Back in the Mountains

We are back in the mountains and it is almost indescribably beautiful. We are staying in a small simple walking hostel in a small village called Laruns, south of Pau right in the mountains. The hostel is run by two laid back young brothers, one of whom made it possible to connect the laptop by WiFi for the first time in France and the other promises to take Ash (and Sue and I if we wish) trout fishing in the local streams. Sheep walk through the streets every morning and evening on their way back from pasture and possibly for milking. The sheep and goat cheeses are just delicious. We can cook for ourselves or they prepare meals and at the moment I think we are the only people here - apparently that will change over the weekend. There is a hot water pool here in the town and we can just walk into the mountains.

Yesterday, the weather was absolutely glorious after rain and fresh snow on the mountains, so we spent the day walking. We were on a relatively small mountain with sheep and cattle around us with bells around their necks and stone huts and fences, the peaks feel so close and clear you could almost touch them. The higher passes are closed with the snow, which is late. There was hardly any snow during the winter, a warm winter, but now there has been quite a lot of late snow - climate change is everywhere ! We walked through a couple of beautiful old villages, with carved marble doors, stone houses, steep roofs. The houses everywhere are made of the local stone and as a consequence seem to just rise out of the soil and fit perfectly into the surroundings - they have a lovely feeling here.

It seems no one in the village speaks much english so we are forced to practice our french which is very good. If you try the people are very helpful and continually complement us on our french, especially Ashur who of course has - an "accent impeccable !!" - French immersion on a range of levels - which is wonderful

Spring is later here than in the Gers where the wheat is now in head - here there are still flowers on the wisteria and some trees are only now getting their leaves, there is water running off the mountains everywhere, icy, rocky, gurgling streams and every thing is a vivid green. The mountains are just spectacular - full of mystery and promise of adventure, the snow gives the relief added detail and beauty and we can just gaze at the peaks for ages. We intend to be here for a week or more this time. We have a walking guide in french which I am attempting to translate and understand and have a number of walks planned. If we disappear it will be because of a translation problem - the book is very good, the french love walking and rambling. There is a well presented National Parks Office in the town with maps, displays and movies - lots of information. Of course, we are hoping to come across one of the remaining pyrenean bears and we may be lucky.