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!