Vacation Until August 21

The month of August is a month of vacation for the people of Spain. As per the custom, I will be traveling until the 21st. I will be in:

Vienna, Austria
Prague, Czech Republic
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Edinburgh, Scotland
London, England

See you later! When I return: Montserrat and Figueres.

San Fermines: Part Four: What Else to Do during San Fermines

So, what else is there to do at San Fermines beside the typical "Get wasted and run"?

As it turned out, there's a lot you can do. I'm going to write about some of the highlights we saw. First though: Pamplona is a terrible place to see during San Fermines. There's trash everywhere from old bottles of alcohol to food wrappers and a constant smell of spilt alcohol, vomit and urine. Dumpsters became urinals. The city sprayed the streets with water every day, but it didn't really do anything. There are people passed out in the street or a field and other stumbling around or sitting with their head in their hands. We saw a guy who was just lying next to a bench, like he couldn't have made it on the bench. We were actually concerned he was dead. I was really glad to get back to Barcelona, it seemed like Heaven.

R took us to the ancient city wall, which overlooks another portion of the city. It was really beautiful and one of the few places that was "San Fermines" free. Which makes sense- if you were drunk and came here, you'd fall off the wall and die. It was a pretty long drop. We didn't take the elevator but we did walk along it until we came to the pen where the bulls were kept. We also went to a beautiful park(don't know the name)where the citadel was. Now, it's used to house deer and an assortment of birds. We saw a chicken that looked like David Bowie, it was incredibly bizarre.

I wanted to see some of the churches so we went to one that was the oldest church in Pamplona. I was a little appalled when two members of our group fell asleep in the pew, and that other tourists were talking pretty loudly during mass. There weren't many church goers, but it still made me a little sad. The church was really interesting, and we also saw a San Sebastian pilgrim. The other church was more interesting to me because it had one of the few statues of San Fermines. R told me that they think San Fermines was possibly Moorish because he has black skin(the statue does). But they couldn't be sure because it could have been the smoke from the candles.

San Fermines

San Fermines is a saint who was killed by being beheaded. He is one of the co-saints of Navarre. In Pamplona, it's also popular to say he was beheaded and dragged through the streets by bulls, hence why people run with the bulls. R told me that the bull running is actually just because that's how they used to get the bulls to the arena, and people just started running with them. I think I learned that tradition doesn't always have the easiest explanation. Or you have to find the right person to get the real reason.

Every night during San Fermines, there is a spectacular fireworks show. We went twice, which I really enjoyed both nights. One of R's roommates informed us that every night, the fireworks are from a different country. The first night, we didn't know but the second night was from Denmark.

L-R: America, Africa, Asia, Europe

One of most interesting things we did was go to the parade of gigantes and cabezudos. This was more of a family event, and it was so much fun! There are 8 gigantes which are large statues made of wood and plaster. They are lifted up by one dancer, who walks with it and eventually dances to traditional Basque music, which was mostly drums and flutes. It was really cute, watching the pairs dance with each other. Each pair represents a different continent: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North/South America. We had trouble identifying each one, the picture should give you an idea why.  The 11 cabezudos represent people from the town, like the mayor. They were smaller, just heads that people would wear. There was a pair of Japanese people(they looked Chinese) but we weren't sure why there were there. They carried whips with foam on the end(it used to be a pig bladder) that they would hit children and adults on the head with. I got hit a couple times but it was fun. We tried to get pictures with the most famous one, who we didn't know his name, but he wasn't standing still for anyone!

The best thing we did was running from the Toro del Fuego, or Fire Bull. We had no idea what to expect with this one, so we youtubed it! From what we saw, it was a metal frame of a bull strapped with fireworks that was put on a bike wheel and sent down the street. Okkkayyy...cool I guess.

Toro Del Fuego

It wasn't like that at all! We got there, ready to have some fun and run from the "bull". Turns out, it's NOT a bike and it's NOT just shot down the street. It's a man carrying it, and he chases you! We had a lot of fun running, and I got a little burned. Note: When running from a bull that shoots fireworks pretty low to the ground, where a long sleeve, high necked shirt. Sparks went down my shirt, and it hurt a bit. But, at least I can say I ran from something!

