The Camel's Tale

Jan. '12

2012-02-05T13:14:00.000-06:00

Howdy folks and welcome to another busy month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.

January was spent in Egypt, guiding a trip for returning guest Jimmy Ly, of Mt. Prospect, Illinois.

Here's the trip in photos...

Jimmy Ly, IMD (International Man Of Danger), displays his Extreme Ironing
skills at Bir Wahed hot springs near Siwa oasis.

Jimmy can sand surf in the Sahara AND Extreme Iron!

Sand surfing 12 miles from the Libyan border.

Extreme Ironing at the Pyramids of Giza.

My brother Adel Hamza kicks up some sand in the Sahara.

Yours truly at the top of a dune.

Classis Saharan landscape.

Fossil beds show the Sahara was once the bottom of an ocean.

Old town Shali (now Siwa) from the roof of the house we stayed in while in Siwa.

Sunset from Fatnas Island, Siwa.

Traditional mud and stone construction, Siwa.

Driving a donkey taxi in Siwa.

Temple of the Oracle, Siwa. Alexander the Great came here to validate his own divinity.
Cambyses, before him, died trying to reach the remote oasis.

There are roughly 300,000 date palms in Siwa. I gave up counting around 217,000.

Cleopatra's Bath, one of many hot springs in Siwa oasis. Note the unique pool skimmer: a palm branch.

Jimmy Ly in Petra, Jordan.

My friend, Maged El Said, owns Habiba Organic Farm, the first farm in Sinai to carry the organic label.
HOF is just outsie Nuweiba, on the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba.

Jimmy Ly and I enjoy freshly picked pomegranates.

Camel trekking in the Sinai desert.

Crossing a pass in the Sinai.

I sit with my brother Saleh (blue scarf) and Hajja Mileyha (black scarf) in village of Wadi Samghi.

Meeting Dr. Mohammed Abd-Elhay of the Egyptian Society of Animal Friends.
This ESAF clinic donates free veterinary care to animals working in the area of the pyramids of Giza.

Jimmy Ly brought a donation of surgical gloves for ESAF.

Dr. Mohammed gives a camel a shot of antibiotics.

Here I am with Dr. Khalid Bahrawy at the Desert Research Centre, Alexandria.
Dr. Khalid has pioneered artificial insemination of camels in Egypt.

Here Dr. Khalid shows his first successful AI birth (small camel, center).

I spent a morning at the camel market of Birqash, speaking with Amr (center) who milks camels
twice daily and gives the milk away, FREE, to anyone who wants it. We just missed the
10:30 milking, but had a great time chatting nonetheless.

'Tis I at Tahrir Square, Cairo.

Leaving Khan El Khalili bazaar I was asked to give an interview to a BBC-TV crew. Topic: my impressions as a tourist in Egypt one year after their Revolution. A crowd quickly gathered and hung on my every word. Many thanks were given for the kind and positive comments I made about Egypt and her people.

Good news at Adel's house (where we stay while in Cairo): Building has begun on the 3rd and 4th floors to accommodate Adel's son, Mohammed, and his fiancee, Dalia, who plan to marry next year. Here Adel's grandson, Abdo, helps carry bricks.

Adel's second cousin, Sabr, a brickmason, puts a wall up in record time. This guy's an artist!

A channel just for me! Camel racing from Saudi Arabia!

Dec. '11

2012-01-02T07:02:00.000-06:00

Howdy folks and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.

December's business activities with our family's camels were primarily Christmas related, providing animals for Live Nativity scenes all across Texas (and a small bit of Arkansas!).

The better part of January I'll be in Egypt, Jordan and Sinai guiding a tour for intrepid traveler Jimmy Ly.

Here's to a great new year to you and yours...

Thanks as always for your interest in our family's camels.

Xi'an at Baylor University's Christmas on 5th.

L-R: Paul Arellano, daughter Delany and son Pecos at Bethlehem Revisited in Waxahachie, Texas.

Folks at St. Helena's Episcopal in Boerne, Texas are excited about the camels!

L-R: Doug Baum, Ben Adam and Gil T. Hernandez with Richard the camel in Boerne, Texas.

Irenie, Ibrahim and Richard in front of the Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas Post Office after a Christmas parade. This post office is unique in that it straddles Stateline Avenue, placing it in two different states!

The cheapest camel diaper ever! Employed at the request of the Texarkana Christmas parade committee. Net laundry bag, elastic and carabiner clips, voila!

Ibrahim in Herod's Court, Bethlehem Revisited. Waxahachie, Texas.

Camels enter the city gates of Bethlehem, Waxahachie, Texas. This event immerses thousands of visitors into the Biblical village, complete with over a hundred costumed cast members, livestock, etc for a very authentic experience.

Live Nativity in Valley Mills, Texas at First United Methodist Church.

Indoor Christmas production in Bedford, Texas at the Church at Meadow Creek Drive.

Son Pecos with donkey Blanco at Regent Care, Woodway, Texas.

Regent Care, Woodway, Texas.

November '11

2011-12-05T11:40:00.000-06:00

Howdy folks, and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.

November was busy! Here's the month in pictures and headlines. For full stories, subscribe to my e-newsletter The Camel's Tale by sending your email address to texascamelcorps@gmail.com

A Saddle For Bobette

I delivered a saddle to a family in California for their camel. Here she is. A perfect fit!

The family's other camel gets fitted with a quickly-made Somali pack saddle.

Camp Vision Education programs and camel rides for vision-impaired students.

Kisses...

Paul Arellano, left, leads and Chap Traylor helps steady one camper as he rides.

Richard the camel inspects the troops. 'Tis I in my 19th century US Army uniform.
You've not lived until you've marched a group of vision-impaired kids!

Kids cuddle with and capture (on camera) our camels.

Paul Arellano helps one of the campers "see" the camels.

Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. Living History Programs

Marianne serves as "Old Douglas", the Confederate camel mascot of the 43rd Mississippi Infantry.

Confederates and camel.

Rebels about to present a firing demonstration.

Private Party in Dallas

Our camels greeted guests at a Moroccan-themed party. Special thanks to wife, Trish, and daughter Vanessa for taking this on while I was in Mississippi.

Daughter Vanessa and Richard outside the house, greeting guests as they parked.

The parking area. "Camel Parking", the sign says!

Brazos Valley Worldfest

Annual cultural event at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. This is another event my wife and kids handled as we were double (triple?!!) booked one November weekend.

Our Bedouin tent, enjoyed by visitors from around the world.

The public enjoys mingling with our camels.

Cultural Anthropology Classes in Gatesville, Texas.

Our third year to present programs to the students at Gatesville High School.

Students listen attentively.

Explaining traditional Bedouin and Egyptian clothing.

Some of the students, Ibrahim and I.

Homeschool Group Visits Camel Farm

Education program and rides for two dozen folks.

Jennifer Seagle organized the day's events.

One of the students, atop Ibrahim.

Schampers Family Visits Camel Farm

Members of this family from McGregor and Dallas, Texas and New Mexico visited the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Christmas Season Starts in Hallettsville, Texas

Our family's holiday traditions always kick off in Hallettsville for their Festival of Lights and Christmas pageant.

The Lavaca County Courthouse, site of the Christmas pageant, at dusk.

At the conclusion of each performance, the courthouse and square are beautifully lit.

Daughter Vanessa and I lead Marianne and Virgie in their part of the performance.

Thanks as always for your interest in our family's camels. I look forward to seeing you on the trail!