Winter camps, also know as areesh or ezbah in the Emirati dialect, are usually set up for three to four months at a time as an informal outdoor majlis.
They consist of one or more tents surrounded by a tall palm frond or tarp fence for privacy.
The camps vary in amenities. Although many are no more than a tent and a campfire, some have power, running water, fully equipped toilets and satellite television. Here, Emirati families entertain family by day and guests by night.
The camps were once set up in secluded areas far from the city, but over the years they have moved closer to the suburbs.
[ newsdesk@thenational.ae ]
