Another relatively "clean" running of the bulls this morning.

Seems the cobblestones were pretty damp in some places and several of the bulls slipped and fell, falling back from the "peletón". Luckily, they just got up and ran on in the correct direction without incident.

Only one goring today. One guy got hit-and-flipped by a charging bull just before entering the bull ring. They showed the video several times. In slow motion video, you see the guy turning his head back just a split second before the bull lowers his head and gores the guy in the left "gluteo" (OUCH!) with the horn and flips him up and back, causing the guy to do a NEAR-complete backflip, apparently landing on the TOP of his head or the back of his neck. OUCH! Later, we see the Red Cross carrying him off in a stretcher to the ambulance.

Another guy was miraculously "running in the horns" of the bull for a good 20 meters. I mean, the guy's rear but rubbing the fur between the bull's eyes for a good, long time. When they came to a curve the guy shifted slightly to the right and the bull lowered his head and actually nudges the guy to the right and the guy slowly slid down the back, right side of the bull, surprisingly also avoiding the pack of falling runners to the right.

There were LOTS of people running today, maybe because it's Saturday, but it's hard to believe SO many people can run and still get the bulls through. I can't imagine how many people will be running in, say, 50 years. Surely the Pamplona City Hall will have to SELL tickets or offer a lottery for only a certain number of people to run each time.

Uh-oh. Now they're inviting a group of older Americans who've been running with the bulls for nearly 40 years! Thank goodness their Spanish is surprisingly good! That's a nice change. I always feel a bit embarrassed when they interview the drunken young people in the street whom try to string together 3 or 4 Spanish-ISH words to make a make-shift sentence.

A good running of the bulls today. And I was able to wake up to see it - ON A SATURDAY MORNING!! Let's see if I have the same "fuerza" Sunday morning. Sure! Monday's the last day, afterall!

Until tomorrow, MadridMan

Didnt wake in time to see it live but saw the repeats on TVE , plus I saw a guy I know .
Didnt see the Americans getting interviewed , but the most famous and well respected foreign mozo is a guy called Joe Distler , it wouldn't surprise me it was him that was interviewed , there's plenty about him on the net

I can't believe I overslept this morning!! ARGH!!! My alarm went off and I just turned it off. Usually I have a backup alarm but had forgotten to turn it on last night. MAN! I'll have to catch the recorded run online.

Saludos, MadridMan

Slightly off topic,,, but worth a quick view.

San Fermin being celebrated in New Orleans, good ol' USA!!! HAHAHA!

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/runnin...rmin/2075121645

Note that the "bulls" will whack you with a baton,,, so you still have the element of "danger and face injury"

Today was THE LAST Running of the Bulls in Pamplona this year - and it was very "clean".

Tonight at midnight is the "Pobre de mi" ceremony in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The plaza will be full and singing the end of another successful running. I'm not sure if this ceremony will be televised or not. I haven't heard TVE mention it yet but maybe CUATRO will.

Today's running yielded no gorings but several were injured from being trampled or simply fell down on the hard stone streets.

The pack got strung out a little after the last 3 bulls fell over a couple of already-fallen runners but they picked themselves up and kept running - the bulls, I mean.

I have to admit that as much as I enjoy watching the RUNNING of the bulls, I almost enjoy more CUATRO's limited coverage (maybe 3 minutes) of the post-run "events" in the bull-ring. There, several young bulls with wrapped horns are released into the ring where they chase, ram, toss, and knock-down hundreds of people. Some of the tosses are spectacular! :hdspin:

Hope you all enjoyed another year full of Running-with-the-Bulls action in Pamplona. I know I did! Can't wait for next year.

Saludos, MadridMan

MM,
When I was fortunate enough to attend 24 hours of San Fermin festivities a few years back, we bought tickets inside the Plaza de Toros for the running. We heard the crowds on the street roaring! When the roars got louder we knew the bulls were getting closer to the Plaza. When the bulls were safely in their pen, I thought, "is that it? I paid money for that?"
Well, to my surprise, the young bulls entered the ring shortly thereafter and all these revelers started running around, jumping over them, taunting them. Some were quite good, and this was VERY entertaining! I was disappointed that TVE did not televise this part.
Though I only was there for one night and day, I have incredible memories of San Fermin and hope one day to return!

It was so nice waking up an hour later this morning. Whew! SO NICE!

laduque, good story about paying to sit in the bullring. I'm sure I would've felt the same way had I not known. You had to pay? Really, I thought it was open to the public. How much did you pay? Do you remember? At least then you got to see the bulls. Lots of people along the streets - including some of the runners - never get to see the bulls at all.

One of our long-lost message board members was there last weekend (I won't mention his name but he's in his mid-20s and works at one of the best known hostels in Madrid and many of our message board members know him too) but he didn't go to run - as far as I know! He just went to participate in the fun and frivolity. If we're lucky he'll see this thread and decide to share some of his experiences.

Until next year, MadridMan

To pay to get into the bullring, it was under 10 euros, not bad for a good seat and entertainment afterward...I remember being a little dissappointed at my sister in law at the time, because she had heard from locals that that was the best place to be for the encierro as if we were "lucky" enough to find a spot behind the fence along the run route, we would have only seen a flash of action. In the bullring, the most exciting part was the anticipation of of the arrival of the runners and the bulls, you could hear the roar on the streets getting louder and louder! Insane and wonderful memory!

BTW: I'm leaving on the redeye tonight for Madrid!!!!! :jump: :jump: :hdspin: See you soon!