Whatever life serves him, Boris Johnson is seldom stuck for a colourful turn of phrase.
Faced with a dish of camel on a trade mission to the Gulf, however, he showed that being Mayor of London does not mean he can’t act like every other tourist too - by reaching for his smartphone to take a photo of the local delicacy.
Mr Johnson was confronted with the exotic meal, piled high on a large salver, yesterday when he met with the UAE’s Minister of Culture and Youth Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
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Middle East feast: Boris Johnson eyes up the camel meat platter laid out before him as Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan piles on his plate
An on-looker said: ‘Boris was sitting at the head of the table. When he saw the magnificent spread he said, I’ve got to take a picture of this, and got up to take a snap.’
The smiling Sheikh leaned in towards the impressive platter as Mr Johnson clicked away using the camera on his iPhone. London’s Mayor then sat down again - and tucked in.
Camel is said to taste like ‘coarse beef’ and can be tough and chewy. But sources said he ‘enjoyed’ the meal.
Pose for my followers: Boris takes a picture of the camel feast during the lunch with the UAE Minister of Culture and Youth in Adu Dhabi yesterday
Energizing: Boris Johnson gets a closer look at some solar panels at Masdar City, Adu Dhabi, with Naser Ali Al Marzooqi, Head of Facilities Management
Gale of a time: Boris finds the desert winds hard to cope with during his two-day stop in the UAE
An aide of Mr Johnson’s said: ‘They discussed their mutual business and cultural interests. Sheikh Al Nahyan then kindly put on a local traditional feast for the delegation.
‘There were lots of traditional meat and salad dishes, including camel.
'The Mayor sampled all of them. Everyone enjoyed the meal.’
Mr Johnson’s reaction was somewhat more enthusiastic than that of the Prince Wales when he was treated to a whole skinned and roasted baby camel by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz, last month.
Cabbieless cab: London Mayor rides in a a driverless electric car with the Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of State for Energy as he tours Masdar City
Short stop: Boris Johnson will take a break during the trip to fly back to London for Lady Thatcher's funeral before finishing the Qatari leg of the five-day tour
Charles, who was on a tour of the Middle East on behalf of the British government, brought a couple of morsels to his lips with a gracious smile, before cleverly pushing his food round his plate for the rest of the hour-long banquet.
Mr Johnson is on a five-day trip, but will break off to return to London for Baroness Thatcher’s funeral.
He will then return to the Gulf on Thursday for the Qatari leg of the trade mission
Faced with a dish of camel on a trade mission to the Gulf, however, he showed that being Mayor of London does not mean he can’t act like every other tourist too - by reaching for his smartphone to take a photo of the local delicacy.
Mr Johnson was confronted with the exotic meal, piled high on a large salver, yesterday when he met with the UAE’s Minister of Culture and Youth Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
Scroll down for video
Middle East feast: Boris Johnson eyes up the camel meat platter laid out before him as Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan piles on his plate
An on-looker said: ‘Boris was sitting at the head of the table. When he saw the magnificent spread he said, I’ve got to take a picture of this, and got up to take a snap.’
The smiling Sheikh leaned in towards the impressive platter as Mr Johnson clicked away using the camera on his iPhone. London’s Mayor then sat down again - and tucked in.
Camel is said to taste like ‘coarse beef’ and can be tough and chewy. But sources said he ‘enjoyed’ the meal.
Pose for my followers: Boris takes a picture of the camel feast during the lunch with the UAE Minister of Culture and Youth in Adu Dhabi yesterday
Energizing: Boris Johnson gets a closer look at some solar panels at Masdar City, Adu Dhabi, with Naser Ali Al Marzooqi, Head of Facilities Management
Gale of a time: Boris finds the desert winds hard to cope with during his two-day stop in the UAE
An aide of Mr Johnson’s said: ‘They discussed their mutual business and cultural interests. Sheikh Al Nahyan then kindly put on a local traditional feast for the delegation.
‘There were lots of traditional meat and salad dishes, including camel.
'The Mayor sampled all of them. Everyone enjoyed the meal.’
Mr Johnson’s reaction was somewhat more enthusiastic than that of the Prince Wales when he was treated to a whole skinned and roasted baby camel by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz, last month.
Cabbieless cab: London Mayor rides in a a driverless electric car with the Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of State for Energy as he tours Masdar City
Short stop: Boris Johnson will take a break during the trip to fly back to London for Lady Thatcher's funeral before finishing the Qatari leg of the five-day tour
Charles, who was on a tour of the Middle East on behalf of the British government, brought a couple of morsels to his lips with a gracious smile, before cleverly pushing his food round his plate for the rest of the hour-long banquet.
Mr Johnson is on a five-day trip, but will break off to return to London for Baroness Thatcher’s funeral.
He will then return to the Gulf on Thursday for the Qatari leg of the trade mission