At the Zoo.

Strange to see giraffes in a desert ...

I guess. Should have saved that for the Camels photos.

Knowland Park and Zoo. Across the bay from San Francisco. A good climate for the subtropicals. Banana plants were in leaf. Almost never freezes as a 10b climate.

Giraffes do have a large range and in the dry season it is definitely like a desert so they will be very much at home.

not been to a zoo for years and I am not far from the Yorkshire wildlife park.

10a. But we have had a few 10b winters since 2000. Its been a gradual back and forth. I thought for sure this winter was going to be a 10b as it was very mild until the New Years day cold. The bottom fell out to 33f and some frost damage. I looked up the Zoo,and they only had one night all winter below 40f. That 37f was not cold enough to even bother the banana's.
I tried to post more photos..but I'm getting a "We are having problems posting photos".

Beautiful pic! I remember Knowland Zoo as a kid. We used to go there a lot.

Ive seen (on the internet) its become quite the botanical gardens, also.

I remember as a kid going to the zoo there and riding on the Giant Galapagos tortoises as they were part of the children's petting zoo then. Times have changed. I wonder how those animals sometimes had to put up with people throwing things at them,knocking on cages and all that. Even that they had to smell cigarettes' smoke all day.
My commentary on the zoo is, The herbivores seemed happy, the Camels ate and played right in front of me. It was the predators that looked bored and you feel for them.