Monday, February 9, 2009

THE GIRAFFE MANOR




The Giraffe Manor hotel is a typical British manor house in Nairobi with views of Mt. Kilimanjaro to the south and the Ngong Hills to the west. When Jock and Betty Melville bought the manor in 1974 they moved 2 endangered Rothschild giraffe onto the estate.




The giraffe thrived and today visitors can see a few more of these magnificent creatures loping about the hotel grounds.




There is a circular platform 9 feet above the ground where one can tempt them with oats...




......or one can simply invite a lanky friend to share one's own breakfast in the dining room.


Beware the 18 inch tongue that might slurp the food right off your plate.


Where's everyone?


Hey, time to come down for breakfast.

All photographs from The Giraffe Manor site. See more here.

34 comments:

  1. They are such beautiful animals - and to see them so friendly with humans is wonderful.

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  2. How beautiful you are!
    With an 18 inch tongue, don't think a straw is necessary. :)
    So its oats.

    Lovely eyelashes, I bet Love Bug would like this post... no wonder he came to visit you.

    Thanks, i always loved this animal.
    .

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  3. What fun photos! I think I would like to live in a house where giraffes poked their heads into the windows. Although, maybe not so much at breakfast...

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  4. Stunning, what an incredible place, thanks for sharing this, I have never seen pictures of giraffes quite like this before.

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  5. Oh I must go to Africa again! A week in Cape Town with a side trip to Stelenbosch was just not enough. Giraffe Manor and Ethiopia are now up there - and I promise I'll post a photo soon!

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  6. hee, cool! Giraffes are such majestic looking animals.

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  7. My goodness, Robyn, you share the most interesting photos and stories I've come across in a long time!

    I may not have time to visit as often in the next three weeks as I have a temporary work assignment...sadly it is not art related but it buys a lot of materials.

    I really appreciate your comments on my posts and now that I know Suri is a sealpoint siamese, I know why you had to keep him away from Bug!

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  8. Isn't this fun?! What a neat place to visit. I'm assuming that this is a hotel? Looks big enough to be one. Nice house and nice giraffes.

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  9. I think surreal would be the term I would have to use on all my postcards home if I were staying at the Giraffe Manor hotel.

    "Dear Hon, Wish you were here at the hotel with me so you could share the surreal experience of having in room visits from the local giraffe. I think he wants me to tell you hi!"

    Once again Robyn, you've made my day!

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  10. I was just talking to one of my friends about the Giraffe house in Kenya, but couldn't remember the name (had seen it on PBS)...I fell in love with Giraffe's long ago, those eyes make me melt...they're so lovely! Someday maybe I'll get a chance to go there. Thank you Robyn!

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  11. These photo's of giraffes are so fun, I had to share them with my family! Thanks for the joy you bring, Robyn... Roxanne

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  12. Weaver, those beautful eyes and long lashes do it for me.

    Mansuetude, oats and foliage. A straw would be ridiculous :-)

    Karine, rather nice to come face to face with a giraffe on the top floor.

    Blu, very different isn't it?

    Heather, that list is getting longer and longer. You will need more than a few weeks ....

    Azirca, the coolest creatures!

    Curio, you can look forward to using all those art materials after your 3 weeks work assignment is up.

    Katie, it is a hotel. Can you imagine staying there?

    Stevie, very surreal!

    Laura...it's all about the eyes ...and the legs...and the neck..

    Roxanne, so glad you enjoy.

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  13. What a delight it would be to experience this! I loved the "where is everyone" picture.

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  14. I remember when I was a kid on extended family outings with all my cousins at the zoo. We would feed the giraffes by hand.

    These pictures bring back that moment in childhood.

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  15. I called Kurt in to see these and sent a link to a friend. This is great! Yes, I want to go stay here too. I'll go buy a lottery ticket. Thanks for sharing the beauty Robyn.

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  16. Wow, I'd love to stay there! it's brilliant.

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  17. Robyn! this just knocked me out! I put a link on my blog!

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  18. I've just come visiting via Jeane, ARTIT.

    How absolutely amazing! These must be my relations on planet Earth!!

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  19. Bindu, I'm wondering if any windows get broken by over exuberant giraffes.

    Robert, it's always such a shock to see just how tall they are. As a child you must have felt very tiny standing next to one.

    Leslie, LOL...that's just what I've done ...bought a lottery ticket.

    Jude, imagine staying there. The best part would be sitting in bed on the first floor sipping early morning coffee whilst chatting to a giraffe.

    Jeane, it's so great to share something new with you. I really thought everyone would know about them.

    Ralph, welcome to my blog. Glad you are amazed.

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  20. Oh, wow! This really made me smile. Absolutely gorgeous and amazing animals. I've got to go check the site now. Thanks, Robyn.

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  21. Thanks for the ear to ear grin. They are so beautiful and really silly. I'm glad you were able to get back to work for a bit.

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  22. Robyn...these pictures are almost surreal. Thanks for sharing them with us.

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  23. Hi Robyn, These are incredible photos. Thanks for sharing! Amazing...

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  24. I think everyone else has said all I wanted to say, but I just had to say "tank you" for sharing these incredible pics.

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  25. I had seen this on either Nat Geo or Discovery a long time back. Your post brought back memories of that. Beautiful collection of images

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  26. Oh my! What a delight!! *Big, big smiles*

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  27. I can hardly believe my eyes.. I never really had anything to compare the height of a Giraffe to before..

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  28. Cool! I love the eyelashes on a giraffe - always been very envious of those - mine are so short and spiky. :)

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  29. I'm going to start saving my pennies for a giraffe I think.

    Surely the shipping and handling can't be *that* much, right?

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  30. i'm putting a visit to this place on my list of life experiences that will make me richer. what fun!

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  31. Willow, amazing aren't they!

    Chris, silly but rather regal don't you think?

    Seth, glad you enjoyed them.

    Caroline, I never tire of them either.

    Avus, I love sharing photographs especially when they surprise people.

    Thomas, I think I might have seen that too.

    Shayla :-)

    Gwen,they are far taller than I ever expected.

    Kendalee, oh for giraffe eyelashes!

    Cynjon, anything sent from this end of the world is *that* much!

    Julie, it's on my bucket list too.

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  32. I'm from Argentina. I'm Visual Arts teacher and I found this blog. It's amazing! Well, and this hotel with giraffes is a pearl. Congratulations for the blog!

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