Home on the Range



There were 40 cows and their genealogy
was hung above each one. No riffraff allowed.

We decided to plot our escape from France before another train strike stranded us and we would be forced to hike out. We had just crossed the bridge at the border when we were greeted with gun shots, fireworks and hundreds of drummers. They were reenacting an important victory over the French so of course Jerry joined right in. The next day we were hiking and as we were coming out of the mountains, we heard music and discovered a huge celebration known as the Tres Vacas (three cows). It seems that there was a dispute between Spain and France over grazing rights and two years of fighting left over 600 villagers dead from both sides. They finally reached an agreement in 1375 granting the French grazing rights for an appropriate tribute paid to the Basque Spaniards which was determined to be three cows and that tribute has been paid for the last 638 years.  Today was the  selection to determine the three best of show. Cows were being pampered with brushes, hairdryers, and special scented spray. There were even special people who had been given poop duty. They provided the paperwork to assure that the rear was clean. The cows were then paraded, judged, and ranked. Not sure what the actual fate is of the ones that are selected. Honestly, they turn out in hoards for any reason to celebrate.

Our view of the finalists