PREFACE
The plan was to go one day to San Fermin Fiesta in Pamplona! Well known by Ernest Hemingway, immortalized in his book "Fiesta" and a true passionate for this event, why?!?! I’ve discovered this year.
The plan was to go one day to San Fermin Fiesta in Pamplona! Well known by Ernest Hemingway, immortalized in his book "Fiesta" and a true passionate for this event, why?!?! I’ve discovered this year.
San Fermín 2011 poster
In 2011, the date finally arrived to do it, but starting this adventure ... Well... maybe it's better to start from the beginning: (That is the end of the festivities in 2010), which end with the song “pobre de mí” – Poor of me! And believe me, it should be the feeling that everyone is at the end of this feast and already thinking next year as people returns home...
EL INTRO
First of all I believe that is needed to understand how and where festivities of San Fermin (Euskera Sanferminak) started, as obvious are the celebrations in honor of San Fermin, and it’s celebrated in Pamplona, capital of Navarre, northern Spain.
The festivities begin with the launch of chupinazo / txupinazo (Probably the world's most famous rocket, launched at noon on 6th July from City Hall balcony) Sanfermines parties will go until 14th July.
Day 6 July - The txupinazo, the parties are open
From there, the streets remain full all 24 hours, with the hungry Sanfermines enjoying all moments that will last for nine days, with bars, clubs and always totally animated!
ENCIERRO
Without a doubt the best-known activity of "Los Sanfermines" is the "Encierro". It is world's most popular 849 meters, where at 8:00 am (with a song and counting 5, 3 and 1, that means 07:55, 07:57 and 07:59), leaves the herd of bulls from Santo Domingo that will travel the 849 meters to the bullring, sometimes with hundreds of people! "El Encierro" can be seen on the wooden fences that are completely filled or an more interesting view will be among the bravest and next to the true stars of the show "Ganadería" (consisting of six bulls and eight halters) but I advise good lungs and a good run, Usain Bolt style, because the stars are in a hurry to go to the show, reaching about 25 km / h, and they will normally not going to stop or wait for nobody!
4º Encierro SanFermines 10th July
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zPIMfUT9A&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zPIMfUT9A&feature=player_embedded
Finally the event in the bullring will start at 18.30 with five bulls and a true celebration in the stands, it is easy to see that aren’t lack of party and variety, being hard and difficult to follow all the festivities in its fullness!
And now?!?!?
VIVA SAN FERMIN!!!
GORA SAN FERMíN!!!
MY STORY IN SAN FERMIN
To describe San Fermin is not easy, is one of those parties that we comment that we were there and we usually ear them back with an "Have you ran with the bulls" but for those who lived it, it's almost like a club with the right to a secret handshake followed by an outline of a smile and a comment with a "What! You been to San Fermin ... hey ... I do not know where to start! You were ... "and is a sharing of emotions, nostalgia and an indescribable desire to go back!
I think my story (and a lot of people) meets with the enthusiasm (now fully understood by me), of Duarte Cortes, as a true ambassador of San Fermin in Portugal, whom would be pretty fair if this parties were claimed as "his" party! The challenge had came from a few times already but the opportunity didn’t occur! This year wasn’t something that I’d missed and "Pobre de mi" ... only now I’ve met these “fiestas”! ...
As always (a place such as this is very prone to give a big party) but were the people I met and who I had the pleasure to live with them those days that ended up marking in my memory forever what I experienced. To all of them, my thank you!
THE CITY
Through poor planning, I ended up in Pamplona, through a flight from Lisbon to Madrid, a first bus that took 1 hour and then another one close to duration of 4 hours!
Arriving in Pamplona at 1.00 p.m. in 8th August with, about 32 °C, seeing some “warriors” of past night lying on the ground after “their” battle had come to an end and whose body had perished in the cool of the bus terminal or in gardens that were on the side.
Rest In Peace... whenever is possible!
I went to the center of Pamplona where I ended up at Plaza del Castillo where Rato and Beltrão were waiting for me.
PAMPLONA MAP
Both in a great animation, wearing San Fermin costumes and already having some "Cañas" – beers. There I was given instructions of where to get clothes before going home. As we entered the narrow streets of the city also increased the number of people! It was then that I started without a doubt to note the essence of the parties, the smell of alcohol fermented, remains of the previous day that brought me to recall other "places", a strange smell that first you feel nauseous but then get used to in a few hours, making it part of the aroma of the festivities ...
Costume of San Fermin - Trousers and shirt / white t-shirt, red scarf around the neck and red stripe placed on the left and “tinto verano” / beer / gin tonic in the hand.
