Pamplona is awesome. First of all, everyone wears the official gear (white shirt, white pants, red bandanna, red faja (belt)) all the time. No matter if it's day or night, whether you are a "runner" or not, 80% of the people are wearing this.
Everyone is also very friendly. If Barcelona is New York, Pamplona during San Fermin is New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
My hotel sold me a pass to a balcony overlooking the running of the bulls (including breakfast). When I got there, it was simply someone's tiny little apartment. So Michael (my uncle's friend) and I basically hung out with some locals, had some wine and some cellophone-wrapped, Twinkie-like breakfast. And watched the bulls. It was awesome.
However, it's a weird spectator sport. It's like watching a 1-lap NASCAR race. Here they come!!! There they go. That's it.
The most interesting part of the day was to see the thousands of people asleep (or passed out) in the city. When I got downtown around 6:30 (the bulls run at 8:00), it looked like everyone was dead....there were sleeping people EVERYWHERE. Huge fields of sleeping people; people in the median, people on park benches, etc., etc. It was quite a sight to see. I will try for some pictures tomorrow.
Another thing is the enormous amount of trash these people leave behind. Everyone seems to have one little plastic bag (like you'd get at a convenience store), with Coke and/or beer and snacks. And they all leave them where they slept. It seems (literally) like it's part of the tradition. Not one single person took their trash to the trash can. I'm not horrified, just fascinated.
Now, let's talk about tomorrow. 15.5 hours from now, I plan to be running with the bulls. Emphasis on "with". Thousands of these runners run directly to the plaza de toros (the bullfighting ring, and the end of the run) way ahead of the bulls. Thousands of others run way behind the bulls. That's bull shit. Pun intended.
Here is my self-imposed rule: I need to touch a bull. No touch, no credit.
OK, I'm showering then off to the bullfight. Then the World Cup final.
Vaya con toros.
-S
Is touching a bull something that is likely to happen during the run? I worry that you are trying to get your throat gored!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your kinda town.
ReplyDeleteHoly sheeeyite dude, T O U C H one? Are you freaking kidding me? I watched it from the ground, about two people rows behind the "barriers" and the power of those things is effing scary! While unpacking in my glorious new Austin abode, I found the newspaper I saved from the local Pamplona paper the day after "my" run, and the front page was a huge photo of a guy with the bull horn right through his thigh.
ReplyDeleteOMG I'm realizing that you are just now probably in line dressed in your white and red. Post soon and let us know how it is and if you touched the beast! Time of your life, man. So did you leave your trash in that park last night too? Did you sit in Hemingway's bar and write your story? Ahhhh, joy.
Tell us about the bullfight too please. It's an absolutely beautiful ballet. Be safe! Drink some calimochos for me!
A city of uniforms?! Did it feel like a giant Pamplonian restaurant?
ReplyDelete