A question about a sello we got...

Paula TO · Jun 9, 2018

We've been home from Spain for a couple of weeks now. Firstly, thanks to all of the contributors here for the valuable information we received prior to our Camino. The time and insight people give here is truly appreciated.

I'm just compiling my notes from the journey, and on the day we walked from Palas de Rei to Ribadiso, we stopped at a roadside stand just outside Melide, and the man was offering sellos with red wax, and a seal placed on top. You could choose between a seal of the cathedral, a footprint, etc. We thought they were an interesting addition to our credencials, so we paid the one euro each for the seals. I didn't see it as being much different than the donations we gave at places offering sellos.

Outside of Melide, we stopped in at a small church, and the man issuing the sellos made sure to tell the man in line ahead of us, and then each of us, that the wax seals were from "the Romanian mafia". Since we had already obtained the sellos, I'm not sure what this info was supposed to accomplish. It seemed a bit odd to be thinking of some "black market sellos".

Does anyone have any insight into this? Is it indeed something people should be on the lookout for and avoiding? Was it a matter of prejudice? Obviously at this point it's not something I am losing any sleep over...this is more a matter of curiosity for me.

Thanks!

Deleted member 3000 · Jun 9, 2018

Paula TO said:
Does anyone have any insight into this?

The petition scam using "deaf" beggars is said to be Gypsy/Romani operated. Perhaps that has been exaggerated to be a Romanian Mafia!! Selling a fancy sello would be a much more reliable way to part a pilgrim from his/her money.

Bogong · Jun 10, 2018

When I walked in winter 2014 there was a man with a stall just outside Melide. He was selling T shirts and some other stuff and had a wax stamp of a foot which he added to the sello he gave people. He also gifted people with a biro with a foot on the end. He was missing a foot himself, and told me he had competed in the javelin at the Paralympic Games in Sydney in 2000. He was carrying all his gear on a bicycle. Subsequently I saw him further on, near a small creek crossing a few K past Melide, and we greeted each other and had a laugh. I was feeling pretty good as I had just lunched sumptuously at the octopus restaurant.

A couple of days later I was in the information place in Santiago asking foe a credencial to continue on to Fisterre and Muxia. He bowled up on his bicycle and was obviously good friends with the staff. We also greeted each other like long lost friends and had a good chat and a laugh.

He seemed a very nice, genuine bloke.

I still have the T-shirt - it has "Camino Solidario" on it.

De Colores

Bogong

RJM · Jun 10, 2018

I have never gotten one of the various pay for it sellos from the lemonade stand type setups to come across on the Camino Frances, especially the last 100 kilometres. Just seems a bit odd.

Faith831 · Jun 10, 2018

Reading this post made me think of one of my favorite Camino stories, in which Everything Is Not As It Appears:

"As we walked through a village, an old man spoke urgently to us in Galician. Not understanding, we waved him away thinking he was a panhandler or a scammer as we've encountered many of them. As we continued past him, we saw a tiny village church and decided to go see it, but the door was locked. Looking back, we saw the old man following us. At the door of the church, he produced a key and opened the old door, ushering us inside, where, as the official caretaker of the church, he proceeded to proudly offer us the history of the altarpiece and give us a coveted "sello," the stamps required on our pilgrim passports to complete the pilgrimage in Santiago. The Camino teaches many lessons and today it taught us one in the dangers of assumptions about people and how we almost missed a magical Camino experience because of our assumptions."

C clearly · Jun 10, 2018

Faith831 said:
we saw a tiny village church and decided to go see it,

Was that the church in Barbadelo, just past Sarria? I've passed there 3 times (last in March 2016) and he was there each time. Most people continued without stopping. But for some reason, he touched me with his commitment, and I went to the church with him each time. Walking was so difficult for him that I wondered how long he would be there.

Faith831 · Jun 10, 2018

Yep. That's the one. <3

SCT · Jun 10, 2018

We have met him each time we have walked and he has ushered us into the church. Truly a magical Camino moment both times! Thanks for this post and memory.

Faith831 · Jun 10, 2018

SCT said:
We have met him each time we have walked and he has ushered us into the church. Truly a magical Camino moment both times! Thanks for this post and memory.

I wonder if there's ever a time he's NOT standing at that corner... maybe he's truly a Camino angel who requires no sleep or work or food but to guide pilgrims to the church.

Nate Bissonette · Jun 10, 2018

Did you get the one from the blind guy? It was in a tiny chapel somewhere around Ventas Naron, I think. He was taking donativos, no set price, and had a regular ink stamp for the sello plus a date stamp for the date, but he applied them to the credential himself after indicating by pantomime that we should position them where we wanted them to appear in the book. Makes me wish I spoke more Spanish.

Paula TO · Jun 10, 2018

Hi Nate!!! Hope the rest of your travels went well!

