Camino Souvenirs and Trinkets

[sillydoll]

There are many places along the caminos that sell pins, badges, pendants, shells etc.
You can buy some of these before, or after your camino from Mundicamino.com. One of my favourites is a little Santiago rosary in a wallet that costs only 4.6 € and weighs about 50g.
Keep a Spanish 5c coin which has the Santiago Cathedral on the back.
And, for a free souvenir, scoop some camino soil into a little pilll bottle or spool container and collect a few pebbles on the way.
http://www.mundicamino.com/tiendaSumar. ... depende=10

 

[Rose Louise]

Sil

Is we are caught by our border security guys bringing soil from Spain into Australia we would be in trouble. As it is you have to declare whether you have been on a farm and if you answer
Yes" they will check your boots and more than likely take them away and dip them.

Different countries, different standards.


Rose Louise

 

[WolverineDG]

They do the same in the US.

As for trinkets, the cutest I saw were at a souvenir shop across from the Cathedral in Leon. Little clay owls in different colors dressed up as pilgrims. Cute, lightweight, & only 1 Euro.

Kelly

 

[Arn]

My most prized souvenir is the scallop shell I got in the pilgrim office in SJPDP.

As far as the US checking for "incoming" pests...I'd say California is the most stringent, although I was asked why my pack had little hiking gear, but five bottles of wine.

Stupid question if you ask me.

Arn

 

[sillydoll]

They're not so strict here. I always bring a little pill bottle of soil home. It goes into a plant pot where I plant poppies that flower in the spring. A fitting reminder of the camino!

 

[jl]

Rose Louise mentioned about dipping our boots when coming into the country. When I returned to Australia last time the Agricultural official inspected in minute detail the shell that has tracked with me on two Caminos to make sure that there was nothing (either meat or sand) on it, and also looked very closely at my poles as well. We can't even bring things like honey and cheese in to the country because of fear of contaminating what we have here. That even extends to within the country where we are unable to transport honey across some borders and fruit too! A round of french or spanish cheese would be a great treat, but we would never get it through the customs checks. regards, Janet

 

[sillydoll]

Its a pity it didn't work both ways!

In 1846 a Spanish priest from Galicia, by the name of Rosendo Salvado, founded the Benedictine monastery of New Norcia north of Perth in Western Australia. He is credited with introducing olives, wheat and wool to the region as well as the skills of making bread and olive oils. Today only 11 monks are in residence but the Spanish connection endures with two Spanish monks remaining. Dom Paulino, who was the baker for over 50 years, still works in the olive groves at the age of 95 years.
Bishop Salvado found time to document his 55 years of work in 11 diaries containing almost a million words written in Spanish, Galego, something described as “Spanglish”, French, Italian, Latin and English.
From these works we learn that it was Salvado who took the first eucalyptus trees to Spain. Fire-prone and a ruthless competitor against native species, the eucalyptus has proved to be an unwelcome pilgrim.
Salvado Street in Santiago de Compostela is named after him.

More info here:
http://www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/

 

[Rose Louise]

Sil,

A little off topic. There is a monument to Father R Salvado in the main street of Tui on the Camino Portugues. While the eucalyptus may be an unwelcome pilgrim in Spain one felt a sense of home when we came through an outcrop of them just outside of Santiago.

Rose Louise

 

[Deleted member 397]

Sil....Euclyptus unwelcome ! I always thought the eucalyptus trees planted on the VDLP were put there to give Santiago a touch of class!

 

[grilly]

They're not so strict here. I always bring a little pill bottle of soil home. It goes into a plant pot where I plant poppies that flower in the spring. A fitting reminder of the camino!

Sil, this reminds me that I brought back water from the Ganges river. But I definitely like the idea of bringing back some earth
Thanks for the idea.
claire

 

[Rebekah Scott]

My favorite camino souvenir comes from the Ruta Vadiniense. I bought it at the gift shop at the monastery of Liebana, a 9th century Cantabrian mountaintop complex that is a pilgrimage shrine in its own right. The keepsake is a little shot glass. When you put clear liquid inside and tip it into "bottoms-up" position, a little image of Santo Toribio can be seen shining up at you from in the bottom!
I find it very "spiritual," it makes me smile every time I see it. Not sure what the original Santo Toribio would have thought!

 

[Al the optimist]

LOL Reb

 

[Tumbleweed]

Hello

Here’s an idea I’ve done for my souvenirs while traveling light through Europe. I like to send myself postcards with a little note of the day or few days. I not only get beautiful picture postcards, but a postage stamp with date stamp and a mini journal with each. Plus some don't arrive home until after I do, that's always a nice thing to get in the mail.

