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A frivolous question regarding credenciales past and present

Takahiwai

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Donating Member
Time of past OR future Camino
1998 Chartres - SdC; 2005 Orleans Camino del Norte
Apologies to those who detest frivolous questions - please move on; nothing to see here.

When I walked my first camino from Chartres to SdC (autumn/winter, 1998), no matter where I stayed - mostly campsites and modest hostels in France, almost exclusively refugios in Spain - the person I dealt with would stamp the credencial, date it, sign it, and quite often add some kind of comment. It really personalised the credencial, and helped me to remember the people I'd met.

On subsequent caminos, all that extra detail had disappeared, and I generally just got a stamp, and occasionally it was dated.

This year, for the first time in 25 years, in the albergue of Alegria on the Via de Bayona/Camino Vasco Interior, my credencial was stamped, dated, signed, and the delightful hospitalera wrote a little message.

So, my question is this - do you get comments written on your credencial nowadays, or is it really a thing of the past?

I'm genuinely interested, so this is not a frivolous enquiry on my part!
 
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Half of my stamps have been stamped by myself, with the stamp on a table, and I nearly always date myself. I much prefer this as makes it easier, and don’t want any comments taking up space, or me being a drain on anyone’s resources! Not sure how common it is. I guess I get most of my stamps in bars at lunchtime which maybe busy.
 
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I think there were bigger spaces on the credenciales, back in the day!
 
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On my recent Invierno/Ingles Camino about half the time the date was not added to the daily sellos, so I did it after going to my room. A few even handed me the stamp to do it myself. Very impersonal, but I do not speak Spanish and mostly stayed in private accomodations.
My only very special sello was this one made with shiny gold wax and a sprig of eucalyptus, but for what the room cost, it should have been 14k gold.
 
Takahiwai said:
I think there were bigger spaces on the credenciales, back in the day!
Click to expand...
Ah never knew that! Finished my 6th Camino a couple of days back and wasn’t going to get a cededencial/ compostela initially. I did get a credential and got stamps for the first couple of day but didn’t bother after that, so habit has been broken!
 
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Not even a date on the last 4 I got! Think I stamped most of them.
 

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That is a rather splendid, special sello!
 
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Camino Frances
Agés

photo taken February 2, 2008



On a cold winter afternoon this tile marked the only open pilgrim place,
Casa Caracol/House of the Snail.



Once I entered the hospitalera, drew and then dated this special "stamp" in my Credential.
 
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Amazing! I think much has probably slowly changed since that time. Your sellos are very special indeed. Thanks for sharing them!
 
mspath said:
Camino Frances
Grañón
San Juan Bautista albergue

February 20, 2007



Drawn in my Credential by the vivacious French hospitalero this sello is a precious memento!
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Yes, we don't have a sello at Grañón (because the stamp is in your heart). Pilgrims are encouraged to get one from one of the bars.

I have never had comments on any of my credentials.
 
I heard it depends on how the hospitalero considers you: if he/she think that you are kind, he/she adds given name, a word...
 
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J Willhaus said:
Yes, we don't have a sello at Grañón (because the stamp is in your heart). Pilgrims are encouraged to get one from one of the bars.
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Although I have personally never had opportunity to stay at Granon, I know many pilgrims often love the unique experience. I find it odd that they choose to have no sello for the reason you mention. They could design a unique sello that would express a special meaning and leave a smile on the faces of those who stay there. It would bring back a good memory of their time spent in that place. Telling them to go to a bar for a sello seems counterproductive to what Granon is all about...just my opinion, of course.
 
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Grañón is such an iconic stop now, that I can barely equate it with the place that I found in '98. I stayed there in a desperate attempt to distance myself from a mad peregrina from Brazil, whom I'd first found in Puenta la Reina. Such a special place - I was there alone - the famous parish priest gave me a tour of the facilities. We were probably somewhat into winter by this time. Looking at nowadays videos of the place - the fireplace in my day was just an open space, and there were heaps of logs to chuck on. Didn't meet a soul there.
 

If you stayed at Grañon, you might have a different undestanding.. or have a diffeent view at least. I remember, when the hospi explained there was no stamp, it will be on your heart, I looked at him and looked around and thought: this better be good.. and it was, it was a pleasant, memorable winter evening and stands out among many.

I've gotten a few personalised stamps over the years.. little drawings, short comments, drips of wax etc. Yea, I think it's a personal thing with some hospis and volunteers.. and I'm happy to add, I've done it myself for pilgrims..
 
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It is the decision of the albergue founders. All the townspeople are very proud of the albergue and love to meet pilgrims. We just didn't get a stamp on that day and we always remember why.
 
Pafayac said:
Yes, the founder of the donativo, a priest, was afraid that the sellos lead to a competition in order to get one more...
A visionary.
Click to expand...
Well, there has been a thread in the past from someone who loves to collect sellos and enjoys doing it. Whether the person is a pilgrim ot not, who are we to say? I recall enjoying reading the thread. Either way, I'd think the "competition" was within himself; not competing with another soul. That said, the founding priest had a right to set up his own rules...so be it.
 
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