Correos

La Fuente Vieja is quite a hike from the Jimena Post office so they don't deliver. Vilja has a post office box no. consisting of a small drawer larger than A4 size which is opened with her key. We duly visited the box every day before Xmas and found letters and little notes in spanish which when taken to the very stern looking lady at the desk who handed it to her not so stern looking colleague who went out the back and returned with a big parcel. So by Xmas eve we had received most of what we thought had been sent. My brother had sent a package by Parcel force courier which according to the tracker website was delivered to the Spanish agent on the 20th, but so far no sign. Couriers usually drop off at actual addresses not at post office boxes, so after Xmas I plucked up the courage to approach the very stern lady to discuss. She speaks not one word of English ( yes, I know that is not her fault) and gabbles away quickly as soon as you raise an eyelid. I had only got the words parcel force out when I was pushed outside and led around the corner to the door of some offices where I understood the people inside spoke English. The stern lady looked quite cross. Inside the offices I found a man on the phone who also spoke no English. Hmm. This is ridiculous, I thinks. So back into the post office and write out my name on a piece of paper. Approach stern lady with the word "package" and then do driving charades as if I am driving a lorry. No smiles, but she takes my name, goes out the back and returns with my big Parcel Force box. She is still quite cross. I am now really cross. I ask why there is no note in the box and she answers at 100mph using some recognisable words like 23rd dais, holiday, and lots of shrugs. At one point we are both talking!! at each other knowing that neither is understanding one word. Quite hilarious really.

Suddenly silence and the package is carefully handed to the not so stern colleague for processing. " identification?" I hand over my driving license with all my details and picture. Stern one shakes her head. "non, passport". I say " in La Casita" . She then smiles and shrugs. I nearly smack her and leave to return another day.

We are still awaiting a recorded delivery package. It is probably sitting on the mantelpiece at the stern one's home!


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Location:Jimena