- Time of past OR future Camino
- First one in 2005 from Moissac, France.
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You are a day early David.
Not at all! the new regulations don't come in until midnight Spanish time!!!
and Australia are hours ahead of us, for them it is already tomorrow (sort of thing)
This is a great idea. It will save me messing around with any more pilgrim-counting spreadsheets as the pilgrims will be automatically counted. Also, the real-time knowledge of pilgrims‘ locations will allow targeted ‘e-leafleting‘ by albergues, which will reduce litter. No more litter picking trips for me! I am slightly worried that some old-fashioned pilgrims will walk along the side of the newly concreted path and cause erosion. Hopefully they‘ll build an eight foot wall either side of the path to prevent this. And peeing behind bushes.
This could be solved by taking all the aggregate built up around Cruz de Fero and laying it alongside the concrete for the old-fashioned Pilgrims to walk on. That stone pile is getting far to high and is clearly a health and safety hazard for those who chose to climb it......I am slightly worried that some old-fashioned pilgrims will walk along the side of the newly concreted path and cause erosion.....
I do. It is clearly in line with Johnnie Walkers new efficiency drives in the pilgrms' office which are so lauded by the Galician Administration.Hang on .. I am getting the feeling that some readers don't believe that my post it true ..................
Hi. Some important news for us all. The Spanish interior ministry, in association with the tourism ministries of the regions that the various Caminos go through and the pilgrim's office in Santiago are introducing a new official Credential.
The Camino Inglese is excluded from this new regulation as the interior minister said that the English have enough money problems at home without adding more.
The new Credentials will be available from midnight tonight. They will be sold at 25 Euros and each Sello (stamp) that one adds to it will be charged at 1 Euro. There are two bar codes on the new Credential. When one buys the Credential one's personal details and passport information will be taken and entered into a computer program, and a specific barcode number will be issued. This is expected to take less than one hour, definitely not more than two hours.
This means that every time you have the Credential stamped the barcode (there is also a modern mobile app code on the inner first page as well for refugio owners without internet access) will be scanned.
This is a positive step, say the Spanish ministry, as if a pilgrim fails to appear at a refugio the emergency services can quickly be informed that a pilgrim is missing, even being able to give their name and nationality and personal details such as hair and eyes colour and foot size as well as weight of pack and even if they are carrying an electric coil. Knowing exactly where every single pilgrim is is a great leap forward as it finally harmonises Spain with the modern 'Big Brother' nations.
The second positive reason is that, say the ministry, this will root out those who drive along the Camino and falsely attempt to gain Sellos to get a Compostela, which apparently the Church of Rome is very much against.
The aim of the insignificantly small fee for buying and using the new Credential is is to raise funds in a fair way from pilgrims to keep the Caminos in tip top condition. When enough funds are raised it is proposed to concrete all 790 kms of the Camino de Santiago and there is also the exciting possibility of eventually fitting solar powered escalators at the more difficult sections of the Napoleon Pass to Roncesvalles and the walk up to Cruz de Ferro.
As you can see it is quite fair as those who walk further and therefore use the infrastructure more will gain more Sellos and therefore pay more.
All in all this seems a fair and positive step forward to organising pilgrims in a fair and modern manner.
Those, from tomorrow, who are already on Camino with at least one Sello/Stamp in their current Credential may continue to Santiago without getting the new one.
All McDonalds outlets within 5 kms of the Caminos will give a 50 centime reduction on presentation and scanning of the credential off their new McPeregrino/a-Burger!
Remember, this comes into force at midnight tonight (end of March 31st) Spanish time.
Here are two sample photos of the new official Credential. - Foreign Credentials will be invalid.
View attachment 8996 View attachment 8997
Jirit:This must an April Fool's joke since Europe is so much more advanced that using simple bar and QR codes.
With a simple of the swipe pilgrims can not only collect sellos at all participating albergues, but earn valuable Facebook points, redeemable on future purchases of qualified goods and services. At the same time you can snap photos and wirelessly transfer these to the swipe card for instance uploading to your Facebook page earning you additional Facebook likes and more valuable points.
Pilgrims who return repeatedly to the caminos can soon sign up for an inexpensive and convenient Credencial Chip Implant, which will enable them to whiz past the queues at albergues and claim the lower bunks they so richly deserve, all that the (literal) wave of a hand!
For a mere 300 Euro donativo, (600 with anesthesia) the Repeat Offender can have a lifetime of Pilgrim Authenticity inserted subdermally by highly-trained volunteer hospitaleros. Optional extras include scallop-shell tattoos to "mark the spot," and a permanent GPS marker to signal all fellow chip-wearers when they pass the place along the trail where the wearer finally expires.
The concept of a "loyalty program" for serial pilgrims is also being considered. You would earn points to achieve levels such as #1 Iron, #2 Bronze, #3 Silver, #4 Gold and #5 Platinum, and pilgrims would then be able to redeem these points at albergues, hostals, casa rurals and hotels along the caminos. Should one achieve the Gold or Platiinum level, points could be redeemed at Paradors. Points would expire every 12 months if unused.
This is a great idea. It will save me messing around with any more pilgrim-counting spreadsheets as the pilgrims will be automatically counted. Also, the real-time knowledge of pilgrims‘ locations will allow targeted ‘e-leafleting‘ by albergues, which will reduce litter. No more litter picking trips for me! I am slightly worried that some old-fashioned pilgrims will walk along the side of the newly concreted path and cause erosion. Hopefully they‘ll build an eight foot wall either side of the path to prevent this. And peeing behind bushes.
As it is now the afternoon here I have amended the title so that it does not become an "internet fact".
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