Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[snowbutterfly]

Anyone out there have camino related tattoos?

[marktqm]

There was a tattoo shop at the end of Rua Villar and I was tempted to have one (scallop with the St James cross) on the back of my neck but chickened out at the last moment. If there will be another chance at doing the Camino I'll definitely do it!

Mark

[oursonpolaire]

I do not think that they are common; I have only seen two. One was on a pilgrim on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, who had a scallop shell on his left bicep, and a woman in a lake near Ottawa who had the cruz espadon (is that correct Spanish?) with date of pilgrimage above her heart.

The scallop is perhaps the only tattoo which speaks to me sufficiently that I would want it permanently affixed and I am seriously thinking of having one after my next Camino (the third, d.v.).

[Athena]

i saw a group of pereginos (about 4?) that had a blue square with a yellow arrow on their upper arms when i arrived in santiago de compostela. i'm not sure if they were temporary tattoos or real ones, but i thought that was amusing.

[snowbutterfly]

I think you're right oursonpolaire, they don't seem very common at all. Perhaps it's not really that publicized on the net.

Still, I would have loved to see those tatts that you've all written about.

http://caminolola.com/2007/06/happy-cam ... rsary.html

[rolf]

well, after my first Camino in 2002 I got a tatoo with the Santiago cross on my left biceps. It's only a small tatoo, but I love it!
Rolf

[snowbutterfly]

Rolf, let's see it!

[pjdine]

OK, I have resisted commenting because I'm just a boring old fart. But I promise this will be the last.

I set out in at the age of around 11 to get through life without too many regrets. The only real one I have is the multiple piercings of my ears in the 1970's - I very quickly got over the youthful impulse to do something rebelliously 'irrevocable' to myself, and found that they won't heal up and a couple show the blueish 'tattoo' of the sooty needle I used.

In my job I have seen many tattoos - many on veterans of the last two World Wars. Of the many hundreds over a 25-year career as a nurse - I have not known a single older person with a tattoo who has not felt enduring regret at having it done. And believe me, they don't look pretty on wrinkly skin.

Think twice about any tattoo. Do you really need to indelibly mark yourself to be an individual, or proclaim your beliefs?

Pip signing off

[snowbutterfly]

¡Ola pip!

I totally understand your position on this, and very much understand the significance of marking oneself permanently and what that may mean in the future, both the physical reprocussions and the chance of regret.

However, I speak up, because I believe there is something slightly different between "rebelliously irrecovable" and a choice to profoundly mark something forever.

This tattoo that I chose is my third. The first two are hidden and private, while the latest - the one that marks my completion of the camino - is the only one that is in plain view. I thought very hard about getting each of my tattoos, none of them were spontaneous and done in the heat of a moment or some fleeting feeling. Each of these tattoos I have are significant markers in my life and each has a story that is special and meaningful to me.

No, I didn't need to "indelibly mark" myself to proclaim my beliefs, or because it was trendy, or to even prove to others that I walked the camino - that is something that will be inside of me forever, and I feel no need to prove it to anyone.

But I chose to get this tattoo even *before* I started the camino; I knew I would get a third and final one someday and felt compelled to mark this year of my life. It just so happens my journey on the camino played an important part of my journey in life, and this permanent physical symbol will be a constant reminder of what I was able to accomplish and what I still can.

It's all just perspective: Perhaps someday I may regret the stretched or faded markings (and if I really hate them, I'll get laser surgery to remove them. Just joking!) But perhaps they will always stay the special symbols of my transformations, my accomplishments, and my state of being during the times I received them.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that one should think twice about any tattoo. I would simply append one should think very long and hard about it and be absolutely sure why.

[Trudy]

Hi, I've been watching this discussion with great interest. In June this year, I nearly walked into the tattoo shop on Rua Vilar as I wanted a Camino tattoo, of scallop shell and Santiago cross, on my upper back. But with a 24hr train trip 2 days later, followed by a 24hr plane trip home, thought it might be a bit painful.

Now I'm home I wish I'd gone ahead with it. So am looking for a good design I can take to a local shop and finally get the tattoo I wanted. This will be my first, and possibly only, tattoo.

By the way, I'm at the 'older' end of middle-age, so hope all the wrinkles don't get in the way too much!! Not that it really matters. It's my skin and I'm the only one who should be concerned about it.

[oursonpolaire]

Pjdine has a point, and underlines a number of the considerations which has made me hesitate in the past. I am aware of the permanence of a tattoo and no design nor any idea has spoken to me sufficiently that I would think of anything being permanently inscribed. But the Camino experience does mark one internally.... mercifully the scallop shell and the cross of Santiago are fairly discreet designs...

