As a witch, I attract ceratin types of animals, so whenever I walk through the countryside I'm always coming across bats and rats and spiders and Black Cats. However, today I had the most extraordinary encounter in the area behind the city known as 'Bosques (forest) of Tarragona.' I was walking down one of those stonewalled paths so common to the province, when a flipping enormous snake crossed my path. It didn't stop to stare, it didn't stop to chat, it didn't stop to attack me, it just slithered right across the path and into some bushes opposite. Now like most people who spend time in the countryside I know there are snakes around but they are tiny. I mean they are like Fisher price snakes, not Hollywood anacondas. Which was why this snake was so unexpected. Naturally I whipped out my phone and did a bit of research. The chatbot told me The Montpellier snake is one of the largest snakes in Europe, regularly reaching 1.8–2 metres in length, which is why encountering one feels so confrontational. It’s fast, muscular, and faintly green or olive, blending perfectly with Mediterranean scrub. It feeds on lizards, small mammals, birds, and other snakes, and unlike many European species it doesn’t immediately flee — it often holds its ground, lifting the front of its body slightly as if assessing you. It’s rear-fanged and mildly venomous, but harmless to humans; what’s remarkable isn’t danger but confidence. Named after Montpellier, it’s a heat-loving, ancient-looking animal that moves like it belongs utterly to the land — which, unnervingly, it does. As you may or may not know, I love snakes sp this is one of the most special moments I've ever had on one of my walks. And in terms of the info, I found it fascinating that they eat snakes... ...whoever knew that it was a snake eat snake world.