We also got the sello from the blind man in Ventas, but I didn't realize at first that he was blind. I positioned my credencial booklet upside down! It's all good though...that gave that sello extra meaning for me.

VNwalking · Jun 10, 2018

Faith831 said:
I wonder if there's ever a time he's NOT standing at that corner

Both times I've been there, he wasn't.
A pity. I'd have loved to sit in that church.

jeffnd · Jun 12, 2018

Bogong said:
When I walked in winter 2014 there was a man with a stall just outside Melide. He was selling T shirts and some other stuff and had a wax stamp of a foot which he added to the sello he gave people. He also gifted people with a biro with a foot on the end. He was missing a foot himself, and told me he had competed in the javelin at the Paralympic Games in Sydney in 2000. He was carrying all his gear on a bicycle. Subsequently I saw him further on, near a small creek crossing a few K past Melide, and we greeted each other and had a laugh. I was feeling pretty good as I had just lunched sumptuously at the octopus restaurant.

A couple of days later I was in the information place in Santiago asking foe a credencial to continue on to Fisterre and Muxia. He bowled up on his bicycle and was obviously good friends with the staff. We also greeted each other like long lost friends and had a good chat and a laugh.

He seemed a very nice, genuine bloke.

I still have the T-shirt - it has "Camino Solidario" on it.

De Colores

Bogong

I met him in 2014 too! He was selling T-Shirts and gave away pens. From what it looked like, to get the wax stamp was a free-will donation. I happened to be walking with someone from Romania when we met him, and she told me he was raising money for a charity for disabled people. The pen, which sadly I have since lost, had a website on it, and it had pictures of him in Santiago at the cathedral with his bicycle.

Roger Fleury · Jun 16, 2018

Paula TO said:
We've been home from Spain for a couple of weeks now. Firstly, thanks to all of the contributors here for the valuable information we received prior to our Camino. The time and insight people give here is truly appreciated.

I'm just compiling my notes from the journey, and on the day we walked from Palas de Rei to Ribadiso, we stopped at a roadside stand just outside Melide, and the man was offering sellos with red wax, and a seal placed on top. You could choose between a seal of the cathedral, a footprint, etc. We thought they were an interesting addition to our credencials, so we paid the one euro each for the seals. I didn't see it as being much different than the donations we gave at places offering sellos.

Outside of Melide, we stopped in at a small church, and the man issuing the sellos made sure to tell the man in line ahead of us, and then each of us, that the wax seals were from "the Romanian mafia". Since we had already obtained the sellos, I'm not sure what this info was supposed to accomplish. It seemed a bit odd to be thinking of some "black market sellos".

Does anyone have any insight into this? Is it indeed something people should be on the lookout for and avoiding? Was it a matter of prejudice? Obviously at this point it's not something I am losing any sleep over...this is more a matter of curiosity for me.

Walking the Camino del Norte.
2 days ago , hearing some spanish tunes from this place and reading a sign "selli"I met this nice man who stamped my credential with a wax stamp.
I offered a donation which he refused with a smile.
He only asked me to pray for him at Santiago cathedral.
This was in Xeixon-Friol-Lugo.
No mafia there.
Roger

Henry Appelt · Jun 16, 2018

Scam or not, I think €1.00 for a wax seal on your credencial is pretty good value and an interesting story to add to your Camino.

Joziane · Jul 1, 2018

thank you for writing this as it brought me back to the camino having met him and the blind
gentleman in the church. These were lovely and special moments. Thank you.

jeffnd · Jul 2, 2018

I found him! After a bit of googling, I was finally able to get his website.

http://ionutpreda.com/

Marbe2 · Jul 2, 2018

I have seen the old man near the Church in Barbadelo twice. Both times he encouraged us to go in. At least that what we thought he was doing? We passed! If he is there this year, we will stop!

LGLG · Jul 2, 2018

falcon269 said:
The petition scam using "deaf" beggars is said to be Gypsy/Romani operated.

Always brings up the question for me ... I don't want to support organised rings, but how do you support this marganilised group of people in a charitable but positive way? Last time I gave a bag of food to a group of gypsy women on one of my travels, they were so grateful, I didn't doubt it made a difference to them, while at other times things just don't feel right for some reason. Selling sellos on the Camino by donation is maybe not too bad a way of carving an income? But if it is an organised activity, then those people themselves are likely to be exploited? I'm stuck for answers.

Tincatinker · Jul 2, 2018

In my home town there are young people who find themselves obliged to work in fast-food outlets, gas-stations and bars in order to pay for their education and living costs.
As George Soros said "every-one has to make a living".

LGLG · Jul 4, 2018

I suppose I don't really understand the gypsy situation... Are they entitled to legal work and if so, how easy/difficult is it for them to get it? I believe in generosity when appropriate.

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