Cizur Menor to Puenta la Reina

After the excellent footcare and general ambience of the Cizur Menor albergue we were well disposed to take the advice of the woman who had helped us. This advice involved putting our heaviest items into a large plastic bag, labelling it, and leaving it with her for the albergue in Puenta la Reina to collect and carry for us on the presumption that we would stay with them. As there was a reasonable climb and Leonie´s newly tendered to feet were in a delicate state we decided this was excellent advice. This was reinforced in my mind by looking up the guidebook and finding that said Puenta la Reina albergue had a swimming pool.

It was such a treat to walk with a lighter backpack. Alas it was extremely windy when we got to the albergue and the swimming didn´t open until summer, never mind that it had been 29 degrees en route. Also after such a lack of veges in the pilgrim menus I had decided to buy eggs and vegetables in the village just a few metres before the albergue, and make myself a healthy dinner. However this place turned out to be a private albergue with a profit centre around  food and drink!

The man on reception, who had spoken excellent English when checking in, telling us what was on the menu and what time we had to leave in the morning, suddenly couldn´t speak a word of English when it came to the issue of my eggs. Not sure if he had simply learned his welcoming patter and genuinely couldn´t speak and more English than that, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. I managed to find someone who spoke French and Spanish, explain my egg dillema to him in French (how bad it would be to try to carry eggs and could they possibly see their way clear to boil them for me in their kitchen). The Frenchman managed to catch my limited French well enough to lob the ball to the Spanish man and, hey presto my huevos were delivered to me, hard-boiled and back in their carton 15minutes later.  I expressed my gratitude in as many mucos and gracias as I felt befitted this act of kindness and enjoyed a healthy dinner (outside inthe wind!)