Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud

Area: 2,149,690 square kilometers

Population: 26,534,504

Gross domestic product (PPP): $691.5 billion (2011 est.)

Religions: Islam (official) 100 percent