Camels to the fore!

The sight of these awkward creatures huffing and puffing towards the finish line, stirring up clouds of dust is truly a sight to behold. Held during the winter season, camel racing is a popular sport among Abu Dhabi citizens. In order not to miss it, it is important that the ideal Abu Dhabi resort is booked in advance. Among the many Abu Dhabi beach hotels, a much preferred place of lodging among many is the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara conveniently located in the middle of all the activities.

Camel racing had been part and parcel of the country’s culture and history for a very long time. Held twice a year, special tracks specifically made for camel racing have been constructed all over the city to facilitate this rather queer and exciting past time of the people. These magnificent creatures are much cherished by the Emiratis as over the years they have become the very symbols of protection, food, heat and friendship in the harsh desert life. It is also a queer sight to see small robot figures kept on the camels’ back to replace jockeys, a fine melange between tradition and technology perfectly mingling within the races.