Not a view I'd ever like to have.
Posted on 07/06/2007 1:08:33 PM PDT by mgstarr
Thousands of revelers sprayed each other with sparkling wine and the mayor of this northeastern city launched a skyrocket at noon Friday to start Spain's most famous festival, the San Fermin running of the bulls.
"Men and women of Pamplona, viva San Fermin!" Mayor Yolanda Barcina shouted from the city hall balcony. Crowds packed the town hall square, most dressed in the traditional garb of white shirts and trousers, and red handkerchiefs.
Residents threw water on the revelers from balconies to cool them off.
The launch of the skyrocket, known as the "chupinazo," began the nine-day fiesta that was popularized internationally by Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises" and centers around the daily running of the bulls.
The first bull run takes place Saturday. The spectacle, repeated each day until July 14, is broadcast live on Spanish television.
The festival, held since 1591, attracts tens of thousands of people. Many had spent the night drinking and partying.
Sara Newey, 23, and Rene Armstrong, 25, from Perth, Australia, recounted everything they had to drink in the last 12 hours: a bottle of Jack Daniels, several bottles of sangria and six beers each.
"You just have to keep going," Newey said, holding a carton of sangria in one hand and a bottle of sparkling wine in the other. They came on a tour with 600 other Australians.
Thuy Trinh, 28, a nondrinker from London, might have been the only sober person among the throngs.
"It's a bit crazy, but I love seeing people enjoying themselves," she said.
In the runs, held at 8 a.m. daily, people test their mettle and stamina by racing with six bulls along a 875-yard route from a corral to the city bullring. The bulls are fought by professional bullfighters each afternoon.
Since records began in 1924, 13 people have been killed in the runs. The last fatality occurred in 1995, when a 22-year-old American was gored to death.
On Thursday, hundreds of members of the U.S.-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, staged a near-naked protest march, shouting slogans such as "Torture isn't culture," and "Bulls yes! Bullfighters no!"
What’s the over/under on injuries today?
Went to a bull fight in Mexico City in 1973 with my parents. My mother honestly thought you placed bets.
If you had them run instead of the bulls the stampede caused would be horrific.
Nothing like being chased by 50 tons of beef with horns!
Are you speaking of the bulls or the vegan women? ;-)
This is a disgusting and barbaric way to have ‘fun’ and ought to be banned. Join the rest of civilized society wouldja’ where torturing poor dumb beasts is not your favorite past time? Same goes for the bullfighting. It’s disgraceful. Cruel. And senseless. I hope they all get run over and trampled to death. Idiots.
I don’t know, do vegans have horns? Viking vegans?
"Breasts not Bulls"
. Cruel, and senseless indeed.
I would have suggested being savagely gored on the enraged horns of righteous bovine fury. But that would have been way out of line.
“The Sun Also Rises” is my favorite Hemingway novel. Tried to read “Death in the Afternoon” but gave up after about 2/3’s.
I’d love to visit Pamplona, not sure about the running part though. Not concerned with my speed so much as stupid slow drunk people.
Rosie has horns??
Been there done that! Stall have the la boda de vino somewhere.
Finally have a full fledged peta person on free republic.
Pamplona bull-running festival starts, Darwin Award hopefuls overjoyed
There...much better.
Concurrent with Al Gore’s “Throwing of the Bull***” Festival.
And a newbie at that. This could be entertaining.
Not a view I'd ever like to have.
“I hope they all get run over and trampled to death.”
You’re a real sensitive, caring, humanitarian, huh?
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