Most people in the Gambia recognize this spot, the bar and its giraffe. Last time I was in the Gambia, I was offered the giraffe. For free. The catch: I had to take care of taking it down and transporting it myself. It turned out the giraffe was very heavy and not easy to take down from its little pedestal, because of the metal wiring inside.  Some job! It was a full days work. But a lot of fun too. I asked my friends what would be a good name and in the end we all decided “Elena” was the most beautiful name. Elena it is. For now she’s sleeping in the grass on my compound, until we make her a new pedestal. And some new hoofs. Want to see more? Here’s a little movie clip:  Transporting Elena