July 8th Pamplona: San Fermin Festival (running of the bulls)

July 8th

Pamplona’s San Fermin Festival is fun and that’s no bull

I wasn’t so sure I would be up for a trip to Pamplona to go to the San Fermin Festival, as the city of 200,000 is barraged with 500,000 visitors.  Every person I spoke with from San Sebastian said I shouldn’t miss it.  Actually, what they said is that I shouldn’t miss the San Fermin Festival…with or without the running of the bulls, known as the “Encierro.”

Orange line in center is the path bulls run

The deal was sealed when our 2 guests coming from California wanted to experience it.  Originally we looked at renting a balcony for $150 per person for a guaranteed view of the Encierro.  This seemed a bit much, for what would most certainly be a fleeting glimpse of the bulls and runners.  So instead I booked us on the 5am bus to Pamplona, an hour away, so we could stake out a viewing spot along the route.  We came prepared dressed in the traditional white pants and shirt with red scarf and sash that can be purchased for next to nothing all over San Sebastian, and Pamplona.

Our view through fence boards

6:45am we found our viewing spot

Suddenly waiting runners break into a sprint as bulls come

You can just barely see a bull amongst the runners

It was fun to arrive early, joining the hordes of young people still up from the night before.  Some were curled up in public places with their friends using each other’s thighs as pillows.  We found a decent spot towards the end of the route that the bulls would be running.  The whole route is about a half mile (.8km) winding through the narrow cobbled streets. Parts of the route are double fenced with wood fencing; the boards are spaced wide enough for a human to slip through, but not a bull.  Despite our limited view through the 2 fences (medics are in the space between the 2 fences), the anticipation generated from the sound of the first gun blast at 8am signifying the start of the race, the roar of the crowd growing as the bulls and runners neared us, and the slapping of runners shoes rising to a crescendo on the cobble stone as they and the bulls ran past was oddly exciting…it was a very short run, just over 2 minutes. Apparently the number of runners varies on any given day from about 1500 to 3000 with over 50% being foreigners 
these days.

Post Encierro:  Viewing the days run

Afterwards saw the video of the day's run, which is replayed (and sold) on screens in various locations in the city.  I was amazed at the sheer density of the runners as they surrounded, and touched the bulls.  It is no wonder that there are plenty of injuries from falls, not just gorings. 

Of the dozen animals running in the Encierro, 6 are oxen, and 6 are bulls.  The oxen act to encourage the bulls forward. Runners are screened for intoxication…they can’t be drunk.  Selfie sticks are banned too.  Drew’s favorite T-shirt was of a cartoon bull taking a selfie  with a selfie stick, while goring a runner.

Later in the day there would be bullfights, undeniably cruel in my opinion, and considered an act of cultural expression rather than a sport.  The bulls are killed in the end, which is not the case in all countries (like France).  Catalonia actually decided to ban bullfighting in 2010.  An Ipsos Mori poll in 2013 showed less than 30% of Spaniards support it.  And those who do tend to be older.

early morning cleanup crew hard at work

The sea of people in red and white was really striking.  It’s easy to lose your companions in the crowd.  We met a young guy from Kentucky who had lost his dad the night before, and was hoping to find him at the train station in the evening.  We saw a small child of 5 who had wandered off, as everyone looked 
alike in white and red he couldn’t identify his parents and he burst into tears.  Adults came running to help, looked for his festival identification necklace with his phone number, and called his dad, who were nearby and sheepishly snatched him into his arms.

Bronze statue of encierro decorated with trash

The tremendous amount of trash generated during the previous evening’s concerts and fireworks was unbelievable.  Massive clean up crews with rakes managed to clear the parks and plazas swiftly (in 2013 over 1000 tons of trash were collected during the weeklong festival). Decent public toilet trailers were set up around the city.  They were free, but toilet paper was rationed…the attendant deftly wrapped a single loop of paper around her hand, tore it from the roll and handed it to the next person waiting in line (never asking #1 or #2).  No worries, savvy travelers are always prepared with their own stash.   

With the Encierro finished we walked toward the large Plaza de Castilla to relax at Café Iruña, made famous by Ernest Hemingway.  I struck up a conversation with the guys at the next table,  a doctor and businessman, boyhood friends who now live on opposite ends of the glove from each other.  They met in Spain for a baptism, but on a whim decided the night before to drive 6+ hours to run with the bulls!  Next we followed the scallop shell symbols imbedded in the cobbled streets, indicating that we were walking the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route used since the middle ages.  I heard music in the distance and went around the corner to investigate.  En route 3 guys started dancing, whisked me into their trio, and before I knew it, I was hoisted up onto a huge guy’s shoulders…he continued dancing, while I clutched his head noticing how far away the ground was appearing, and calculating how I might make me way back to mother earth safely! 

giants

big head

After that little unexpected adventure, serendipity took us to the parade route of the “dancing giants” (Gigantes) and “big heads”(Cabezudos).  The 4 meter giants represent people from the 4 corners of the world, walking and spinning to music.  The “big heads” are part of the giants entourage and are just kind of weird and scary looking as they whacked small children with a sponge in a net-like bag which they swung from sticks. 

parade of giants

My friend Ana told me that when she was a kid she was terrified of these bigheads, because in those days they were still whacking kids the traditional way, with pig bladders!   I guess they are sort of early predecessors to the Disney characters that walk the streets of Disney land. I read something funny - if a big head bops your child and accidentally breaks your child’s glasses, you shouldn’t worry as the festival has insurance for this!  http://www.sanfermin.com/index.php/en/la-fiesta/comparsa.  

Parade of giants and bigheads

kids have the best views 

Stance of opening ceremony

bulls decorate balconies all over town

People spontaneously broke into folk dances with fancy footwork as bands paraded by played…many carried toddlers on their shoulders.  We spread our sarongs (a travel essential in my book) and enjoyed a little siesta in the sun on the grassy lawn after lunch near the medieval wall…We weren’t able to stay late for the fireworks, concerts and chaos to follow.  We hopped back on the bus and enjoyed to gorgeous mountainous scenery all the way back to San Sebastian.