Guys! At last! I bring you the post in English the one I wrote in Spanish the fifth of July, one day before San Fermín, for the worldwide wanted festivity among teenagers and young people to start.
Pamplona is prepared: the fences are placed, the shop glasses covered with timbers, public toilets, bars...
6th of July: "CHUPINAZO". These days I had escaped the city the one turns out to be... I'm better not saying it but really, we, Pamplona's inhabitants, tend to travel these days. It's not quite pleasant to see how your streets get fed up with crushed bottles, alcohol and more things... :T There are also good things but this festivity has changed a lot, they are known by the chaos and because people come here to do whatever they want to.
Although, if you come here to enjoy your free time without bothering us... Here you count with some guidelines! There are 431 acts prepared but I'm telling you the most emblematic ones. We begin.
*The fifth of July you could enjoy disc jockey Carlos Jean's free concert to start creating party since the first moment. :)
*On the 6th of July Iñaki Cabasés threw the "Chupinazo" at twelve o'clock in midday, beginning the festivity and making the red neckerchiefs rise in all their splendour.
*The 7th the first run of the bulls through the streets took place. There are still two ones left and for you to know, the route is closed before 7:30 in the morning and after it you can't enter, although you can get out if you realize you don't want to run it. It starts at 8 in the morning for about three minutes in the ones the bulls go running from Santo Domingo's slope to the Bulls Ring.
ROUTE: Santo Domingo, Plaza Consistorial,
Mercaderes, Estafeta and Plaza de Toros.
NUMBER OF BULLS+added: 6 bulls, 8 leading oxes preceding the fierce and 3 docile closing the group.
If you're going to run I have to pass the advice that it's dangerous if you don't know how to do it and if you don't realize your opportunities and resistance during the race. I also advice you to enter the route before 7:30 and if you're drunk THEY WON'T LET YOU RUN. From 7:30 onwards you can't enter but you can get out.
*The Bull Fighting is also interesting to watch. You've gotta buy tickets for it as for watching how the bulls get to the Bulls Ring in the morning.
I link you the page for it and if not you can always buy them at the Bulls Ring, although I can't assure you they won't be sold by the time you get there.
*The giants are and emblematic act in Sanfermines, especially if you count with kids to live with the festivity. They get out each day at nine o'clock in the morning from the Great Hall's Square.
*Also, if you're young, the concerts will interest you as the one from Carlos Jean I named before. For example, MACACO went to the "Fueros Square" on the sixth of July and there are more coming, there and to the "Castillo Square". Hope you enjoy them. I would have liked to go to MACACO but I was on vacation... :(
*The fireworks each day on the Ciudadela at 11:00 in the evening, you can't miss them!
*OBVIUSLY, "El Pobre de Mí" ("Poor of Me"). It will take place the 14th of July at 12 in the evening in the Great Hall Square, followed by the final "traca" ("firecracker").*
There are many more events but this ones are the most... "wanted ones". As you come to have a walk through the city, although you won't be able to appreciate it with this being... :T Well, I link you the festivity program as there are loads of events, every day is full!
I also leave you this year's poster on San Fermín by David Alegría: "I WANT YOU FOR SAN FERMÍN 2012". Quite funny, no? :) If you don't understand it watch it closely and start to think a little, you will laugh. :)
A very original and pretty initiative is being selling for one euro bracelets in markets and shops, the ones designate the money for preventing sudden death and fighting it with special machines. Want to take part in it? Buy one in whatever place you go shopping, it always helps.
They're even pretty, they're designed by KUKUXUMUSU.
I also write down the links to my last year posts on San Fermín, in the ones you'll find interesting details on its history, fences, some events... I hope they serve you right. I only put the ones which are in English, but you can find each of them in Spanish if you want to.
Merely that. You can also look up for older posts to read in the "Blogs Archive", I hope you find them interesting once more.
I think that's all... Ah! I link you San Fermín's official webpage, its official section in "Diario de Navarra" (a newspaper) and the link to the newspaper, that has information on the events:
I also leave you the menu of a place named "Mamá nos da de comer" ("Mum feeds us"). It's a local in the Rotxapea near Santo Domingo's slope, in the one they prepare meals and snacks. It may interest you. I leave it here:
The land line number is 948 074 163, in case you can't read it right on the photo. I assure you it's good food and interesting, as the prices are cheap.
I also leave this years festivity program, that as I said, is very varied.
And that's all, guys. I hope it serves you right and... ENJOY THE FESTIVITY!
Yours,
Miriam.