I have just posted the last four shots in this gallery and thought it fitting to end the gallery the way it began – with another portrait of my favorite camel at the souk. She was friendly (although mainly interested in sampling my camera!) and by camel standards, I think, quite pretty. Also a very willing and engaging model.

Thanks so very much for all the support for this gallery! The comments have been most entertaining for this unusual subject, although in this part of the world, a pretty everyday one. As I have mentioned several times in the past, photography is not all that easy in the kingdom, and so it was a delight to go someplace where there were no restrictions and where everybody, camels and people alike, were happy to pose.

I went to a camel beauty pageant on Friday, which was a bit of a misnomer since it was more like a quiet day at a camel festival. I really don’t want to overdo the camel pictures, but I’m obviously fascinated by them, and they are an important part of life in this country. The festival images, though, are more about the people there and the entire cultural experience than just the camels. I’ll get that gallery started after I have a chance to go through the hundreds of images I took, mainly with the D800, for a welcome change!