Pamplona - Bulls

Woah this place is nuts! Ok, so my last evening in Paris, I was in my hostel and met Jeff and this girl Quynh (Quinn pronounced) and she was headed to Pamplona alone, but meeting friends so we decided to go together. Good good good...

Before I met them, I shopped on this street called Rue cler and bought cheese, wine, grapes, bread and a little dessert and ate it under the tower again! It was so fun and a beautiful day. Here is the amazing cheese shop!

We got onto a sleeper train and I make a reservation for the first let, but not the second arriving into Spain... when we switched trains, I was actually kinda yelled at and kicked off by the conductor in a small no-named town and didn´t know where I was. I was all alone and totally freaked out! It was hot and I had my pack and none of my phone cards were working. I found this lady who spoke English (I swear the only one in the town) and she actually helped me purchase a phone so I was able to call Quynh and have her meet up with me in Pamplona (but I had missed the last train). So I got on the train nearly in tears to Vitillia (I think) and the NICE conductor tried to help me but we couldn´t understand each other. A second later he came back yelling "Englaise, Englaise!!!" and brought me to 2 american backpackers, Sarah & Molly.... I ws so happy to see them that I gave them a hug! We figured out the best way to get to Pamplona with the conductor´s help. We got held up at one train station, actually boarded the train and then all of a sudden, there was an announcement (that we couldn´t understand) and we all had to get off. We all set in the outside area and everyone kinda drank and ate and NO ONE was impatient!!!! Very different from out culture. That´s kinda how we knew everything was OK... so, we did finally get on the train and it was nuts. Everyone was already in uniform in their white clothing and red bandannas and accessories. Most were young kids ready to party, but there were all ages.

We got to Pamplona and Quynh & Marty were there to meet me! Whew! We had to walk a long way to store our baggage, but did it, changed, met a nice guy while doing so that gave me some advice on how to enjoy the festivities. Then we went back to the train station to get Quynh´s friend, Yen and brought her back and then just enjoyed until 4 am or so! It was a CRAZY all night party... we stayed up all night and then went and slept on the benches at the train station for 45 minutes or so, got up and go ready to go watch the bulls. We got there and everyone decided to run except me! I just couldn´t do it. So, I found a decent place to watch and it was over in a split second! It was just nuts... wait until you see these pictures... The place was crazy!

So, we wantered around a bit, everyone who ran was really excited and this one kid we met got a bit hurt, but he´s fine... messed up his shoulder and got cut in the ring, but, from what I hear, no one was goared today... whew...

So, we all took rests on benches. It is HOT and we are thirsty tired and hungry. We will now head to the train station to change our stuff up, get some food maybe, take a rest on the nice grass there and then head back into town for this evening´s festivities. This should be good. At midnight in the square there is a closing ceremony that I can´t wait for. Then, I will head to Bilbao in the morning and then Barcelona tomorrow everning and when I arrive Saturday morning, Marie said she will have breakfast waiting for me... I can´t wait. By then it will have been 4 days with no shower in the sweltering heat! Gee! Feels like phish tour again, but completely different if ya know what I mean!

Ok... I´m off... thanks for reading!
Smiles, Jess

---

---