In the mountains with Leire

Hola,

We have had a really good weekend this weekend. We went up to the farm on Friday night with Xabi and Jessi and baby Leire. The idea was to go mushroom picking on saturday in the new 4x4 that Jose's Dad has bought for the farm. We got up early (7am), made omlette baguettes, packed our bags and off we went. Well we didn't find any mushrooms at all but ended up having a great day out in a wonderful setting.

Jose and Xabi took us up to the area where their great grandparents are from and it was really spectacular. Totally cut off and in accesible without a 4x4 - perfect. While the boys kept wandering off into the forests to look for mushrooms, Jessi and I sat in the sun taking in the views and looking after Leire (who behaved wonderfully by the way and seems to be a natural in the countryside).

We saw a deserted mansion in the distance and walked up to that to set up camp for lunch. Jose's idea - and I must say a very good one. We felt like the Famous Five (except with a baby instead of a dog). You'll see from the photos that Jose and Xabi encountered a snake - a very poisonous one! Jessi and I didn't dare go near the area once they told us that a bit from it would defintely kill Leire and my unborn child .......but that they might survive if they got to the hospital in time. We don't know how lucky we are in the British isles - there 's nothing so dangerous lurking underfoot is there. The dangers in the UK come in people form.

The track had been so bumpy in the 4x4 that on the way back I decided to walk a few kilometres instead of getting back in. Jessi came with me with Leire in a sling on her front - breast feeding at the same time. If anyone had seen us - me mahusively pregnant and her breast feeding in the middle of nowhere - they'd have thought we were indiginous or something. There was no one about to see us though so we didn't get to notice any reactions.

S xx