This picture just about sums up this morning at 5AM. I'm in the background up on the wooden fence. The drunk guy in the foreground has no idea what's going on or where he is. At least I had some cereal. The running doesn't actually start until 8AM though so that meant lots of waiting. By the end I could barely sit, my butt hurt so badly. I ended up sitting on my hamstrings instead of my glutes and those barely work now too.
Let me get this out of the way. I should have run. Yeah, I know this was one of the most violent runs in history. People got gored left and right. Some of the bulls turned around and started going right into the crowd. The crowd can be more dangerous and unpredictable than the bulls. Even with all that, I should have run. Life lesson #745: No regrets. True, I wouldn't have been able to see much but I would have at least run with the bulls. Oh well, I still got to see it from the best possible vantage point, even if I can't walk.
Aside:
At 5AM you truly appreciate what it means to party. The morning showed the San Fermin festival at its alcoholic peak. This is the end game for alcohol consumption, an alcoholic's heaven. This thing lasts for TWO WEEKS. I challenge anyone to last for the full two weeks and live to tell about it.
Back to the running: Here guards clear out the path. Note the people packed on the fence. There really isn't much room to watch, hence the early morning.
This guy tried to support himself on this pole using only his arms. As to be expected he didn't quite make it...
The ever-important medics. They were positioned every few feet. Ambulances were stationed at every possible exit. The running is not for the faint of heart (although plenty of people were running on liquid courage).
There they go! The animals in front with the bells (vaquillas) aren't bulls. They are simply there to lead the bulls to the arena. The bulls generally just follow them but stop to gore any annoying runner that pulls their tail or otherwise acts the fool.
Here's the only other picture that came out with any bulls in it. Most of the runners we saw just chickened out and ran up to the fence or under it as soon as the bulls came. Hey, those horns are [WARNING! GRAPHIC] sharp.
Once the running was over, it was nap time. We got up, I typed some more (this is time consuming), and it was time for the bull fights (Las Corridas).
Watching was a struggle for me. The fights (if you can call them that, it's a totally one sided affair) are a dichotomy of brutality and grace. When the matador is in his element, every movement timed perfectly, I couldn't help but be entranced. The crowd chants and sings while several bands take turns playing a mix of traditional and newer songs*. Every step of the fight proceeds with the traditional pomp and ceremony. This spell is broken quite easily, however, when the matador stabs the bull ten times in the neck without successfully killing it. The bull struggles to stand as its blood is pouring down its neck and out its mouth. The crowd is impatiently whistling their displeasure at the matador's impotence. He is the killer after all. He is expected to kill with one swift strike.
*They even played that f***ing Journey song. Really? Really...there's just no excuse for that.
Three of the bulls came out lame in some way or other. One appeared to break its leg on the first charge. Another came out limping and spasming as if it had a spinal injury. These were immediately taken off and replaced with newer, fitter bulls. When the third injured one emerged to the crowd's further displeasure there were no substitutes left and the killing went on as usual.
Here's a sample bullfight in a picture time line:
The arena was absolutely packed with raucous fans who obviously know a lot about this sport. They even talk about it as if it were a sport. We overheard a woman's cell phone conversation after the fight where she recounted the whole affair in a detailed play-by-play as if it were a football match. Disturbing.
The bull emerges. These are impressive animals, bred for this exact purpose. The streamer has been stuck into it's back causing much annoyance. I can't imagine the absurd crowd noise helps the animal feel any calmer.
Some pretend matadors called banderilleros come out with pink capes and herd the bull over to a large armored horse supporting a mounted spearman called a picador. The whole herding process feels cowardly since they constantly run away and hide behind wooden slabs set up in front of the main wall. The picador then whistles at the bull, causing it to charge his horse while he repeatedly pokes it's shoulder area with his spear. A ribbon of blood starts flowing down the bull's side and thus begins the process of weakening.
Next comes the banderillas, which are barbed, frilly sticks, which each banderillero thrusts into the bull's back before trying coolly walk away. Usually the slow walk breaks into a quick scurry to safety as the bull tries to ruin whoever just poked him. In this picture, the banderillero poses with his implements.
Finally, the matador emerges and works his magic, coming unsettlingly close to the bull at each pass. He urges the bull on and suddenly strikes flamboyant poses before shaking his cape at the bull. Every so often, he turns to the crowd (turning his back to the bull) for applause. He finally tries to kill the bull in one sword strike that runs clean through its neck. It doesn't always go so smoothly. Here, the matador is on his fifth or sixth try with the banderilleros playing interference.
Once the bull is dead (often with the help of a well placed dagger when the sword doesn't work out), it is dragged around the arena and away. Much cheering ensues.
As a final note, there was one hilarious victory for a particular bull who got the better of "El Cid", as that particular matador is known. It ended with El Cid's pants getting ripped and his butt cheek remaining exposed for the rest of the fight. I wish I had captured El Cid getting tossed but I couldn't turn the camera on and snap that fast. Note the bloody cheek. I guess El Cid got the last laugh though after killing the bull...
I also have many videos of the event, including the Journey song. They are too big to upload (I think) so you'll have to see me when I get back if you want your own personal viewing.
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