A recent enhancement for my Camino Shell

[MassNative]

When my wife and I walked last fall, we bought Scallop shells in SJPdP. We quickly found out the shells are very fragile. Mine did not make it to Villatuerta before it broke into two pieces, each dangling on the string through different holes.

We visited the blacksmith shop in Ayegui, a little before the Irache Wine Fountain. We each bought a small cast metal scallop shell there, as replacement shells. Much more durable!

I have been wearing mine on the black string it came with from the blacksmith. I had been thinking I should look for a chain, to replace the string, before it broke from wear, and I lost the shell. I was recently in a store that had some pendants on chains, and my wife suggested I buy one and ditch the pendant.

I picked out a chain I liked in the store and when it was removed from the display case, I realized the pendant was Saint Christopher with a walking staff and the child Jesus on his shoulder!

I feel like the Camino wanted me to find that chain and pendant! I bought it and added my shell next to St. Christopher, patron saint of Travelers.

Buen Camino!

Jim

 

[Bradypus]

My late mother-in-law Barbara was a skilled silversmith. After walking the Camino Frances in 1985 she made herself a small scallop pendant in silver - about the size of the top joint of my thumb. When I walked my own first Camino a few years later she lent me the pendant and her copy of Elias Valiña's guidebook which he had signed for her in O Cebreiro. I had to hand both back to her when I got back to the UK though!

 

[Dani7]

I agree totally. Serendipity!

 

[Steven Dwyer]

I recently came across this French, 15th century version at the Lowe AFt museum in Miami. It is about the size of a thumb.

 

[curlylottie]

I so wish I had bought a forged St. James cross from the blacksmith shop right after the Irache wine fountain. Does anyone know how to contact that shop owner to make purchases remotely? I’ve searched Etsy for something similar but found nothing…

 

[MassNative]

There is a contact form under the El Artesano tab:

La Forja de Ayegui | Forja artística en el corazón el Camino de Santiago

 

[curlylottie]

There is a contact form under the El Artesano tab:

La Forja de Ayegui | Forja artística en el corazón el Camino de Santiago

Thanks so much!

 

[GailGwyn]

When my wife and I walked last fall, we bought Scallop shells in SJPdP. We quickly found out the shells are very fragile. Mine did not make it to Villatuerta before it broke into two pieces, each dangling on the string through different holes.

We visited the blacksmith shop in Ayegui, a little before the Irache Wine Fountain. We each bought a small cast metal scallop shell there, as replacement shells. Much more durable!

I have been wearing mine on the black string it came with from the blacksmith. I had been thinking I should look for a chain, to replace the string, before it broke from wear, and I lost the shell. I was recently in a store that had some pendants on chains, and my wife suggested I buy one and ditch the pendant.

I picked out a chain I liked in the store and when it was removed from the display case, I realized the pendant was Saint Christopher with a walking staff and the child Jesus on his shoulder!

I feel like the Camino wanted me to find that chain and pendant! I bought it and added my shell next to St. Christopher, patron saint of Travelers.

Buen Camino!

Jim

View attachment 143427

I have a similar shell pendant, bought a few years ago from the blacksmith's. I'm wearing it now as I'm walking the Camino de Invierno.