Running with the Bulls in Pamplona

As far as festive festivals go, this one was pretty damn festive. First of all, you have no option but to party until dawn, as there is nowhere to sleep even if you wanted to. A typical day starts at 5pm with dinner and a bullfight. Then 12 hours of swilling sangria & calimotxo (cheap red wine & coke) with a few thousand wassailers in the street, then a quick run with some bulls to cap off the evening at 8am, and off to the park to sleep.

I'm now in barcelona recuperating, and I've got to say that I've never appreciated a bed quite as much as I do now.

Anyway, rockclimbing season starts back up tomorrow or so, so It will probably be a few weeks before I can check my mail again.

written by  Jason Kester on July 11, 1998 from Pamplona, Spain
from the travel blog: Europe, North Africa 1998
tagged CertainDeath and SanFermin
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Of course the best reason to come to Pamplona is the San Fermin Festival held every July 7th - 14th. When I came to Pamplona to run with the bulls, I didn’t even know there was a larger fiesta called “San Fermín.” I drove my rental car over the Pyerenees, picked up a guide book at a roadside tourist office, and stood in a lonely phone booth in the middle of Navarra calling hotel after hotel for accommodations in Pamplona. The shock of finding that there were no hotel rooms in Pamplona led me to the web. The first site that came up was www.SanFermin.com, which does have an "English" button (after a lot of searching), but unfortunately, the housing listings were all in Spanish (which I only speak very poorly). This year, there's a new site called www.PamplonaHousing.com that is all in English and has good advice about what to do.

There are expert bull runners who can take you over the entire bull run route and explain how best to avoid mortal wounds. Running with the bulls in Pamplona is a dangerous activity, but well worth the risk if you pay attention to the change it brings inside you. Facing up to death on the streets of Pamplona makes every other challenge in live seem trivial when compared to the running of the bulls.

So, if you’re looking for a hotel room in Pamplona, I wish you buena suerte. Most of the Pamplona hotels were sold out by mid-March for the running of the bulls. If you have a few friends with you and you need lodging in Pamplona, you might try that site. If you just have one or two people, this gets more difficult... hotel rooms in Pamplona are best suited for groups that size, as Pamplona apartments typically can accommodate 6 to 12 people.

Coming to Pamplona to run with the bulls was one of the highlights of my life. I hope you have an equally fantastic experience during San Fermín.

written by  ozadvent on April 15, 2007 from Pamplona, Spain
from the travel blog: Pamplona is my new home
tagged SanFermin, Pamplona and RunningOfTheBulls
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If you're not yet in Pamplona, get here. Now. I'll buy you a drink (or at least dump one over your head).

written by  Jason Kester on July 6, 2007 from Pamplona, Spain
from the travel blog: Living in Spain
tagged SanFermin and Fiesta
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Aqua! Aqua!

Day One of San Fermines was Huge. Thousands of wassailing wastrels in red and white packing the back alleys of the old town. Elbow to elbow carnage of spilled drinks and shouted enthusiasm. I need new clothes!

The Blogabond She-Squad in Full Pout!

After a late night, we were all up bright and early for the Running of the Bulls. Carnage ensued, and eventually we made it back to the place in search of siesta.

Taken out by the Vaca

It's a pretty simple game, really:

1. See how close you can get to the Rampaging Bull

2. Attract the attention of the Rampaging Bull to impress your friends.

3. Land.

4. Try to get up and escape before the Rampaging Bull tosses you again.

5. See how far you can remain from the Rampaging Bull.

For a full two hours, champagne corks popped and wine flew through the air, along with various colorful liquids, flour, mustard, and anything else that people thought to bring along so as to make matters worse. People kept cramming in, packing the crowd tight enough that it was nigh impossible to swill Kalimotxo anymore. Crowds surged. The faint of heart were passed back overhead to safety. Finally, the mayor and her entourage stepped out on the balcony and launched the rocket that officially started the festivities. Somehow it ramped up a notch. I wouldn't have thought there were any notches left.

That was four hours ago. The place is a mess. My previously white clothes are mostly yellow, with a bit of purple thrown in. We're halfway through the week's supply of wine. I need a shower.

Gora San Fermin!

written by  Jason Kester on July 6, 2008 from Pamplona, Spain
from the travel blog: Living in Spain
tagged SanFermin and Fiesta
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