The photo shoot was for a lesson on the wise men traveling to Bethlehem. We rented the use of two camels, so one of the wise men had to walk. We put on our costumes. Two camel handlers from the farm were also in the shot, and they already had their own costumes! It was then that I realized the bright white gym shoes I had on had to come off. I rode the camel barefooted.
I started out on Kalijah, the Dromedary Camel. I used a step ladder to get on.
Halfway through the shoot, I got off the camel and Peter got on. But there was no way I was walking through that animal pasture barefooted, so I borrowed Peter’s flip-flops. I’d never worn them before and was amazed by how absolutely uncomfortable they are. People wear these things by choice?
After the shoot (click to enlarge)
When I was on the camel, I got to talking to the guy that was leading it. He trains camels as part of his job, including some for private owners. He’s been working there for three years, since he hired on part-time to do some painting.
Kalijah is 10 years old. Camels are trained to carry riders beginning at age four. The Dromedary I was on weighed about 1,400 pounds. Omar the Bactrain weighed 1,800.
All in all, it was an unusual but interesting day — a nice change from sitting in a cubicle.