It happens to the best of us...one gets a little carried away with an idea and then...years later you wonder...hmmm how did I ever get here? Time for a pause...a chuckle about what was created way back in 2013 and then going forward do more of the same! ☺️
Two topics covered in this blogpost…my career as a self published author ✍️ and my collection of Compostela’s/Certificates.
Authored books
Volumes 7 & 8 (total pages 2,214) are hot off the press and should be on the bestseller book lists any day now. Just a wee problem in that I am the only person who has ever seen or purchased these books ðĪĢ
Some background...a few years ago a scary thought occurred. Stop and think about various entertainment media that basically no longer exist except as collector items ie cassette tapes, 8 track tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, vinyl records, Beta & VHS tapes etc. My blog uses Blogger software…when will that dissapear? My life’s work down the drain in an instant ðģð°ð.
Terrified, I started Googling and voila www.Pixxibooks.com was the answer. Easy to use software…link the Blog address…choose required blogposts…add book title…Author (me)…volume #...certify that my Blogposts are my own ie ChatGPT was NOT used…pay my $ and presto a really impressive book is published.
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| Sample pages...A story...statistics and FOOD! ☺️ |
For those who wonder if I seriously think I have authored 8 books…well the answer is of course no however in my moments in La La land I do like to pretend. Well maybe I have authored a series of “short stories” at best ☺️
A side project has been publishing smaller books for friends who somehow allowed themselves to be rooked into walking with me. They should have known better…as a thank you for their patience and good humour a number of special edition books have been created.
8 books have been sent to Cyrille (Camino friend France), Georges (Camino friend Belgium), Paulo (Camino friend Brazil - 2 books), Marc (brother Winnipeg Canada), Dennis & Elaine (friends Winnipeg Canada), Greg (friend Winnipeg Canada), John (Camino friend Ireland)
At some point…maybe sooner than later…the printing press will stop ð. Hopefully I have a book or two left in me…then perhaps a little wiser (can hardly be less wise than I currently am ðĪĢ)…a few years older I will be in my rocking chair rereading about these past experiences.
Who knows maybe a grandchild or even a great grandchild will at some point pick up a book and perhaps be inspired to set off with a backpack and explore.
Ok well that’s as philosophical and serious as I can get…some pictures…really for my future old age reading pleasure.
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| Current 8 volume set at home along with cook books and other assorted walking ideas! |
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| Vol 1 Via Jacobi, Via Gebennensis, Via Podiensis (The Puy Route) - 2013; Vol 2 Camino Frances - 2014, Kumano Kodo - 2015, Thames River Walk - 2015 |
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| Vol 3 Camino Portuguese - 2018 Camino Primitivo Alternate - 2020; Vol 4 Camino Primitivo & San Salvador - 2022 |
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| Vol 5 Various & PEI Island Walk; Vol 6 Japanese Documentary & 2023 UK Coast to Coast |
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| Vol 7 Past Blogpost Mini Series & Current Challenges; Vol 8 PEI Walking Completion & Kerry Way Ireland |
Compostela’s and Certificates
On recognized Camino de Santiago routes one earns a Compostela designation for having walked at least 100 kms into Santiago de Compostela. Rules have recently been revised to make this requirement more flexible…much too detailed to explain here. ðģ
I admit it was a real thrill back in 2014 when I lined up with many Pilgrim walkers at the Pilgrim office to receive my Compostela. Just simply a good feeling and nice memento.
Many Camino veterans simply stop getting Compostela certificates…really past one or two…what the heck can one do with these? I suppose some might line them up on a wall or something…well that’s not possible in our living space…honestly it would really not look cool ð.
Maybe simply due to my longstanding habit of collecting things (and subsequently selling them after fun negotiations) ie hockey cards, Beatles cards, Sheriff hockey plastic coins, coin collection, Beehive hockey cards and the grandaddy of them all my lapel pin collection…oh my ðĪ... I keep lining up at the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrims office whenever I have earned a Compostela.
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| My work of art ðĪ...styrofoam cut to scale, spray painted to fit a wall! |
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| Now covered with Canadian Lapel pin collection |
My various Compostela’s have forlornly sat in a drawer in cardboard tubes over the years. Then one day it dawned on me…laminate them...hmm lamination is my thing! Off I went to Staples concerned that these curled up documents could not be laminated however Staples worked their magic!
Now I will slip these treasures in my books and…well…you know…they will simply be there ðĪĢ. For no reason other than I had a couple of spare minutes ð I am including pictures of such.
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Distance Certificate Rorschach Switzerland to Finisterre Spain over 3 walks...wasn't sure about distance walked so guessed 2,400 kms...after realized 2,600 kms was the actual distance. No big deal!
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| Certificate - Camino Finisterre 94 kms |
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| Special 800th Anniversary Pilgrim Certificate 0 kms |
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Compostela - Camino Portuguese Actual 373 kms including disastrous first 4 days from Lisbon ð°
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| Certificate - Camino San Salvador 126 kms |
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| Certificate - Completion of PEI Island Walk 706 kms |
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| Compostela - Bray Celtic Camino Ireland 32 kms |
Fall 2025 Camino plans are finalized…the young Brazilian lawyer Paulo has a few personal details to work out then Oct 3 ✈️ to Madrid Spain ðŠðļ.
It’s quite a “different" planned long walk…future blogpost with a few graphs to be published in a month or so. Somehow Paulo bought my plan…I suspect he doesn’t fully appreciate the original creativity involved. ☺️ A good friend whose thinking likely is something like “Guy has limited long walk shelf life…I will humour him…his plans have worked out pretty well in the past…all will be good…somehow” ðĪŠ
To boot a May 2026 long walk plan has emerged similar in nature to the infamous and fun 2015 Thames River Walk from Oxford and Windsor. Walking company chosen...initial deposits made...accommodation bookings in progress...air flights pending (have a spreadsheet and graph to analyze “best” time to book)...final payment pending...really looking forward to this walk with special friends all of whom I have known dating back just shy of 50 years...3rd year University 1976-1977!
No specific comments yet about where, who etc other to say that one member of the group has specifically requested/pleaded that the following transportation item MUST be made available ðĪĢ. As “official walk organizer" I am to coordinate with the walking company (they seem to flexible...we shall see) to make this wagon available and I am to pull as needed!!!
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| Little Red Wagon - cushions and pillows will also be needed |