Am I the only one that didn't know about Benificio?........

Ok, so how was I to know that the area I had come to was one of the most famous, erm how do I put this?....hippy camps in Spain, if not the world. Yes I went to see the family yesterday who live right in the middle of the most stunning valley. It is all wooded with a river running right down the middle. We travelled through what could only be described as a travellers site with vans and trucks parked up and then entered a wooded area where there was lots of random people with no where else to go. She explained that this was the travelling area where people passed through. I felt a bit uncomfortable here, but then we continued through the woods and there on either side pitched up amongst the trees are tipis, yurts, huts built out of scrap and the most pretty cob houses. Now when I say it was a hike up to her house, I really mean it. I was panting like a dog by time I got to the top of the valley where she had built her cob house. It was really steep and me and my fip flops felt it. Note to anyone planning on going...no flip flops! We climbed all the way up to find a tiny little hut made of cob that she had built all her self. On a ridge over looking the whole valley. She was lovely and we chatted for ages about the home ed project they wanted to start in the valley. They had built a cob house that the teacher would live in and they would pay a wage in food. I realised as we were talking that the possibility of me doing this was a no goer as feeding five of us and living a one room hut just isn't an option. It was lovely to meet them though and she gave me loads of numbers and contacts for of other home ed families in the area. She explained that it was fine her and people where used to seeing the children out and about during the day. So before it got dark I rapidly made my way down of the ridge, mostly on my bum, and back through the "traveller" bit and drove of the very scary track that leads to the valley. Be warned your heart will be in your mouth! So now I have lots of telephone numbers for people in the are and am off tomorrow to meet some other families and have a look around the town. I will try and get some pics, although while trying to scramble up a cliff this isn't easy. I will go back though to see the families that I have met, so I will try and get some them. Who needs a gym here!