Puenta de la Reina ( the Queen’s Bridge)

We have arrived in Puente de la Reina. It is said that due to deaths of pilgrims crossing the river a Queen commanded a bridge be built. The river is wide and deep today after incredible rain. I can understand the danger!
As we walked through the village we came upon a church that somehow pulled us in. The alter was stunning and the wood floors incredible. We have seen stone floors but not age old wood floors that are so well taken care of! The gentleman volunteer or plain clothed priest, notice our appreciation when we noticed the floor squeaking at points under our feet and in his very decent English explained that ( look closely, enlarge the photo) each was a crypt or family tomb. There are pulls in each large rectangular piece of solid wood to access the tomb/ family crypt. He showed us the femurs and lower jaws said to be that of 2 saints held in beautiful glass and wood ‘jars’ locked behind a solid wood door. ( I was impressed as you never see the artifacts, but only are told the religious artifacts are in the church, some where….). This church and the wooden floor sealing crypts, was so special!
Puente de la Reina is an age old beautiful village. There aren’t the big modern buildings. The streets are cobbled, houses are built solidly with many families in each structure.
This village to has its ‘Running of the Bulls’ . There are large wooden gates placed strategically to be closed , and I am guessing here, to direct the bulls to their destination.
The doors on the buildings are all incredible and hundreds of years old.
I could stay a few days, but apparently the next village is just as beautiful! We will push on!! 😎😎
**Point of importance, to me anyway, this is Basque Country. The Basque people what we surmise and read, feel they aren’t apart of Spain. That they are an occupied country. You see this sentiment often in Basque Country, as in the Flag flying over the street we walked in this village.Read more