Well, I was soundly outdone by the New Albanian who at his blog NA Confidential provided with a detailed recount of what goes on in Iruñea during the week long festival on his post Cerveza in the Afternoon: Pamplona's Festival of San Fermin.
Here are a few excerpts:
Pamplona’s distinctive strain of craziness is a fascinating hybrid. Spectacular public displays of orgiastic, besotted and scatological indecency occur alongside demonstrations of a proud and dignified adherence to traditional values that extend too far back into time to be completely understood. San Fermin is a primitive, almost mythological celebration that is expressed through daily, seemingly disparate, elements. Confrontations between man and bull, gatherings of grandparents and grandchildren to share hot chocolate, outpourings of religious conviction, incessant marching musical mayhem and extraordinary alcoholic lubrication all suffice as snapshots during festival days.And:
The greatest two minutes – well, “few” minutes -- in sports is Pamplona's "Running of the Bulls," which takes place each morning for eight days during San Fermin. The six bulls to be featured in the evening's bullfight, accompanied by six horned heifers for a total of twelve, are released into barricaded streets and driven 900 meters -- a little more than half a mile -- to their pens in the bull ring. In the path of the bulls are hundreds – no, thousands – of thrill-seeking festival-goers, and some are actually sober.
Yep, I say he knows how to enjoy the crazy alcohol-laced activities and at the same time he allows for moments to admire the rich cultural life of the city.
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