Everyone slept longer today and it was 6:45 before we started to get ready. Breakfast at the albergue across the street and on our way at about 7:30. We had hoped to have a bright sunny day like yesterday but it was overcast and looked as if it might even rain.
The path was pretty continuing through the countryside of Galicia through villages, small forests and beside small fields. The farms here seem to be small family farms with a few milk cattle, a few chickens and a mix of crops. Many of the houses are dilapidated or falling apart with " vende" signs on them. The area is beautiful but I am sure it is very difficult to make a living on the small farms and the young people prefer to move to the cities. The air was full with the smell of liquid manure being spread on the pasture and the paths and lanes had many signs that the cows had passed by on their way to be milked. However these have been frequent occurrences throughout our Camino journey and we have to come to accept them along with the spring flowers and the welcome most mornings of the cuckoo who was there to call to us again today.
We continue to see the grain storage bins in every village, usually at least one by each farm and little churches many with burial vaults above ground. Probably because the ground is very rocky and the water level quite high.
After a stop for coffee in Palas de REI and a visit to a Farmacia to get Acetomenephine for Werner since the Doctor had told him yesterday that Ibuprofen will affect his kidneys and he should stop taking it but that Tylenol would be OK. Then back into the country and the pretty paths and lanes. Finally the clouds started to clear and we were able to take off some of the layers of clothing. In Palas de REI we had seen that the temperature was only 10°C ( about 50°F).
We had planned a shorter day today to try and give Werner's leg a chance to recover and our target was a small village (hamlet in my guide book) called O Coto. We reached there at about 1:30 and since there is no albergue (which we knew) we checked in to a small hotel with a 3 bed room and private bath - what luxury after the many nights in dormitories and waiting in line for showers and toilets or even sometimes finding a space for the backpack on the floor.
We each took a shower and Josef found they would do our washing for us for $4 total. We quickly pooled all our dirty clothes and gave them to be washed. I assumed they would have a washing machine and dryer but later when I took a walk in the garden I saw that the washing machine is a more manual affair.
Later I saw it on the clothes line in the sun and blowing nicely in the breeze - and all for €4.
There were also some other interesting sites in the garden. An old but restored grain storage bin
Since we had not had anything to eat since breakfast we had some cold ham and cheese with a basket of bread - delicious
We sat around in the garden enjoying the sunshine and at 7:00 went for dinner. They then told me, no, dinner is at 8:00. I took a picture of the sign in the lobby saying dinner at 7:00 and showed it to them and then things started to move and we actually had dinner at 7:30.
They were very pleasant and the dinner was excellent so no complaints.
After dinner we went and got our washing from the washing line and were ready for bed at 9:30.
Today we walked 21 km (13 miles). An easy day and hope that it will help Werner's leg recover. Tomorrow we want to try 26 km. we will have to see how it goes.
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