After a quick discussion we decided to to have breakfast at the Albergue, as I could not see where else it would come from
(I had failed to sell the delights of my usual morning meal, Banana and stale bread to Jim...not to mention a lack of coffee until mid morning).

By late morning I was on high coffee alert, the village of Cirauqui provided ruined roman roads and bridges, but no open bar. Believe me your interest in things cultural falls off a sharp precipice without coffee.

Lunch was taken with bread and cheese....for those of us that have been following my cheese story since Le Puy, I have to report the only cheese we can seem to find is relatively tasteless ....and for that matter without much smell. The tragedy is the same can not be said for my socks, but we have identified that as the Vaseline I use to protect my feet, trap in all the goodness. Believe me, any more details you do not want to know. .....You will have to get to the last page to find out how I solve the sock smell issue.

No matter we struggled on to Estella to probably the opposite end in Albergues from the previous nights. I know the hard core 'Grims' say you should never complain, but add cold showers to mass overcrowding and Jim being forced to sleep in a room surrounded by young women and I nearly had a rebellion on my hands.

Luckily after a walk round town with a beer, Jim managed to put his Presbyterian tendencies behind him and slept amongst the happy mass of humanity.

In a message from Dalan ('grim friend met on day 24) he had a great night there, party in the kitchen, music, he produced his flute and there was a guitar too. So our view is one sided.

Also to cheer us up we had supper with Helen, who had lived a peripatetic life throughout the world. She was suffering badly with her feet and we did not see her again...hope she made it to the end