Tony and Liz's Travel Adventures: SPAIN: Running of the BULLS - Pamplona Madness: Day 3 at El Torros Arena

Some more Google News reports about the San Fermin Festival - http://www.expatica.com/es/news/spanish-news/breakaway-bull-causes-havoc-in-pamplona-festival_236931.html
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Pamplona MADNESS: Day 3. At the El Torros Arena

We had no idea what to expect, but it was just on sunrise when we walked into the Old City, and although buses were running on a 24hr schedule we needed a boost to wake us up – the quick coffee hadn’t kicked in. On the way were people sleeping everywhere in parks, camped in cars (with the engine and lights on, we could still hear music – but this time coming from a Rave party at the Fair Ground. Thank God, the subliminal didn’t pick up on these tunes !!

As we walked into the city the streets were filled with thousands of people, drinks in hand, still partying from the night before. It was CRAZY !! (still).

Still Partying Day 3 on sunrise

We made our way to the Arena, got some tickets from a scalper (his face engrained in Sheryle’s memory forever), but got into the Arena, got the best seats with the best views of the gates and one of the big screen TVs. Here we could watch the Runners limbering up, under police control and vetting, and the release of the bulls at The Encierro (the first 280 metres up a steep slope) at 8am.

Gates released at 8am

Queue waiting to buy Arena tickets at 5.30am

As the time drew on the Del Torros arena filled to capacity about 10-15 thousand could have been more with standing room only. And the pre-Bull entertainment was – wait for it – a Band, trumpets, drums and all playing traditional Spanish songs.

Pre-show entertainment

Paramedics also get a huge cheer as they position themselves around the arena to be ready to treat the carnage (injuries).And you guessed it Sheryle and I were bouncing around to the beat throwing in the Ole’s and cheers in all the right places (hmmm subliminal).That was scary and we were sober !!

Scanning around the crowd was so funny because there were obviously festival goers who hadn’t sobered up / or had a sleep, some still had their wine/sangria soaked stained shirts on from Friday, (this is when you shouldn’t wear your Aussie T-shirts - shame, shame, shame) trying to get Mexican waves going and just having a good harmless time.

About 7.45am they fired up the big screens and we could see the activity.

Runners waiting for the gates
to open and bulls to charge

First through were a number of runners who were only in it for the running practice only – no bulls involved.

They were the first to run into the stadium, to the Boos and jeers and pelting of empty plastic bottles and wine cups, with the spectators shouting something translated similar to “Cowards” or “Sons of Bitches”

Then a couple of minutes later you could tell the fair-dinkum runners coming into the arena – just the looks on their faces and that they kept looking behind them was enough to say they were genuine, and genuinely frightened.

Then just when we thought there was a lull, all of a sudden hundreds of runners entered (read that as - scrambled over each other, falling, pushing each other out of the way and skidding) followed by around a dozen huge bulls.

First of the hundreds of runners into the Arena

Which I should mention here - the pre-show entertainment is like the preliminary introductions of the State of Origin. On the big screens each Bull is pictured with his name, the year they were born, and what they weighed. One of the bulls, Carnelito (could that be translated as "little CARNAGE") weighed in at 640 kg and reminded me of Glen Lazarus – he would have weighed close to that!!

LITTLE CARNAGE

But fancy having something of that size charging after you and, imagine the fear and adrenalin rush.

Bulls into the Arena after the runners

With all the runners in the stadium, the bulls followed and were directed into corrals. They had done their bit for the day. Next was the real action.

With all the hundreds of runners in the arena younger smaller feisty bulls were let upon them, these bulls seemed to be overawed by the scene and mass movement of all the runners. As Tony described it – it was like a parting of the sea.

The runners just charged to the sides of the arena like in some fluid motion all following each other, and fear on their faces. The bull took centre stage looking for a victim, or the closest person. Because there was so many people in there they had no where to go, and the gates had been locked so they couldn’t get out. It was CHAOS !!! Some may consider this the chance for the bulls to get their revenge with so many targets, they couldn’t really miss, collecting someone.

After a while, still pumped up on adrenalin, some of the runners started to taunt the bulls so they would charge at them. They pulled their tails, smacked them on the rump and did anything they could to get the bulls to target them. At one point we even saw a guy hurdle over a bull. But in all you can see exactly why there are injuries because these people put themselves into that situation, notwithstanding the fact that all the bulls’ horns are corked/covered as some form of protection. Given the sheer size of the horns I don’t think it mattered much.

Parting of the seas
- look at the number of runners
on the inside edge of the ring

Ouchhh that hurt

One guy that stood out had been chasing the bull around when it did actually turn and charge at him. He was taken over the horns and across the bulls back. He hit the ground pretty hard and staggered away with his back turned to the bull. Bad move!! The bull charged at him again from behind and he went flying into the air a second time. Others were being trampled upon and if it wasn’t by the bull it was by the people trying to get away from the ferocious bull. Just when the runners thought that was it –they released another younger bull – just as, or more feisty than the last. The crowd were starting to tire, but fresh bulls were brought out about every 10-15 mins.

All this and it was only around 9.30am. and the spectacle was starting to wind down. We were ready to head back have a coffee and a catch up snooze. Waking up later in the day it was like it was a dream. Surely it wasn’t real. It was real and it was real crazy!!!

The next afternoon Sheryle and Ulee would be heading back to Madrid then off for the rest of their 2 month Europe holiday. Safe travels Aussies. We wish you well and might see you back in Oz.

For us, we still had another day in Pamplona and decided to take in some sights that we hadn’t in the previous days. We caught a couple of local buses, the 3, 14 and 21 and ventured into other parts of the city including the park where the fireworks are set off each night.

At 3.00pm the crowds were already getting their vantage points. I’d be happy just to see them from our window, because no matter what time of day it was the size of the spectators and festival goers just didn’t reduce. We discovered some more food courts where they sold Paella, BBq’d rabbits, pork spare ribs, suckling pigs, indescribable meats and a variety of chorizo that we never see in Oz.

We even contemplated going to the arena again the next day, but thought against that, we thought how can you better that experience. But we made our mark instead on one of the fences that lead the bulls up to the arena, on who we thought were the real winners on the day.

Pamplona is one place that we will never forget, not forget the partying, the amounts of alcohol that people consume, the Spanish love of the San Fermin Festival, the number of Aussies who go there and run with the bulls.

We will not forget the Red and White outfits and the “must have” Panuelo, the music and dancing, the fun things going on around us. I just wish there was one thing we could forget – the horrible smell of urine that permeates through the town because people, both males and females, are too drunk and just unload anywhere, or they can’t be bothered using a loo. In having said that there were an abundance of Portable WCs placed everywhere throughout the city. And the colour they were painted? Gotta keep with the colour theme of the festival – Red and White !!

Next stop Lisbon on a RENFE Trenhotel overnight sleeper from Pamplona via San Sebastian. Depart Pamplona at 7.30pm arrive Lisbon at 10.30am.

During the changeover at San Sebastian we talked to 2 Aussie guys who ran the very day we were at the arena. They said it was the fastest 800 mtrs they had even run in their life. And as for going into the arena ??, not really, the 800 mtr run alone, was frightening enough. Something they were very honest about and said they would NEVER do again either. But geez – isn't it a great story to tell the folks back home. These guys might even be in one of my photos.