I've got a MUCH better idea...

Just send your money to me, and I'll tell you just how much fun it had!

Hey! I've not sayed what you mean.

You are free to go there (I've never been in sanfermines myself) and put yourself in the path of a bull if you want (thought I don't recommend it ;-) ).

What I mean is that it is something which should be taken very seriously.

In fact, as far as I know, there are good forgein expert runners. It is not a problem of nationality, is a problem of information and carefulness.

Fernando

Hello,
I've been in Sanfermines three times and it's fun, fun, fun, but I've never run. It's a very open fiesta with people from all over the world having fun, drinking, etc.
But running is something more serious, it's not only your life that you put on risk, it's also the life of the other runners. I think you have to see many encierros and corridas and run them with little cows before running with bulls. The last time I was there last year there was even a person with a video recorder in the callejon...

I have been there, and have fun, but I never run.
I could run in front of a bull, it could be ecxciting, but doing it with 2/4/6.000 persons around me makes it not to have much to do with my skill, speed or bravery. The most important thing once you are running is to be far from bulls or be lucky. On these bases, I don't take the risk.

People who don't have experience use to be the usually hurt, and the ones who do not respect the rules, which I don't approve.

Most foreigners and many natives not only do this, but also drink all the night and then go to run without rest, tired, and sometimes drunk. Fortunately, if a drunk person is noticed, he /she is not allowed to run.

Anyway, what we all enjoy most is the fun around the run than the run itself.
By the way, I reviewed the written above, and nobody forbade foreigners to run, only advised not to do it, but considering what I saw in Pamplona, it is not in bull in what they spend the money, but in food and wine, so, after all this is not a gift for us. Is it?

A bit late for this year, but keep it in mind for next year....... Spanish speakers should enjoy a chuckle at this guide to how you do it.... http://www.desfasetotal.com/archivos/sanfermines.htm

I just saw ESPN's show on San Fermin, and I have to say that I was a little disgusted. It was so cheesy - naming and introducing the bulls like they were a football team, and trying to do a play by play. Most of the time it was just american guys going "dude, I saw bull like ten yards from and I thought I was going to die!"
Maybe I am just a little pessimistic about the americanization of this spanish custom, did anyone else see it? What do you think?

LCQ

Hey Anchovy, that one was descojonante :-P

Hi LomoConQueso, it is not americanized

It has always been done like that. Every bull has a name, and prior to letting him enter the Plaza de Toros, he is announced by his name, telling his weight and his procedence (where he has been bred, and who has bred him).

It's possible, however, than the insight those americans have is not very accured. But who cares? They enjoyed the sanfermines, don't they?

Fernando,

I guess you are right, as long as everyone enjoys themselves. I guess I am just a little pessemistic about seeing these things on american television. It is getting harder and harder for us Americans to travel anywhere in the world that hasn't been over run by people from the U.S. I get this wonderful image of a place where I can escape the things I don't like about my culture, and when I get there, I am surrounded by my countrymen. Case in point - I ran into two people from my high school on my last trip to spain! But I guess that makes me a hypocrit - by that logic, just by showing up I'm raining on someone else's parade. Oh well!
LCQ

LCQ:

I think that the feast has became internationalized, indeed. If you go to other towns/villages, you will see the people from that village running, not thousands of people from Madrid, Paris or New York. People of Pamplona often say we (all, spanih and foreigners) have spoilt their feast. Many go out of town these days.

They did not use to drink all the night if they were running, and so on.

But anyway, the feast has changed, but I like it as it is. It wouldn't be that fun only by running a quarter of an hour, without these excessive nights, maybe in Hemingway's times, but now, ...

I too was deeply disappointed with the SINGLE ESPN2 coverage early Saturday morning. In previous years, they had daily coverage and the two "hosts" were mature people who were well spoken and well studied on their topic.

This year... COME ON!! Two early 20-somethings with hip haircuts who OBVIOUSLY didn't know what the hell they were talking about...at least the non-latino and the NON-latino's pronunciation, always saying "WOW! That was insane!" and other slang as well. Seems ESPN2 was trying to make this event into something "new and fresh!", an "ExtremeSport" or something.

Really, REALLY poor abbreviated coverage by ESPN2, that's for sure. Had the look & feel of being VERY low-budget.

[ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]