Day 27 - Vilachi to Eirexe

We left Casa Banderas at 7:00am walking in the dark, cool, overcast dawn. The humidity was already very high. We crossed over the bridge over the reservoir at Portomarin 

and followed the Camino route through fields and forests. We walked 8 kilometres before we found an open cafe in Gonzar for a WC and breakfast. There were many pilgrims, only two toilets, no paper, no handwashing water and no "real food". Morning offerings are often cello wrapped fake croissants, chocolate donuts or fondant covered cakes - "manufactured foods"-inedible - because the kitchens often don't open until 12:00 noon. We walked through two or three more villages with no real cafes or shops.  We sat down to air and treat our feet when we were passed by a disabled person on a "Segway" chair! We've never seen a two wheeled chair before, let alone any wheelchairs on the Camino to date although their are disabled facilities in many of the alberges. 

We stopped for tea (donativo) at the Refugio Fuente de Peregrino run by a religious order in Ligonde. They have a pamphlet about the Five Symbols of the Camino and the Life Lessons - "What comes after the Camino?" 

We stayed in our first Alberge sponsored by the Xunta de Galicia in a converted school in Eirexe. There were modern facilities for 18 pilgrims, and a suite for a disabled person. As soon as we had done our laundry, it started to rain so we moved everything inside to dry. Luckily,  we found a dryer to use so we could pack our clothes up for the morning.

The restaurant across the road offered a Pilgrim's meal so we got to try Galician soup (with kale and beans) and lentil soup (with chirozo sausage). The calamari was excellent. 

We are pleased with our progress as we are only 73 kilometres from the Santiago de Compostela.