Are there FIREWORKS during the SAN FERMIN fiestas??

You may enjoy knowing that the world's most outstanding fireworks displays happen each night of the sanfermines, beginning at 11pm, at the Parque de la Ciudadela....These fabulous fireworks are free and open to the public!! Watch this video for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4e93beqWZc

We suggest that you bring a blanket to sit on, as often the grass is wet with late night dampness and/or sangria, wines and other assorted refreshments. From the area of the Town Hall, follow the pedestrians on Calle Nueva, heading to the fireworks extravaganzas.....At the end of Calle Nueva, cross the intersecting streets at the Hotel Tres Reyes.....and, follow the pedestrians who are all headed to the ancient Roman fortifications, where the fireworks take place...Enjoy! (We never miss this event!!)

What are the words to the PRAYER to SAN FERMIN, and when is the prayer said?

Many of you have asked us about the PRAYER to San Fermín. First, the prayer is not recited, as in traditional prayers. This prayer is sung - you may hear the chant here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87zYW-Y32hM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJQZF13fKAk&NR=1 These are the Spanish words to the prayer: A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro, dándonos su bendición!! English translation: To San Fermín, we ask - for being our Patron Saint - guide us in the bullrun, giving us your blessing!! This prayer is sung at three minutes before the bullrun, at two minutes before the bullrun and at one minute before the bullrun, at the statue of San Fermín, which is placed in a special niche, designed for this purpose, on Calle Santo Domingo, which is the first segment of the bullrun. Please note: Chanting this prayer before the release of six wild, frightened bulls does not guarantee a successful bullrun, without mishaps, however. VIVA SAN FERMIN! GORA SAN FERMIN!

HOW to RUN with the BULLS - Part 2

So, you have decided to "run with the bulls" in Pamplona, and you now know that you do not need to "sign up", per our last post on this topic. So far, so good. Here is what you can expect next: Since you read the last post, you know that all runners gather in the Town Hall Square, the "ayuntamiento", at least an hour before the run. Thus, you are now packed into a small area between the wooden barricades with about 3,000+ other runners. There is so little room that everyone is standing up as there is nowhere to sit down. In addition to the Spanish and Basque languages, you will hear conversations of all types going on around you in just about every language. At this point, everyone is calm but there is a nervous edge to the chilly air. You can feel the rising anticipation underneath the calm at this point. Don't be surprised to see policemen, at this point, wandering through the streets and scoping out the crowd. They are looking for unsuitable runners. As I mentioned in the last post, while this is insanity and all hell is about to break lose in an hour, it is organized insanity and there are rules. If you appear drunk, the police will eject you immediately. They are also looking for people carrying cameras or wearing 'helmet' cams on their hats. If they find that you have either, you will be ejected without question. If you have open-toed shoes or other inappropriate dress, you will be ejected immediately. If you are ejected, it is suggested that you not put up a fight or make any dispute with the police - they are very serious about their jobs and will not listen to any appeal. They probably won't understand your language, anyway! If you are selected for rejection, you are rejected - it is just that simple. Remember, these are their prized bulls that the city pays handsomely for, and their priority is the safety of the animals as they charge from the corral to the Plaza de Toros. Next, we will talk about the last few minutes before the event begins.

Can a small "vaquilla" do harm in the bullring?

"OUCH!"   Any questions??!

