A great looking pilgrim I met in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain) at the very end of my 700 km walk. His name is Zapatones and he is a well known living monument in Santiago. The scallop shell on the man's hat has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. It is often found on the shores in Galicia. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on mythical, metaphorical and practical meanings, even if its relevance may actually derive from the desire of pilgrims to take home a souvenir.

The Way of St. James has existed for over a thousand years. It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times, together with Rome and Jerusalem (read more). The above photo has been shot with the Samsung NX11, provided by Samsung Electronics. Co., Ltd.

Me taking the photo of the old man:


© 2011 - Ben Heine