Not long after sunrise, a camel race kicked off in the Egyptian city of Ismailia, 115 kilometers (71 miles) east of Cairo. About 150 camels pressed their noses against a metal barrier before receiving a signal from a man wearing a white galabiya, or traditional robe, to move forward.
The camels, urged on by young jockeys, sprinted toward their first turn on a desert racetrack as the huge audience, filled with enthusiasts from across the globe and representatives from Arab tribes, watched on.