San Fermines: Part Three: The Running of the Bulls

Disclaimer: I want to point out that while I do talk a lot about drinking, I did not go overboard or lose control. For many tourists, the point of San Fermines is to drink and get smashed, but in my case, I didn't do that because I was in a city where I wasn't very familiar with the layout or the language.  I did feel safe drinking because I was with my friends, but none of us went overboard.

After our lovely, LONG nap, dinner, picking up C, and a little bit of pregaming, we went back out around midnight to party and stay up all night until the bull running at 8:00 am. We opted to do this because everything opens later in Spain, and since things don't close until 6:00 am it made more sense.

We started with the walk to the main city square and then on to where we had been earlier in the day. There, K and C went to grab something else to drink, and A made a new friend, a guy from France. I think he was really just messing with him, but I digress, it was funny. K and C came back with a group of guys they had made friends with and we all went to a bar that seemed to also be a club. We ended up staying there the entire night, I had a lot of fun and made some new friends, 2 French guys and one Spanish girl. R and I occasionally went out to the square to get some air, where in general, things were pretty crazy.

Finally it was time to go to the running. We originally tried to go to the fences where the bulls actually run but was unable to. There were so. Many. People. One of the French guys came with us, and we ended up at the arena where the running ends.

The actual running is dangerous. Everyone knows this. But it isn't just running from the bulls that's dangerous, it's also the people that are dangerous. R said that people don't realize that the Pamplonans train all year. The key is to run in a pack, not by yourself. There hasn't been a death since the 1970s, and most of them have been from being gored by bulls. The exception has been a case of a man who suffocated while trying to get in the doors of the arena. It gets really packed in the doors because they aren't very big and people must get in them before the bulls.

We found really great seats and waited for about an hour. My friends were dozing off and I had completely lost my voice. There was a band playing in the center of the ring while we waited.

Band!

 

 Finally, it started!We watched the actual running from a screen that was right across from us. People were cheering and shouting, and it was really cool to watch. They signal the race by a series of rockets, which we couldn't hear but we found out later. We didn't see anything unusual, it really just looked like people were running with bulls. And it seemed to go really slowly. In reality, it didn't take long before people began pouring into the arena, and the bulls soon followed. It must be an entirely different experience running as opposed to watching. We later found out there were several injuries, mostly just bruises and sprained bones, but one 73 year old man did get gored by a bull. He was from Pamplona, so it was unlikely that this was his first time running, or even getting gored. It happened at the very beginning of the race, which is why we didn't see it.

Watching the running

Releasing the bull into the ring.

Afterwards, when all the bulls had run through the arena, they locked the people in the arena and would push them back in if they tried to get out(or in if they hadn't run). Then, they released six other bulls one at a time and people tried to touch them or get them to charge. These bulls were not the ones that ran, they were actually younger bulls. These 6 bulls were supposed to be showcased for when they were older and would be entering the arena for a bullfight. The ones that had run would be killed later in the day at the bullfight. But the 6 that went in were young, with padded horns(so nobody really got all that hurt).

This part was my favorite part to watch. It was interesting to see how each bull was. Some were pretty docile and others were charging and jumping. One bull jumped clear over the people who were waiting at the gate for it, and then picked someone and charged. Another picked a guy up onto its horns and ran with him. Other people in the arena ended up taking him off to the side for a breather before he ran back out. One guy had a pink and yellow cape that he was waving around, but none of the bulls really went for it. I think he was a tourist. :)

It was particularly interesting to see how the bull got out of the arena. The bull handlers(men with long poles) would bring out an absolutely massive older bull. We never did figure out if it was a female or male, as this species has horns for both genders. But as soon as this bull was seen by the younger one, it immediately became docile and went to its side. We figured out it was most likely the head of the herd, and was quite old. Some people tried to get the older bull to engage, but it didn't. I don't know why they would have wanted it to. Even from as far as we were, we could see how huge it was. It looked like a giant compared to any of the others we had seen. One guy thought it was a good idea to continue to try and engage the younger bull(one of the more aggressive ones) after it had fallen in line with the older one. It was really obvious he was pulling the poor bulls tail, I could see him leaning back with the tail in his hands.

