Thursday through Sunday, 12-15 July 2007

The Festival of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain with its famous Running of the Bulls can best be described as…

well…

Mardi Gras with hooves and horns.

I’m sure everyone has seen the video footage and read the articles, but this is one of those visits that can only be “experienced”. It’s a non-stop, 24-hour a day street party that is awash in a sea of white and red as almost EVERYone dresses in the festive colours which include the traditional red bandanas and sashes. Brass bands roam the narrow cobblestone streets, the Comparsa de Gigantes parade about and oh yeah… there’s the adult beverages.

I’m not sure if it was the white wine or the beer or the red wine or the champagne or maybe even that homemade Basque libation I sampled, but I’m still moving a bit slow. (Old age has NOTHING to do with it!!)

I won’t attempt to chronologically list our activities as it is all still a blur.

We actually booked through an Austin based company, Ludus Tours (Shameless plug HERE) who made sure our group experienced the event the way it should be.

The Running of the Bulls

We had the opportunity to view “El Encierro” from the vantage point of a balcony overlooking the last long stretch before the bulls entered the arena. Prior to the run, the street is cleared and swept completely clean, and believe me… it needed it. The runners are then allowed out, some of them seemingly not aware the bulls were still in their corral as they sprinted off towards the arena, a full ten minutes before the bulls were released.

Once the bulls are released, the whole run only lasts all of about three minutes, and covers about ½ mile. I’m sure for those on the street it seems longer, especially if you are trying to stay ahead of 1100 pounds of charging beef.

The Bullfight Arena Experience

There are two distinct halves to the bullfighting arena. The Shady Side, which are the best seats and reserved for the more pure bullfighting aficionado, and The Sol (Sunny) side, saved for the more… how shall we say… raucous spectators.

The atmosphere is difficult to describe. Start with the “Food Fight” scene in Animal House; add endless supplies of homemade sangria, beer, and no telling what other forms of libations, throw in complete brass bands, and then bake in a 35°C (conveniently converted to 95° for those that need it) afternoon sun, and that pretty much sums it all up.

Guess which side we were on? To give you an idea, by the end of the bullfights, our white wardrobe was officially pink.

The Bullfight

I won’t get into the whole animal rights/cruelty issue here, but when I wasn’t dodging torrents of sangria; I was definitely on the bull’s side. The one thing I was unaware of was that the matador has a “team” that basically tires the bull out before he EVER engages it.

I’m fully aware that it is all about the show he puts on, but I would have far more respect for his incessant strutting about and cocky exhibits of bravado if he did it all while the bull was fresh and didn’t have six barbed sticks shoved into his shoulders.

But then again… just HOW cocky can you really be when you’re wearing pink socks?

We were actually afforded a rarity during the last fight of the evening as the bull exacted a certain amount of revenge by launching the matador into the air. Funny thing... he didn't seem nearly as "macho" once El Toro exposed his "commando" choice of under garments.

The Closing Ceremonies

As midnight on the last day of the festival nears, thousands upon thousands of revelers fill the square in front of the Town Hall for “Pobre de Mei”, the a candlelight closing ceremony. Upon the mayor’s declaration at midnight of the festival’s conclusion everyone removes their bandana, holds them aloft, and sings traditional songs (that is IF you knew the words). If anyone wants to know exactly how crowded it was need only ask Amy.

What a weekend!! Hopefully, I can soon rid myself of this new found reliance on that whole siesta philosophy.