Pyrénées #1: animals

I want to tell you about an little animal that you guys don't have in the states. Well, if you have it, the americans I know are not aware of it. But I really don't think you have it.

It's the marmotte. Wikipedia says you have the american version of that, the woodchuck. But I checked the pictures, it's not exactly the same.

They are usually very shy and hide underground when then see someone, but last week, I managed to get some nice pics of marmottes, I still have no idea how...

Here is the first one. Quite far, even with the telephoto lens.

So I asked her to come down a little (I say her because in french, the word marmotte is feminine)

"Come see mama!"

"Good, a little bit more please?"

"Stoooooop! It's ok, but pose would you?"

"Great. Thanks!"

Just have to ask...This one kindly poses in the lawn, so you can see what a marmotte looks like. But she was deaf, blind and retarded I think, because I just kept walking closer and closer, and she barely moved.

That last pic is a little out of focus, it's because I was too close, the telephoto lens doesn't allow me to take pictures anymore. I had to back off a little, I swear. It's the first time I see such a stupid marmotte.

Few meters away, Spanish cows!

I love cows, especially these ones. Spanish cows have this special grey robe that i'm just crazy about.

Robe is dress. It's the word we use to express the color of an animal, but also of the wine. Here are some of the french cows' robes. By the way, robe is feminine too. But that makes sense.

As I was getting closer and closer to take those pics, I saw this dude:

So I stoped, turned around, and walked away reaaaaaaally fast. And I decided to focus on less scary creatures:

That's it for today. Coming soon: Pyrenean flowers!