MADELEINE MONDAY

Is it really better on a camel? Ellie seemed to think so. A portion of the lot at Circus Flora was fenced off and, at intermission, for $10 the kids could take two turns around the rectangle. This particular beast had an unusually gentle temperament. Ellie didn't care about the price-benefit ratio since I was paying.        

BOAC

Old travelers may remember that the original name of the UK's flag air carrier was British Overseas Airways Corporation, or BOAC. Old experienced travelers may recall the true meaning of the acronym, Better On A Camel. Our limited experience with camels at Giza, Egypt, and the Thar Desert in northwest India was not particularly pleasant. Circus Flora had an act featuring four of them trotting around the ring with remarkable good behavior. Rides came later, as we will see tomorrow.           

It Must Be A Camel

I was out of material. This is not a town like Paris, Vienna or New York where you can just walk out your door and get something interesting. But, since we just had penguin wanna-be's strolling Delmar Boulevard, it's reasonable to have a desert schooner prowling Soulard. What? Ask Frank.        

Spanish-Speaking Camel

So okay, we got some mismatched patterns. But that makes life interesting.

Off in a corner of Kiener Plaza was a petting zoo for kids attending the Hispanic Festival. I've allways thought "petting zoo" was a strange term but it's common in this country. There, between the pony and the pig, was this camel. I've seen feral camels in the Australian Outback but, to my knowledge, they do not inhabit Latin America outside of the Mexico City Zoo or whatever.

So there it was, getting the attention of nice suburban mommy and blond daughter. I hear camels can be ill behaved. Would it like a slurp of mommy's beer?

Appalling day at work yesterday and didn't get any comments written. We hope for a better tomorrow.