Some FUN FACTS and NOT-SO-FUN FACTS about the CHUPINAXCO Opening Ceremonies - 12 Noon - July 6th:

The CHUPINAXCO takes place at 12 noon, on July 6th, at the Town Hall, in the old city, Pamplona.  However, because this is such a monumental event in the SAN FERMIN festival, you can expect that all nearby side streets are also packed with building-to-building-to-building revelers, all with varying degrees of wildly elevated BACs (Blood Alcohol Content).   The Town Hall Square (known as the Plaza Consistorial) measures about 2500 sq. meters in size...so, you cannot even imagine how crowded the square becomes when the estimated 13,000+ revelers attempt to take their spots in the celebration!  This means that about 5 to 6 persons are jammed into each square meter of ground space! You must wear sturdy closed-toe shoes!  Don't even think of wearing sandals!! There is broken glass all over the ground - so, especially if you want to run with the bulls, be very careful that you don't end up needing stitches in your foot, or feet!! The Town Hall Square, during the CHUPINAXCO ceremony, is NOT a place for children or older people!  Once you get into the unforgiving crowds at the Town Hall, you CANNOT get out, until the event is over and the revelers leave the Square. Women and young girls report roaming hands on private body parts - unfortunately, due to the huge crowds, they cannot escape the ordeal until the crowds disperse - about one hour later!  During the celebrations, you can expect that there is a lot of very dangerous pushing and shoving, called "surging" by the locals. It gets very hot in the Town Hall Square, not only from the warm daily temperatures, but also from the body heat generated by the huge crowds packed into this small area! You can expect that it becomes very difficult to breathe, especially if you are a shorter person!  For the CHUPINAXCO, it is best to make reservations on a balcony in order to witness this spectacular event...and to be safe, at the same time!!  We have a very limited number of balcony places for the upcoming Chupinaxco, on July 6th.  If you have not done so already, we strongly advise you to contact us right away, in order to secure a balcony for you and your group!  More FUN and NOT-SO-FUN FACTS about the CHUPINAXCO will follow in Part 2.

Has any runner died recently during the bullruns in Pamplona?

Check out this video, which will clarify for you the dangers of running with a pack of six, wild, angry, frightened bulls through the cobblestone streets in Pamplona:  http://video.news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Spanish-Man-Killed-in-Running-of-the-Bulls-in-Pamplona/Video/200907215335419?lpos=World%20News_11&lid=VIDEO_1964772_Man%20Killed%20In%20Pamplona%20Bull%20Run&videoCategory=World%20News

TIPS for RUNNING WITH WILD BULLS in PAMPLONA! Part 1

The first question I get asked about running with the bulls is, do you have to "sign up" ahead of time to run? The simple answer is "no" - you do not "sign up" for the run, but there are definite rules that runners need to follow. Here are the basics: During the Festival, the bulls run every morning from July 7 - July 14, inclusive. This is done in order to move the bulls from the corral at the edge of the old city to the bullring where they will fight that night. Since there is a bullfight every night of the San Fermines, then there is a bullrun every morning. Each morning, the police allow anyone interested in running to enter into the Plaza Consistorial, or Town Hall Square, in front of the Town Hall, aka "Ayuntamiento". This is the only place that runners can gather before the run. All the rest of the unknowledgeable tourists spread themselves up and down the route of the bullrun and are very sadly disappointed when the police force them from the streets before the bullrun begins. Please note that at about 5:30am, revelers are forced from the street so that the city can clean the streets before the bullrun begins. This is done more for the safety and security of the bulls than it is for the runners. The city pays big dollars for these fighting bulls, and they do not want any bull to get injured during the run. If a bull were injured during the run, then that bull would not be eligible for a fight that night. Next, we will explore what happens once all the runners gather in the Town Hall Square. Stay tuned for Part 2.

THIRD STEP of the SAN FERMIN LADDER!

Today is March 3rd, and this means that we have officially climbed to the THIRD STEP of the San Fermín Stairway! First of January, 2nd of February, 3rd of March.....today is the perfect excuse to enjoy some chilled sangria, and to remember that the sanfermines, 2010, are rapidly approaching!! VIVA SAN FERMIN!

Which book do you recommend, in order to prepare for the SAN FERMIN fiestas?