[emmywilde]

I recently got one after finishing my Camino in June. I used the design from La Rioja, which I thought was one of the nicer of the designs of the shell. I decided to get it on my foot--most obviously because it seemed fitting since it was a walking pilgrimage, but also because it was easily hide-able from future employers (and my parents), not to mention a body part that wouldn't get too wrinkly when I get older.
If anyone's curious to see how it turned out, here's a picture (notice the still-visible sock tan that is a familiar site for us pilgrims...): http://www.unc.edu/~ewilde/tat/DSC07073.JPG

[Arn]

Very nice Emmywilde,

Both my kids (S 36/D31) have tats. Christopher has them in areas you can't see (military units symbols...raiders, etc) and one that's very visible...it's the SA flag with two proteas on either side. Romi just had a beautiful portrait of her Mom (5x7) in full color on the lower back. They did it in honor of their Mom when she passed away. What could I say?

I have no tattoos. In my world, ease of identification is a no-no. Maybe when I am really retired...some day!

Arn

[vinotinto]

Ha - I started a thread about this topic awhile back under the Misc thread. I'm still thinking of getting one my albergue stamps from my credencial tattooed onto my right leg. There are a lot of cool stamp designs that lend themselves to tat possibilities...

[Sojourner]

Hi,I've just picked up on this thread,so am a bit late with my twopennorth. Pip,I will be the exception to the rule - I have 6 tattoos on my forearms and biceps - pictures of eagles , swallows and a nice peacock - all done over 30 years ago,and I can honestly say I have never regretted them for a moment.However,at the outset I decided not to have anything that couldn't be covered up if necessary (job interviews etc) and to have no words,though I broke that one to have my wife's name inscribed!!(I'll have to stay with her now!!!)
I am planning to do my first camino next spring,and will definately have a small scallop shell done on my forearm when I've finished the walk.
Happy Xmas,Prosperous New Year and buen camino!!!

[sillydoll]

Vinotinto, I was going to PM this link to you but then thought others who are thinking of having tattoos might also like to have a look at it.

This website features over 1000 sellos from the various caminos. Click on DESCRUBE LOS SELLOS (left hand side) to find the stamps on the camino you have walked.

http://www.lossellosdelcamino.com/

[vinotinto]

Vinotinto, I was going to PM this link to you but then thought others who are thinking of having tattoos might also like to have a look at it.

Nice - thanks for posting it!

[Rebekah Scott]

One thing to be aware of before you get that "Cruz Espada" (cross/sword of Santiago) tattoo: that symbol was co-opted for a long time by Franco and the Falange fascists in Spain to legitimize their policies. (The generalissimo considered himself a christian crusader and was fond of likening himself to Santiago Matamoros!)

Some Spaniards still have negative reactions to that symbol...not to mention Spaniards who are Muslims! FYI.

Rebekah de Moratinos
http://www.moratinoslife.blogspot.com

[Mic]

I have several tattoos, and i use them to mark significant steps in my life. I also have a rule that I must have sat with an idea for at least a year before I get it inked in. I was thinking about getting some form of a map of my route on my foot, like an earlier poster I like the idea of using feet as the marker.

[sillydoll]

A dear friend had a dolphin tattooed on her hip. Over the years she has put on weight and the dolphin now looks like an orca.
Feet are probably the best place for them!

[Arn]

Mic,

I don't know about you...but most folks find the bottom of the foot very ticklish. My Daughter and my Son both have Tats. In my Son, Christopher's case they represent his raider background (Mako shark) and his South African heritage. Bordering the SA flag are two protea's in honor of his Mom who was a cancer survivor for nine years.

In my Daughter's case, she had a 5 x 8 portrait of her Mom put on the left side small of her back. She said she was in tears the entire time. Seems to me, that if the bottom of one's foot is already sensitive and, having a tat put there...it's the ultimate in pleasure and pain.

I'm not there yet!

Buen Camino

Arn

[sillydoll]

Pshew!! A real Bokkie!
It must've been all the mealie pap and boerewors that made him into a hunk.
Now, where are Dad's tattoos? We are panting in anticipation!

[stephenDevlin]

Hi,
for anyone thinking of getting a Camino related tattoo, or any other sort for that matter, and later comes to regret it there is a way to get rid of it.
Laser treatment is painful and very expensive but it works. A tattoo which cost me about £20 some years ago cost more than £800 to have removed.
My advice would be walk on past that tattoo shop.

[Arn]

Sil,

Both my Son and Daughter take their SA heritage seriously. Each, took their new spouse to SA for the honeymoon (30 days) to make sure the connection was reinforced. Ida's family the DeWaals and the Viller's go back quite aways. Her Dad was #3 in SA Railways and had his own car on the Blue Train...yissssssssieeeeeee!

Sil wrote: Now, where are Dad's tattoos? We are panting in anticipation!

Although I have considered them in the past, they weren't an option in my line of work. That said, I am somewhat drawn to the dagger.

We'll just have to wait and see...won't we!

Ta

Arn

[patisbananaman]

I was very interested to come across this thread. I have been contemplating getting a very small tattoo somewhere for about 4 years now and have never found something that I know I would not regret years down the track.

The idea of a small scallop shell sounds quite nice. I'm thinking about 2 square centimetres, so pretty small. Maybe just above the ankle? Or then inside of the forearm near the wrist... has to be on the left though (I'm a lefty)!

Very interesting indeed.
p.