The bull handlers stepped in and began hitting him with the big poles they carried. When he let go and fell on the ground, they kept hitting him, and I think they might have kicked him as well. They dragged him over to the side of the ring and he was dragged out by the police. I didn't really feel all that bad for him.

After it was over, we went back to the flat and took a much needed sleep. It was a pretty crazy experience!

San Fermines: Part Two: The First Day

Uno de Enero,
dos de Febrero,
tres de Marzo,
cuatro de Abril,
cinco de Mayo,
seis de Junio,
siete de Julio San Fermin.

A Pamplona hemos de ir,
con una media,
con una media,
a Pamplona hemos de ir
con una media y un calcetín

My very first day in Pamplona was also the very first day of San Fermines(July 7). San Fermines is the patron saint of Pamplona, which is a little town located almost in Basque Country. I'll talk more about him on my third day post, when I actually went to some of the churches and saw his figure. He'll also keep appearing throughout the posts, since this is a festival to celebrate him! 

The very first thing we did was go out and buy food. K and I went to a grocery store very close to the piso or flat. R was nice enough to allow us to stay there with his four rommates. With the other people that they had invited/were being paid to stay there, we were 13 in a four bedroom apartment. Two of the guys who were contracted to stay also brought two guests, who I personally got a very bad vibe from. They also didn't TELL anyone they were bringing them. One of them tried to take K's couch, which is a story in and of itself. I stayed with R and A, since I was the most comfortable with them and K and C stayed in the living room. Because everything closes for the first weekend of San Fermines, we stocked up on food and wine. Basically, jamon(Spanish ham) and bread to make sandwiches and then spaghetti and tomato sauce for dinner plus a couple bottles of water. We bought five bottles of wine and 2 liters of coke.

The common drink for San Fermines is Sangria, but also another drink that is usually only found at this time. It's a mixture of coke and red wine, called kalimotxo. It sounds gross, but it was actually really good. So we mixed that. This was all before 10 am in the morning. 

For San Fermines, the very first thing that happens is the Chupinazo, or rocket in the city square. It happens at 12:00 pm and marks the start of the festival. Everyone got in their white clothing and red sash, but not the pañuelo or scarf. It's imporant to note: EVERYONE dresses up. People had their kids dressed up, their infants, even their dogs. So people who don't look really out of place.

The pañuelo must not be put on until after the rocket has been fired. This is a symbol of San Fermines. He was supposed to have been beheaded by having a rope tied around his neck and dragged by running bulls. The pañuelo symbolizes this act and the blood that came from his neck. We can't put it on until noon because that was when he was supposed to have been killed. 

On our way to the rocket...everyone is dressed appropriately!

We actually bought our sash and pañuelo on our way to meet some of R's friends. Everyone was out and about, it seemed like half the world was there! R informed us that normally the population of Pamplona is about 200,000 people but during San Fermines, it shoots up to 1 million. Pamplona isn't actually all that big, it only took us about 10 minutes to walk to where we needed to be. We didn't get all the way up to the rocket, but we got very close, in one of the side streets.

And it was INSANE. People were squashed together, singing, laughing, drinking and of course, throwing sangria. This only happens on the first day, people will take their kalimotxo or sangria and throw it at each other. It's all in good fun, but we learned very quickly it burns when it gets your eyes. From the balconies people were throwing buckets of water as well. One old lady was scolding people doing it, but nobody really paid her much attention. Someone was also throwing cooked shrimp off a balcony, which I didn't get a piece of, but it looked good. At one point, my contact fell out, and I had to put it back in. K was talking to a guy and when he walked away, he just tipped his bottle and dumped sangria on her head. Some people were also throwing ketchup, mustard, and raw eggs, which I'm glad to say I didn't do or get any on me.

Unfortunately, we got separated from R, who went to find his friends. In what maybe wasn't such a good idea, we went to find him after a while. We never found him, but A still knew how to get back to the flat, so K and I stayed pretty close him. But what we weren't prepared for was the surge right before the rocket went off.

