Because of MLM's insistence, we did a tour de force thru Oakland - starting at her place, driving around, seeing her new school on 103rd (east east Oakland), and for hubby's sake visiting the Oakland Zoo. (Pics forthcoming).

I like it a lot. Less animals = more space / animal. The enclosures for all the animals are huge in comparison to the SF, SD, Milwaukee, Boston, and DC zoos. I was happy to see that the lions had lots of room - a pond, toys, tree branches and hills to roam. For a moment, I did wonder whether the fences were high enough (same with the tigers) - but the thoughts faded as we viewed them thru binoculars and they were motionless, immovable in the heat.

Special things about the Oakland zoo:

1. half-water, half-mesh viewing of the alligators - you can see how big they are underwater even if you can only see the nose and eyes above. oh, and we got to see the feeding - dead rabbits and rats for three hungry gators. ich.
2. wide, deep, expansive enclosures - and for the same reason, we didn't get to see the hyenas or the warthog.
   

Not so happy things: lots of dead ends and backtracking; fifty-thousand screaming (yes, literally) kids under age of 4; not easily accessible via public transit. Oh, and the thing I dislike the most: people ogling at chimps and other monkeys; tourists "mocking" baboon noises in front of the baboon exhibit (and modeling for their kids to repeat in the future). I hated the SD zoo for the same reason - thru the glass you see the chimps and gorillas, and they speak volumes with their postures and eyes. Each time, I walk away with a heavy heart, forgetting all the other wonderful things a zoo may be.