Adventure Post: San Fermin in Pamplona

Viva San Fermin! This was a festival Jack wanted to go to this year (after going last year), and Jo agreed to go!

La Fiesta de San Fermin takes place in Pamplona, Spain, from 6 July through 14 July every year. It was originally a religious festival celebrating San Fermin, although now it is best known for El Encierro, or the running of the bulls, which takes place every morning.

We got into town in the afternoon, got Jo some white pants for the festival, and then hit the streets for the party. We were more than a bit disappointed, because the party wasn't rocking on the 5th like it was last year, but that changed the next day at the opening ceremonies where we got COVERED in sangria, champagne, beer, wine, water, and who knows what else. We were by a group which was singing to San Fermin and really playing up the festivities. After the opening ceremonies, we fell in with a street band that wasy playing up and down the square and just had a general good, relaxing time, because the next morning was the first Encierro.

We ran el Encierro every morning we were there. Jack did it last year, but this was Jo's first time. We started off on the Calle de Estafeta, the longest stretch f the route which leads into the bull ring. We both made it and got REALLY CLOSE to the bulls on the first run, and we celebrated with churros, chocolate, and espresso at the Cafe Iruna. We started the next two Encierros towards the beginning of the route on the Cuesta de Santo Domingo. Jack got taken out by a runner on the first day, but we both had pretty good runs on both days (and Jo made it on TV!). We both really looked forward to the next day's run, and even helped some new runners out as the days went by.

We also attended the bullfight the night of the second Encierro. Bullfighting in the Basque country goes back centuries, and it is a cultural phenomenon most Westerners are not accustomed to, but we decided if we were going to judge the practice we needed to witness it first. We recorded our reaction to it, so look for that when we post the video, but in general our thoughts are these: the practice isn't inherently barbaric, but the potential for it to be is high, especially if the matador hasn't refined his skills. There is clearly an art and skillset that goes with bullfighting, and its cultural significance is obvious when you're in the ring with 90% season ticket holders. So while neither of us liked it, per se, we definitely walked away with a greater appreciation for the tradition than we had walking in.

Outside of running, the bullfight, and the party, we also watched some traditional Basque sports, such as wood splitting, a few concerts, traditional dances. the Toro de Fuego, and some fantastic displays (there is an international fireworks competition at San Fermin every year).

Our final day, we ran the Encierro had breakfast at Cafe Iruna, packed our bags, and headed to Barcelona. We were thoroughly exhausted, but it was certainly a memorable experience for the boh of us.

Where we stayed: Hostel Plaza Cathedral

Jo's Favourite: Los Encierros

Jack's Favourite: Los Encierros

Top Lesson Learned (Pamplona): Tell your BlaBlaCar driver how many and what kind of bags you are bringing

Top Lesson Learned (San Fermin): Get a festival program and map out what you want to see on each day

Google Photo Album (San Fermin)

Google Photo Album (Bullfight)