(This story can also be found at AOL Fanhouse)
While on a trip to Barcelona to visit my sister, I noticed that the Running of the Bulls was going on in Pamplona while I was still in Spain. While I'm not kind of person who jumps out of airplanes for an adrenaline rush and didn’t really have any desire to run, I couldn't’t pass up the chance to see one of the most interesting sporting events on the planet in person. I was able to catch the final day of the running, and the event proven to be unlike anything that I had ever seen in America.
5am: Following a six-hour bus ride form Barcelona, we arrived in Pamplona around 5am. The first reaction after walking off the bus was "Wow, these people know how to party! ". The entire town smelled like a port-o-potty and trash covered the ground as far as the eye could see. The only event I could compare it to is the Preakness, except that the smell of the Preakess was at least just confined to the racetrack. There were still a good number of people were still drinking at some bars across the street and random people could be seen stumbling around the streets in the traditional red and white bull running outfits. My favorite scene of the early morning were the massive amounts of people just passed out on the sidewalks. You could not walk 10 feet without running into someone who decided to spend the night on the sidewalk.
6am: After meeting up with two of my sister’s friends from her study abroad program (one of whom actually ran), we made our way towards the actual site of the running. It's now 6am and people are finally starting to wake up and get off the sidewalk. There are already tons of people in the town square when we arrive and most bars are already fully operational. Now I’ve been to plenty of college football tailgates where the drinking began at the crack of dawn, but this takes the cake for early morning drinking. There aren't many experiences in life quite like seeing a man draped in a Scottish flag ripping 5 straight shots, then looking at your watch and realizing that it's only 6:07 am.
After getting lost a few times, we finally make our way to the course, and even at 6am we were very, very late to get a good spot. All of the spots on the top of the fence were already taken and even the row behind it was filled. Had we know that you could get a spot on the deck of someone's apartment and gotten a perfect view for only 50 euros (I found out after the running) we would have taken that route, but too late for that. We would have to be creative to find a spot to see any of the action.
6:30 AM: The runners started to make their way to the course. We were relatively close to the entrance, so we had a pretty good view of everyone who was going to taking on the bulls. There were plenty of people who you could tell took the event seriously, mostly Spaniards, decked out in the traditions red and white attire and generally looked well prepared for the run, There were also plenty of people, mostly everyone not from Spain, who were still chugging beers as they approached the entrance. Mosy looked like they would have a difficult time walking a police line, let alone run with some angry bulls down a cobblestone street about as wide as a tractor-trailer bed. Not to say that weren't drunk Spaniards, but let’s just say that you could tell who was from out of town.
7am: Possibly my favorite part of the of the whole event happened around 7am, when out of nowhere a marching band came strolling down the street. The crowd instantly erupted into the song and dance. I later found out that this was a traditional song to St. Fermin to protect all of the runners, but man I was pumped up. Everyone was singing and the crowd was in an absolute frenzy, singing some song that I couldn’t understand a single word to. I'm guessing this is what it must feel to be college football player and hear something like Rocky Top or The Victors as you run out of the tunnel. I already decided that I wasn't running, but damn, that song seriously had my thinking about it.
7:30AM: We finally found a halfway decent spot on top of a fence diagonal from the starting gate. While it wasn't exactly comfortable standing atop of a crowded fence, at least we had a view of the starting and the first corner. It was around 7: 30 that you could really feel the anticpation in the crowd. All of the runners on the course began to pace back and forth, spectators edged closer and closer to the fence and the ambulance pulled into position, greeted with applause by the crowd. That half hour before the race felt like an eternity.
8am: Then out of nowhere.... Bam! A rocket is set off signaling the release of the bulls. Just like that, you could see the runners take off and the first three bulls make their way through the crowd. Because of my terrible position, I wasn’t able to get any good photos of the bulls in action, but I did see the bull hit someone around the first turn. The funny thing, for all of the hype and anticipation, I probably saw the bulls for a whole 20 seconds. I'm not sure what exactly what I was expecting, but you don’t realize until you are there how little action you actually get to see in person.
8:15 AM: Once the bulls have made their way through the course and into the bull-fighting arena, the crowd is allowed to walk to the course. About halfway through the course is where I was able to spot this delightful pool of blood.
Once through the course, everyone makes their way to the bars for some post race drinks. Keep in mind that it is still around 8:25 in the AM. After about an hour of drinks came my second favorite part of the day.......everyone passing out in random places throughout the city for siesta time. The park in the center of the city seemed to be the most common destinations, but you could find people passed in on the street, on benches and even in the bars.
10AM: Following a siesta, we hoped on the bus and headed back to Barcelona. The brief time that I was in Pamplona proved to be quite an experience. I can’t really say that I’ve ever been to any sporting event quite like it. Despite that fact that I only saw the bulls run for a maximum of 20 seconds and had to stand on a fence post just to do that, I can’t say that I was disappointed with my trip. It’s not everyday that you can drink and beer at 6:30am and watch men being chased by large animals.
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