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Published: August 7th 2007
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Synopsis: 22 hour bus ride London-Pamplona, 4 days of booze, one big-arse campsite with a great pool, millions of crazy Spaniards, 1000's of crazy travellers, 6 bulls, one road, and one bloody big and rammed bull-ring.
Detailed description: So i decided to hit up one of the biggest festivals on the European calender, that being the San Fermin festival (otherwise known as the Running of the Bulls) in Pamplona, Spain. The trip involved a 22 hour bus ride down to Pamplona from London, 3 nights camping, and then a 22 hour bus ride back. Now that might sound like a lot of travel for not much time, but i can tell you now that it was worth every second of it!
The bus ride was wild - a big drinking session, with shots, beer bongs, the whole kit and caboodle. It was a great way of meeting everyone on the bus, and whilst ours might sound a little loose, it was nothing compared to some of the antics on the other buses (being pulled up by the french police, fights on board with drivers and guides being punched, pissing in the aisles etc etc). We arrived in Pamplona after
about 1 hours attempted sleep and headed straight for the pool for another session on the red bulls and vodkas, followed by some beers, followed by the red bull and vodkas, followed by dudes jumping off the water slide naked, followed by god knows what. Caught up with my mate from Peru, Beadsy, and it was a top night with an old mate, and lots of new ones.
Next morning involved an early morning wake up call at 7am (it was only going to get worse), and a trip into town for the opening ceremony. Now this was more like it. Tens of thousands of people all going mental in the town square dressed in the customary red and white uniform, throwing champagne and sangria all over each other, waiting for the midday firework to initiate the start of the festival. Girls getting topless, men causing a ruckus, it was seriously a very full on experience when 12 o'clock struck. After this it was straight to an area known as the Mussel Bar, where the old Aussie tradition of being an idiot and trying to kill yourself commenced. Jumping off a 4m high statue stomach first into a group
Bulls entering arena
of people trying to catch you doesnt make much sense at the best of times, let alone when yourself and everyone trying to catch you is off chops! According to rumours, 2 people died, one broke his neck and one shattered his legs when he freaked out and pin dropped off the statue instead of leaping. After this, it was into the bars and the parks to enjoy the festivities, and drink warm Sangria.
The next morning, at 5am we were awoken from our passed out slumbers to head into town for the first bull run. Anticipation was of course at full tilt as we headed into town, however this was to quickly diminish when we arrived in town pretty late and couldnt get onto the course. It's hard to explain, but we eventually snuck our way onto the road, only to be escorted out by the police, along with about 2000 others. Now the only way out was to be pushed forward down the course with police at the back striking anyone with their batons who were causing any problems. People were climbing walls, attempting to get onto balconies, anything to avoid missing out on
doing the run there really wasnt any way out, as the bruise on my shin from a Spanish policemans baton attests. Pledges were made that we wouldnt make the same mistake tomorrow, we'd get some sleep that night, and rise bright and early and do the run on the 2nd day as it was our last chance.
So of course we ended up getting roaringly drunk that night, and with 2 hours sleep arose at 5am to go through the rigmorale all over again. This time Beadsy, a few of his mates and a few of mine gathered early and raced into town and actually made it onto the track at the right time. Unfortunately, because we were there so early meant that we had 90 or so minutes to wait for the 8am start but this didnt matter! We were there and we spent this time psyching ourselves up, talking tactics and basically scaring the shit out of all and sundry.
7:58 eventually rolled around and we were off - a slight walk at the start down the course, and around dead mans corner, and then when the first cracker went off signifying the release of the
bulls, a mad scramble up the street. People falling everywhere, scared individuals climbing walls, drunken louts necking beers and sangria.....the street was absolute bedlam. We found a position up the street abit, hung back against the wall, and watched the craziness surround us as the bulls started to approach. I have never seen such fear in peoples eyes as i saw that morning. Eventually the crowd became too intense, and the bulls were on us. 6 big bastards with bloody sharp horns charging down the street, tossing and trampling on anyone that got in their way. And this is pretty much what i was doing as well - everyman for himself and all as we ran along with the bulls trying to get into the arena before they closed the gates (which they do once the last bull is in). I got the absolute fright of my life when, about 60 metres from the arena, i came across one of the bulls which had fallen over, turned around and was attacking a bloke on the other side of the road. It was either fight or flight for me - stay and hope the bull gets bored and runs into the
arena, or flight, and get the f%ck out of there as fast as humanly possible. I took the flight option, and dont think i have ever run so fast in my entire life into the arena and to the crowd of around 20000 people cheering and yelling for our blood.
From here it was just carnage - they released little bulls into the ring, and they run around goring and charging at everyone as people try to hit them, jump them, prod them. A real incredible sight. The highlight for me, as you can see in a couple of photos, was ducking down in front of the bulls entrance to the arena and facing them front on as they leapt in. Sounds stupid, and it was, but a great thrill nonetheless.
Anyway, to cut the very long story short, i survived the running of the bulls, and the 22 hour bus ride home went by relatively easily (except for the 2 hour wait for the ferry....American Pie 4 guys is not worth the watch by the way) and i made it home in one piece. Hope you enjoy the photos!
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Liam
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Pamplona
Craig One of your best blogs to date, it made me want to go to Spain tomorrow. Hope everything else is good mate, talk soon Liam