Pamplona - The Bulls

Pamplona, Spain. Dawn, by the Corral

Bull Runnings

Bullfighting has a long history, and worth learning about before going. See www.andalucia.com/bullfight/home.  Catalonia has moved to ban killing the bull, see http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1930746,00.html

Here is The Drill for watching a bull run at Pamplona. And a guide: ://www.spainguides.com/pamplona.html.

1.  Walk down the evening before to see the bulls arrive at the corrals; and plan where to go for the run the next day.

We were there when killing is the goal.  I tried not to think too much about it. The festival is in the name of Saint Fermin, Pamplona's first bishop, says this reputable site, http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-521104/Fiesta-de-San-Fermina. We had been told that he was a martyr, killed by bull-dragging or trampling.  He was first a bishop, then the martyr in the 1st Century AD, but those events occurred in Amiens France, see ://www.pptravel.com/eventhistory.asp?EventID=SF/.  The year traditionally was 257 AD (makes more sense than a cite to 1st Century). He was tied to a bull and dragged. See ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Fermin.

See a daily roster of events at www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/europe/spain/pamplona_bull_run.php.

2.  Get up at 5 AM to walk walk walk from wherever you found a room, to claim the spot for viewing.

We had checked out where to go the night before, aiming to see the bulls safely, and we found a high spot at the starting section, at the top of a flight of stone steps leading to a square. We were at the beginning of the run.

Grab a coffee and bun as you go, watch people with the fire hoses washing down the streets, and washing the el inebriatos out of the doorways.

3.   Once you get your place, hold it - if you shift an inch, someone will slither in front of you - Viva Yo - and you lose. Or a big arm with an alien camera will suddenly block your view. Plan for it. That's life.

Pamplona, Spain. The Runners Amass

Look down and see everybody in the red and white customary attire - includes women these days. Hear the runners sing their Prayer to St. Fermin - that is a chanty singsong in honor of that St. Fermin who was martyred by bulls in centuries past.















4.  There goes the rocket.  Out come the bulls and up the street below.

Pamplona, Spain. The Rocket, the Bull Run, with a few oxen.




















5.  Then see the scatter.

Pamplona, Spain. The Great Scatter at the Bull Running

Everybody run.

Bulls and people tend to slip at the curves, on the cobbles; and are totally confused and panicked at the end of the run, to the tunnel into the ring.
Several oxen run with bulls in an effort to keep them calmer, but it is dangerous.

We heard many sirens, off an on, all during the run. At least in the tunnel, there are roll slots you can roll into and out of the way, or leap into cut-outs in the wall.

Meanwhile, in the ring, people have been entertaining the crows by clowning with calves, or female cattle that will not then be used in the ring, I think. The animals are smart and learn what to do fast. They don't get used or exposed to the ring twice, I hear.

The bullfights are on TV all the time, and to this outsider, there is nothing glorious and epic about the encounters I saw between man and brute forces that Michener wrote about in the old "Iberia." Capitalism took over. Advantage: to the people. Seldom not messy. But that is an outsider speaking. Limited. But there is a lot to learn about the tradition behind it, so do read and respect www.passports.com/trips/cityfact/cityfact.asp?city=The%20Spanish%20Bullfight.

Pamplona, Spain. Mounted Police, in Feathers. End of Day.













6.  Expect inebriation. Everywhere. You will also get wet. Very wet. Wine and beer are poured and sprinkled about at the end of the day. Set a meeting place in case you get separated. Practice locking arms. If the crowd squeezes and you can't move, then you can stay together.

Police on horseback to control everything.

Read Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" for a fine literary lookback. Here is an excerpt: at ://www.literarytraveler.com/authors/hemingway_pamplona_spain.aspx

Lodging: Paradors; Michener 's Iberia, and Viva Yo

1. Hotels -- Paradors.

1.1  Paradors are 90 government hotels in converted convents, monasteries and castles, usually moderately priced by US standards (higher than the bargain places we usually used), but high quality and in the most convenient locations. The system began in 1928 (NYT 7/23/06 at s.5, p.10)

Check them out before going to a regular hotel. We made the mistake of assuming Paradors were always too expensive. 

They are usually charming, a fine respite.  See upscale Cuenca Parador: http://www.paradores-spain.com/spain/pcuenca.Parador.  This was the Dominican Monastery de San Pablo, 16th C. 125 Euro per night in 2006.  Some $160.00. 


2. Michener:  Iberia.  Reference book for a cultural kick-start.

Take a paperback of Iberia, by James Michener, from the 1950's. It is large, at 818 pages, but you can rip out as you read chapters, and leave them nicely for someone else, if you like sharing.  Read Michener the night before you are about to enter a new section of the country.

•  Concepts. Viva Yo. This roughly means long live me, as I understand it. See http://www.citybeat.com/2000-11-16/art.  Viva Yo was a favorite concept of Picasso, says the site. 
• Michener also describes it as, "Good for me." 
• It is a good-humored way to look at the situation, when someone takes your seat because you stood up to see better. They did a good viva yo on you. 
• The best response is a wry grin of sorts, give a flourish of quiet applause, at their success, then politely ask if they could make a little room so you also could sit.
• Or,  when surrounded by people wanting some money for watching your car as you venture a distance away (they know that -- as in Cordoba, with the Cathedral across a long bridge).  Navigate a close job of parking, cheer yourself while inside so all can see, then simply exit your own car, then give a hearty Viva Yo, point to one man who looks promising, give him some money, and leave with a sound point in his direction, and a smile.  We found no trouble.