The Very Best (not for last)

I'm just thinking that I'm plain stupid, because I just went ahead and shared the very best photo (for me) of my South Africa experience. So... if it cannot get better than that, how can I even share any of the others?

It makes perfect sense, on the other hand, 'cause who knows when I'll be able to come back and post more, it's just so impossible to decide which ones to share since there are thousands of them... thousands. So I've given you the best... first. I don't save the "best for last" here at Casa in Translation!  ;) (and let me just say that it was the best for me because I love felines with all my heart).

.   .   .

I have tons to do, but I spent the past few hours going through the Africa photos (for facebook -- if you're there, don't miss them!). I was looking at a sequence just now and I had tears rolling down my cheeks the whole time... it's just such an amazing, sacred experience... to be able to share a few minutes of a beautiful, gorgeous wild animal's life.

We stopped to see a large group of impalas and she came, this female (according to the guide) giraffe. She stopped to check us out, but eventually crossed the road. She needed to get to the water, you see? But she took her time, since there was this strange vehicle there, and she slowly made her way to the water and drank... while we watched her, for several minutes... It was magical and I hope to share the whole sequence with you someday, but for now, here's the moment I looked into her eyes thorough my camera lens:

And again I have no words.