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| Letter from Saudi Arabia: camel milk, created by love | Letter from Saudi Arabia: camel milk, created by love |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Bader lifted the rope that circled the camel pen and we entered. The 50 or so camels casually went about their business, showing little interest in us, until Bader began to summon them with a deep, long call. One by one the camels lifted their heads and ambled in our direction, with their eyes fixed firmly on us. | Bader lifted the rope that circled the camel pen and we entered. The 50 or so camels casually went about their business, showing little interest in us, until Bader began to summon them with a deep, long call. One by one the camels lifted their heads and ambled in our direction, with their eyes fixed firmly on us. |
| They crowded around us, jostling for position. They used their long necks to nudge one another aside, so as to get as close as possible. I took a step back toward the rope, feeling a little apprehensive at being penned in on three sides by these lanky, hairy giants. Bader smiled. "No need to worry. They are all very friendly and they're just saying hello," he explained. | They crowded around us, jostling for position. They used their long necks to nudge one another aside, so as to get as close as possible. I took a step back toward the rope, feeling a little apprehensive at being penned in on three sides by these lanky, hairy giants. Bader smiled. "No need to worry. They are all very friendly and they're just saying hello," he explained. |
| I reached out cautiously to touch the closest camels. They strained their necks forward in the hope of a stroke on the nose, a pat on the forehead or a scratch on the ears. One of them gently grabbed my wrist in its mouth to focus my attention. I scratched its chin. | I reached out cautiously to touch the closest camels. They strained their necks forward in the hope of a stroke on the nose, a pat on the forehead or a scratch on the ears. One of them gently grabbed my wrist in its mouth to focus my attention. I scratched its chin. |
| Beyond the throng I could hear the plaintive cries of calves standing in a separate pen. "Why are they kept apart?" I asked. Bader explained that camels could only give milk to their calves when feeling a deep love for them. "Sometimes they tire of their young and the milk stops flowing, so we separate the children from their mothers when this happens. Soon, the mothers, hearing the cries of their children, feel their love return and the milk flows once again." | Beyond the throng I could hear the plaintive cries of calves standing in a separate pen. "Why are they kept apart?" I asked. Bader explained that camels could only give milk to their calves when feeling a deep love for them. "Sometimes they tire of their young and the milk stops flowing, so we separate the children from their mothers when this happens. Soon, the mothers, hearing the cries of their children, feel their love return and the milk flows once again." |
| Later we sat on large rugs at the edge of the camel pens, underneath the darkening sky. The heat of the day was beginning to dissipate. We were joined by some of Bader's friends. After evening prayers we ate fresh dates, syrupy baklava and fruit. Bader handed around large bowls of fresh camel milk, topped with fluffy, sweet cream. We drank directly from the bowls and scooped up the cream with the dates. | Later we sat on large rugs at the edge of the camel pens, underneath the darkening sky. The heat of the day was beginning to dissipate. We were joined by some of Bader's friends. After evening prayers we ate fresh dates, syrupy baklava and fruit. Bader handed around large bowls of fresh camel milk, topped with fluffy, sweet cream. We drank directly from the bowls and scooped up the cream with the dates. |
| I quaffed the milk. It was delicious. Not as sweet as cow's milk and very invigorating. As I drank, the men watched me and chuckled. "Drink more, because camel milk gives you great power," Bader said. "Camel milk is created by love. When we drink their milk the camels gift some of that love to us." | I quaffed the milk. It was delicious. Not as sweet as cow's milk and very invigorating. As I drank, the men watched me and chuckled. "Drink more, because camel milk gives you great power," Bader said. "Camel milk is created by love. When we drink their milk the camels gift some of that love to us." |
| He gazed warmly at his camels. "Aren't they the most wonderful creatures that God has ever invented?" | He gazed warmly at his camels. "Aren't they the most wonderful creatures that God has ever invented?" |
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