Pilgrim Stamps

[Joeysquibb]

Sorry if this seems like i'm asking a silly question, but it has just been playing on my mind and i've been wondering about it:

When I leave SJPP on tuesday do I get my first stamp there, or do I pick the first one up from Roncesvalles ? I'm staying at the Ramuntcho.

Also, in general, do we pick up stamps as we check in to accommodation, or as we leave?

And LASTLY, when we get to out chosen destination for the day, do we pay for the beds for the night and receive some form of receipt so we can go off and enjoy the sights without fear of losing our place to the pilgrims behind us (I know it seems a shame to be worrying about this, but I seem to be reading more and more about competition for beds)

Any answers greatly appreciated, thanks everyone,

Joe

 

[Tia Valeria]

We have always collected a stamp before we leave home (from the Post Office) as well as our church. Then on the ferry.
After that we collect stamps form our first night (SJPP for you) and then when we arrive each night. This is done when checking in and paying. Most places you can expect to pay on entry, and yes we did get a ticket to say we had paid (but that was in Galicia).
In Galicia we also asked for a stamp during the day at a cafe/bar stop to give us our 2 sellos a day in the last 100kms.
This was on the Primitivo/Francés, and everyone has sellos, unlike the early parts of the Norte where we have signatures now for some places

 

[sulu]

It's funny the things that come to mind and make us worry
Unlike Tia Valeria I like to get my credencial at the place I start and then they automatically stamp it, it depend where you get your credencial/passport from.

re beds: the hospitalero/a will know how many people are in the Albergue, usually there is a register to fill in, though not always. Some places allocate a bed, some you just choose your own, then you put your sleeping bag on it, if you are not carrying a sleeping bag you would need to put some clothes on the bed, to mark your territory. Don't put your back-pack on the bed.
A very few, small albergues are unmanned untill the hospitalera turns up, there you just find a bed with nothing on it and make it yours
Buen camino
Sue

 

[Joeysquibb]

Thanks for the replies!

This pits my mind at ease ha! More than anything it is that i've just finished university and i'v had a week of doing absolutely nothing in the run up to leaving for my pilgrimage - this leave a LOT of time for over thinking ha! I'm sure i'll be in the swing of things in no time, thanks again!

Joe

 

[Tia Valeria]

Our credenciales are from CSJ - UK, so it makes sense to stamp them at home. The year Terry used a Spanish credencial, as Sulu says, it was stamped when he got it, in the Cámara Santa at Oviedo.
Next year they will be stamped at the first days start, not from home again.

Have a great Camino Joe