It was like a moving mosh pit. At first it was fun, because a horde of Basque independence people rant through, but then it got crazy. A disappeared and K and I were swept up in the crowd. K grabbed my hand but we got separated so fast I had to let go or risk one of us losing an arm. My feet didn't touch the ground and my arms were pinned to my side. And down the street we went. It was terrifying at the time, but a good experience. Eventually, the crowd thinned a little and I found K. by this time, the rocket had gone off and people began to hold their pañuelos up and sing. This time, it wasn't the standard "Ole!" song. I wasn't sure what we were singing, but it was very fun and once we were done, we tied our pañuelo on. People were popping champagne and it was spraying everywhere. By the time I got home, I was covered in sangria and champagne.

Post rocket launching

After this, we went home for a much needed nap. You would be surprised how exhausting that experience was!

San Fermine: Part One: Getting There and Back

Well, I've finally got some time to sit down and write about my biggest adventure so far: San Fermines or the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain!

Some background: When I first learned I would be moving to Spain, I contacted a friend from my college, R, who was living in Pamplona. He was happy that I was moving there and invited me to San Fermines. So we planned for me to go and stay with him. In the end, two other teachers came with me. This was great for us, because Pamplona is very expensive during San Fermines. Many people did "Urban Camping" which just seemed like passing out in the middle of a field. A hot shower and breakfast were 50 Euros.

The Running of the Bulls is held from July 6-July 14th. I only went for the first three days, and as R said "The first three days are the best. You go, watch the bulls run and wake up in a bush a week later". I didn't wake up in a bush a week later, don't worry.

Getting to Pamplona and back ended up being somewhat stressful. K, another teacher who I have become friends with, and I were leaving together, while C, the other teacher, was arriving the next day. K and I agreed to meet at Sants Estacion about 30 minutes before our bus was to leave.

The time it takes to get to Pamplona can vary between 4-8 hours. It really depends on the bus driver on how many stops they make, the traffic, and how fast they drive. In our case, the bus didn't even make it to Sants until an hour and a half after we were supposed to leave. The trip itself was actually nice, the scenery was pretty, the guy next to me was quiet, the ride was smooth. We were on a double decker bus, which was cool. The only thing that made it bad was the absolutely smashed group of British men in the back of the bus. K was sitting closer to them than I was, but I could hear them from all the way up at the front of the bus. She reported at one of the rest stops(we made 3) that one of them had peed in a water bottle in the aisle, and many people had asked them to be quiet. On the last leg of the trip, one of them sang "Hero" REALLY loudly. I won't be listening to Enrique Iglesias anytime soon.

Getting back to Pamplona was a whole different story.Our bus was to leave at 7:45 am on a Monday morning because both of us had to teach that afternoon. We arrived at the station at 7:00, and looked at the directory for where our bus was leaving from. Nothing. We went to the information desk. They said 1-5. Check there, nothing. We asked at other bus companies, they said to go to our bus company. It was closed. By 7:45 it was open and K asked. they said 1-5. It wasn't there. We went back and were told that we were late and the bus left. From 20-24. The lady was really rude and unhelpful. She feigned not being able to speak English and so when we spoke Spanish, she was just mean.

We ended up being able to take another bus later that night and got to barcelona at 3:30 am the next day. It was a mess. Needless to say, I won't be taking the bus, or the VIBASA bus company for a while. Vibasa probably never again.

San Fermines: To Be Updated

It's been way too long, I've been so busy! My mom is visiting right now so I'm even more busy than usual.

I will be posting about San Fermines, but will do so after my mom leaves. Stay tuned!

My Spanish Bucket List

I've been making a list of things that I want to do before I leave here, and I thought I'd share it! Some of them I've already done! I've been adding to it too...it's going to be very long by the time I leave.

1. Ride on the back of a Vespa/Scooter.
2. Drive a Vespa/Scooter.
3. Give money to Sagrada Familia.
4. Try Sangria. 
5. Try Paella.
6. Go to the Fountain Show on a date.
7. Buy a summer dress that looks fabulous.
8. Buy sandals that look fabulous. 
9. Buy a pair of high heels or wedges.
10. Learn to make Tortilla.
11. Go to the aquarium.
12. Go the Wax Museum.
13. Go to Sevilla.
14. Go to Madrid.
15. Go to San Fermines.
16. Go to an FC Barcelona game.

That's it so far...