memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Leggy lasses of Khartoum

Not a lady's best side unless you're a leggy model but these gals don't seem to care that I snapped  them from behind. To me they also resemble our indigenous wildebeest (what do my South African readers think?)

Last week Grant took me to the new workshop on the edge of the desert. Camels had been grazing in and around the workshop yard in the industrial area while he supervised a job there. When we arrived  we found a flock (no, the collective noun for camels is not a herd, as I'd previously thought!) of camels. Grant immediately identified them all as females. When I asked how he knew, he said they all had udders. (doh, Jo!)

I jumped out of the Landcruiser with my camera and began to click away. I managed to get so many photos of these ladies (they move incredibly fast and I had to delete many images depicting half an animal!) that I have decided to  do a few consecutive posts over the next few weeks.

I've also decided to add an Arabic word of the day following in the footsteps of my dear friend, Misalyn, who originally helped me with Arabic phrases and words when I first arrived in the Sudan. Thanks Missy! (You can read Misalyn's fascinating blog set in Al Ain, UAE here

My Arabic tutor, Sanaa, is very strict and we converse mostly in Arabic during my twice-weekly lessons. Well, she speaks and I stumble. She is very caring and always encourages me with: "I understand you, carry on..."

The Arabic word for camel is JEMEL. 

To share your world and visit other exciting places, click here.

15 comments:

  1. Delightful post as always, Jo. Love sharing your adventures. Terrific shots of the Leggy Lasses! Hope you have a great week!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  2. How amazing to photograph camels like this...their backsides photograph well! I would love to experience the sight of camels in their natural world.

    ReplyDelete
  3. These camels are so thin. Are are thye always like this?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Leer jy ook deur assosiasie?
    "Jemel" klink vir my soos "Djemel" (swartes se uitspraak van "hemel").
    Nou dink ek: "Sjoe, as ek op 'n kameel moet sit, is die afstand van 'n kameel se rug na die grond... - hemelhoog!" ☺

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Sylvia, I'm off to visit your blog too now. You're a darling to always pop in. I enjoy your visits very much. Thanks:)

    Hi Carolyn;) It is quite amazing,isn't it? I was thrilled my husband took me out there to photograph them. It's good to see you again.

    Hi Ann;) Yes, I think so. These are wild, desert, feral camels. Seeing as we've just finished winter in the Northern Hemisiphere and there has been no rain in North Africa, the food is not too plentiful, I think. They do survive on these dry thorny bushes, though. You should see the cats I feed downstairs our courtyard. So wild that they only creep up to the food once I've left and SO thin. We've been feeding a stray dog since last August and if you saw him then, you'd have wept. He's been dewormed and fed daily since then and looks almost normal. Except he's wild and still very wary of humans. Thanks for popping in. I'll pop over to NZ shortly.

    Hi Ida, ja ek leer ook so maar Arabies het BAIE woorde wat soos Sesotho klink en omdat ek Afrikaans ken, maak dit die ggghhh woorde soveel makliker. Net gister toe se Sanaa vir my hoe my uitspraak baie goed is, en ek dink dis omdat ek Afrikaans kan praat. Ja, die assosiasie met die hemelshoog bo-op 'n kameel se rug is uitstekend. Ek doen dit gereeld. Debbie se jy, Carina en Carin was SO goed vir hulle. Kos geneem en haar sommer ondersteun soos sussies en ma's se sy. Dankie jy's 'n skat.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a cool sight. Those Jemels do look a bit like wildbeast from the rear.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello Jo, I came from a comment you left. Nice meeting you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great shot of the jemels, Jo! You have the most amazing adventures. Thanks for taking me along. And thanks for your sweet comments on my post today.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I was thinking there couldn't be much taste in that scraggly bush, but they seem to be enjoying it!

    Interestingly, each jemel has a different coloured coat.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Gaelyn;) I thought you'd see the resemblance! Thanks for popping in.

    Hi Ocean Girl, thanks for returning the visit!

    Hi Pat;) yes, life is a bit adventurous here!

    Hi Violet Sky;) they have something to eat while they wait for the lusher bushes to grow lusher! I looked at the photo again and yes, they all do have different coats!

    ReplyDelete
  11. wow! that's amazing, you're so blessed to see those "JEMEL" because not all people could see those creatures.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Neat post, Jo.. I'm so proud of you learning Arabic.

    Great JEMEL picture... Pretty little females --even from the back side... ha

    Hugs
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love camels ! they have such long eye lashes and such a proud look ! I knew the word I also know that cat means otta !

    ReplyDelete
  14. I notice some of the camels seem to have zebra-like stripes on their back legs. Interesting.
    I like my new Arab word. Maybe I can even remember it for awhile. Jemel. It sounds almost like an endearment.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hey Jo! Haven't visited in a while, but this one caught my eye. In Egypt, we pronunce it gamel. I think they you all pronounce it is much prettier. ;o)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo