camels- part 1

a closer look 

these were taken last week on our way to the water park- rest assured this isn't an every day occurrence. 

questions and comments about camels and how often we see them/ ride them/ eat them/ use them, often come up when I tell people we live in the middle east. 

So, 

just for the fun of it, I thought I'd kick off a week of blog posts devoted to these fascinating desert dwellers.

fascinating? you say.

I say...YES 

doing a little research taught me just how cool {pun intended}  camels really are!

Here are a few reasons why:

according to me and in no particular order

1. Camels have 3 eyelids.  The innermost one they can see through so they can navigate their way through sand storms.
2. Their waste is so dry it can be used as fuel for fire immediately (you know, like firewood).
3. They have 2 rows of extra long eyelashes. 
4. Camels can drink almost 30 gallons of water in just 10 minutes!
5. In the winter they can go 30 days or more without water to drink.
6. Their hump is made up of fat (not water) that they metabolize when food is scarce.  
7. Camel meat contains very little fat (it's mostly in the hump remember) and no cholesterol and camel milk is very rich in protein and fat and supposedly very good for you. 
8. Camels don't sweat.
9. Camels can drink salt-water, eat salty and thorny plants and even eat things that were made from plants (basket, woven mats, their owners tent!)
10. They survive and thrive here in the desert and have done so for thousands of years.