We do recommend that you read all about the SAN FERMIN fiestas before you head to Pamplona! You will better understand the deep history and pageantry that surround the celebrations, and you will learn about so many of the traditions that encompass the sanfermines. We highly recommend the book, PAMPLONA, Running the Bulls, Bars and Barrios en Fiesta de San Fermín, written by Ray Mouton, and available at www.amazon.com Mr. Mouton's description of the sanfermines is the next best thing to being at the fiestas! We recommend that you read this fabulous book at least once before heading to Pamplona and at least once, upon your return. Treat yourself to a copy!  Enjoy!

What are churros, and where do we get them?

Churros - sometimes called "Spanish doughnuts" - are a deep fried pastry that is very popular throughout Spain. This pastry is usually thin and straight or knotted in shape, and served with lots of sugar sprinkled on top, and, very often, churros are served with thick, hot chocolate. Churros are usually eaten for breakfast, but during the sanfermines in Pamplona, you will find several vendors preparing churros at the Parque de la Taconera, all day and all night long.... One of our favorite places for "chocolate" and "churros" in the old city, Pamplona, is at c/ Mañueta, # 8. This "churrería" is famous in all of Navarra as having the absolutely best recipe for making this sweet pastry! This same family has owned this business for the past 150+ years, and this "churrería" opens only during very special dates in the year.....the sanfermines, included among these special dates! This "churrería" is usually open about 6:30am, through about 10:00am, each date of the fiestas. It becomes impossible to access this street during the time of the bullruns (6:00am til about 8:15am), as the crowds make passage to c/ Mañueta almost impossible......but, this is a great destination after the encierro.....

Should we reserve BALCONY places for watching the BULLRUNS?

Many of you have been asking the question: Is it really necessary to rent balcony places in order to see the bullruns?? We can tell you from our own experiences from many years ago, that YES!! - If you plan to see the bullruns, then you must be on a balcony along the route - watching the bullrun from the elevation and safety of a balcony is really the only predictable way to witness this "Running of the Bulls" phenomenon! The bullrun is only 825 meters in length, and it has been estimated that there are only about 800 balcony places for rent each day! There are an estimated 250,000 people in Pamplona - both residents and tourists - on any given date of the fiestas....With so few areas along the route which have barricades for watching the bullruns, you really need to rent balcony places, if you are serious about watching this world-famous event! Do NOT delay!! Send an email to maria@bullbalcony.com right away! Balconies in Pamplona are already filling up for the sanfermines, 2010 - the sanfermines are just 7 months away! Here is a picture of tourists who did NOT have balcony reservations with us!

July 9th is HEMINGWAY DAY in PAMPLONA!

GREAT NEWS! We will celebrate HEMINGWAY DAY at the sanfermines, 2009, on July 9th. This date will commemorate this famous author, who helped to make the San Fermín fiesta famous throughout the world! This year, 2009, marks Hemingway's last visit to Pamplona 50 years ago! Viva San Fermín!

5th STEP of the SAN FERMIN ladder!

Just a quick note to remind all of you that today marks another milestone on the way to the sanfermines, 2009! Yes, today is the 5th day of the 5th month! We are getting closer and closer to our long-awaited San Fermín fiestas, and the official countdown is well under way! In honor of what the sanfermines stand for, there are some things that you can do, in order to get ready for the greatest fiesta on the planet! First, call your work place, and tell them that you are calling in "well", and that you will feel "even better" today when you eat some churros for breakfast and sip sangria with your tortilla for lunch! Go out and throw sangria on your friends and on lots of unsuspecting people you don't even know! Next, take your kid's drums outside and walk up and down your neighborhood streets, beating the drums until you wake up as many tired neighbors as possible! Throw more sangria on even more friends and unsuspecting passers-by! Go out and dance the "jota" in any public place - we did this at our local grocery store last week! - great fun to watch the reaction of the store's customers! Also, stay up all night tonight, to get in practice for the real thing! Repeat all suggestions above, until you collapse from fatigue, and then get up and do it all over again! Yes, today, we are on the 5th Step of the San Fermín ladder....Now, go out and have a blast!