The scallop shell is the symbol of the pilgrim. Pilgrims used to continue from Santiago to the coast and pick up a scallop shell to prove they completed the walk. There, of course, were vendors that would bring shells inland and sell to pilgrims. One of the guys in Portugal gave me a shell and told me to wash it. He said that to stop the cheating the officials in Santiago would ask the pilgrims to bring their shell back from the coast and they would stamp it with the cross of St James. Today we gather stamps in our credential proving that we have walked at least 100 km, but there are still cheats who take a bus or taxi,
Jasmine was one of the first ones out of the albergue this morning andi is a fast walker. She said she passed a certain pair seven km from Caldas del Reis, when one of them was still in the albergue when I left 45 minutes after Jasmine. So they not only passed me and Jasmine without either of us seeing them, they also walk faster than one of the fastest people on the trail. There are lots of stories from the pilgrims about people lying to get their pilgrim certificate. That has always confused me. That is basically lying to God, isn't it? And isn't that usually considered a bad idea?
Saint James is often depicted as a pilgrim with a staff and a gourd for water, see:
Caldas del Reis is nice. The albergue is kind of a dump, but is on the stream.
Today was an easy 23 km. I was showered and done with laundry before 3 pm. There are two more easy days, about 44 km total, to go.
Where is this?
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