Buen Camino :arrow: and God Bless,
Angela

 

[natefaith]

Angela,
I love that idea! It doesn't even require that much brain power since we always remember our own home address. I'll have to do that next time we're traveling. Thanks for sharing.

Take care,
Faith

 

[Tumbleweed]

Hello - I'm looking for some type of Camino flag that can be hung outside my home. Either with an arrow or shell on it, maybe the cross of St James. I've searched the web but came up empty. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

 

[Monya]

Sil

Is we are caught by our border security guys bringing soil from Spain into Australia we would be in trouble. As it is you have to declare whether you have been on a farm and if you answer
Yes" they will check your boots and more than likely take them away and dip them.

Different countries, different standards.


Rose Louise

Oh yeah, all those airport security programmes have scared the (censored) out of us I'd feel guilty arriving at Sydney Airport, even if all that I had was just the clothes on my back

 

[Monya]

Hello

Here’s an idea I’ve done for my souvenirs while traveling light through Europe. I like to send myself postcards with a little note of the day or few days. I not only get beautiful picture postcards, but a postage stamp with date stamp and a mini journal with each. Plus some don't arrive home until after I do, that's always a nice thing to get in the mail.

Buen Camino :arrow: and God Bless,
Angela

I do the same - some people think I am crazy. I used to send them post cards too... If you don't believe in the tooth fairy, why should you get anything when you lose a tooth?

 

[Tumbleweed]

Hello - I'm looking for some type of Camino flag that can be hung outside my home. Either with an arrow or shell on it, maybe the cross of St James. I've searched the web but came up empty. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Still looking for a flag of some type.

 

[t2andreo]

Hello - I'm looking for some type of Camino flag that can be hung outside my home. Either with an arrow or shell on it, maybe the cross of St James. I've searched the web but came up empty. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Angela: You might ask a pilgrim who lives in your country (to keep postage fees reasonable, and avoid customs issues) to obtain something like this for you, and mail it to you on their return. If you are fortunate, there may be someone at or near Santiago now who would help.

If you are really lucky, you might be able to have that person send you a photo and dimensions, as well as the price before you tell s/ he to proceed. Smart phones are a wonder at this... I recall seeing many pennants, or small flags at Santiago. But as I was not interested in me personally at the time, I did not pay much further attention to them.

I am starting my second Camino Frances on 27 April (see the event calendar on the forum). I anticipate being at Santiago by the end of May. If you can wait that long, I would be happy to pick up this item for you. You can also send me a PM (start a private conversation) if you choose.

 

[Tumbleweed]

@t2andreo I'm so happy you are going on another pilgrimage, someday I hope the same for me. I couldn't dream of asking someone to take their time searching for a flag while in Santiago, there is so much more to be done. However, if I'm still in need and you happen upon one, I won't turn it down. We'll keep in touch.

Peace be with you and may the Lord guide your steps.

 

[t2andreo]

@t2andreo I'm so happy you are going on another pilgrimage, someday I hope the same for me. I couldn't dream of asking someone to take their time searching for a flag while in Santiago, there is so much more to be done. However, if I'm still in need and you happen upon one, I won't turn it down. We'll keep in touch.

Peace be with you and may the Lord guide your steps.

Oki doki. Will do. And remember..."Solivtur ambulado cum Deo”

 

[pilgrim b]

@t2andreo I'm so happy you are going on another pilgrimage, someday I hope the same for me. I couldn't dream of asking someone to take their time searching for a flag while in Santiago, there is so much more to be done. However, if I'm still in need and you happen upon one, I won't turn it down. We'll keep in touch.

Peace be with you and may the Lord guide your steps.

Well Tumbeweed how sad am i not a flag but a large stone in my drive I just had to paint a yellow arrow on it to bring the camino to mind !!!!!
Is there any hope for us ?

 

[JennyH94]

Hello - I'm looking for some type of Camino flag that can be hung outside my home. Either with an arrow or shell on it, maybe the cross of St James. I've searched the web but came up empty. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Hi Tumbleweed -
I have an idea, though it's not a solution to your flag search, that might be of interest ... why not purchase a Waymarker or Camino Images Wall Tile which you can have at your front door next to or near your doorbell? The tile would look great permanently, whereas flags tend to get a bit tatty after a while due to exposure to the weather. I have a lovely tile which features the Waymarker Star which I have on the wall next to my front door. The tiles generally have a hook on the back and you just need to do a bit of DIY with hammer and nail and voila! - gorgeous tile now in place for you to have a small visual gift from the Camino every time you go through your door!
Our Forum amigo, David, from Pilgrim Supplies eBay Store in the UK has a couple of cool-looking Camino tiles in his online shop ... why not check them out?
'Hope this helps -
Cheers - Jenny