ACCOMMODATION
Once at headquarters, aka House of Tio Jaime (Uncle James), where were our royalty facilities that were limited to a room of a 3 m2 with 3 double bunks and a table in the center to be used "normally" as a room... by 6 people (at least!). This perfectly ordinary home that is shared by its owners during the holidays, where they open their house (and its various rooms), rent them for the event, where literally there is a go in and out of complete strangers, but turning almost as family, with Uncle Jaime, a man in his 50 years, we receives everybody as those distant cousins and leave us totally free at home for practically everything to use their home at our pleasure! This openness results in respect of their home without causing any confusion and always careful to keep the fiesta outdoors!
THE REAL HOME
Called the "second" home came to know the "first" home, it is obvious the “Ham House” – “Presuntería” were hours and turns that were given, there was always someone you know ... It was certainly the headquarters of the troops and the point meeting place for the most disoriented.
The "ham house" – “Presuntería” if it wasn’t our 1st house, it was not very far from been it ...
Then I had the opportunity to meet some real "monsters" of San Fermin in their habitat, Duarte Cortes, Chico Garcia and Alfonso "The Manager", all 8 Star Generals, and Ricardo in his 2nd Tour. Duarte Cortes (a true enthusiast and absolutely electric, wanted to live everything and not miss a second of party), gave is finishing touches on the combinations and the troops stands, knowing that where the places for the day.
Already Chico Garcia, (I have to confess that for me was one of the greatest warriors I've seen in this experiment), few visits to his room, even when we were all finished, he entered the room to fetch a pack of cigarettes, smoke one and starting is discourse: "What a waste of money, everybody here resting ..." then he stumble out and strong in the party again! By my count, he must have been about 72 hours of pure direct ... The Real Party Endurance Man!
The “manager” gave me the first indications of how the party, never fail to remember the handles, palms and greetings to the guys with twice the height and size of hum, but always all ended in a climate of good humor. A true enthusiast and guaranteed good fun!
Finally, the conversations I had with Ricardo about other parties, other places and see the oldest participant teaching the younger ones how a true Sanfermin does it! He liked to also mention the “Tanjerina”, his half beard, which together with the
ÉEEEEEEEEEEEEessssssss
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhh, (sounds)
was like a true brotherhood with the others members (unfortunately I ended up not fixing all the names with the faces)
On the streets you feel a real calm and cheer atmosphere, being a disappointment to one who thinks it’s an exclusive festivity for certain types of people and / or age, because what struck me most was the 24 hours we were on the streets there was always people and many times of different ages.
From young you get in the fiesta spirit! ...
From here begins to be "difficult to write" the holidays! The companionship is much more than drink and laughs, there are also always songs that make us go back to places, one of which I remember was sung by Braga "El Rey" which with his terrible voice and made it clear that did what he wanted ...
El Rey
"Con dinero y sin dinero
that it hago siempre quiero
y mi palabra es la ley "
that it hago siempre quiero
y mi palabra es la ley "
BULLRING
When we united in front of Presuntería, was usually to go see the race in the bullring, around with ticket in hand, we headed to the Plaza de Toros and the troops already were provided filled up with the groceries.
Bullring packed
I think what goes on here is one of the best part of the parties, where in a certain part of the stand (between 10 and 20 stands) appears to be "allowed almost everything 'and I say almost, because it seems that there are things that are not allowed ... and is the only place that you can see more confusion then at the center of bullfighting arena.
In the stands, the animation is a constant, when is not someone of the group doing a prank or joking with something, is someone next to you that start anything that along the others usually follow.
It is “pure” and party “hard”, for people who enjoy the comfort of being always with clean clothes, I think the best idea will not go thru this part of the parties being in thhe stands 13 to 18, because between wine, tomato sauce, seafood paella, sandwiches and etc ... literally everything flies and a dirty environment is set!
The fact that a little bit of everything is launched in the air and a real Armageddon of food and drinks, while the bull is worked in the bullring by the torero, but do not think that anyone will be upset or wanting to leave. This stands takes some more distracted foreigners than don’t know the concept of this event, but all the others have fun and live a unique “flavor”! At stops and to encourage the toreros and crowd, there are bands along in the stands who play some great classic music such "La Chica Ye-Ye," which became another of the music that transports me to that square in Pamplona.
La chica ye-ye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LRdAW44B34&feature=player_embedded
"Buscate una chica, una chica y, y
that tenga mucho rhythm,
sing y en ingles,
atolondrado el pelo, y las medias de color
una chica yeye, una chica yeye
I understood that I like yo "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LRdAW44B34&feature=player_embedded
"Buscate una chica, una chica y, y
that tenga mucho rhythm,
sing y en ingles,
atolondrado el pelo, y las medias de color
una chica yeye, una chica yeye
I understood that I like yo "
The bands do instrumental spending while party people in a carnival atmosphere and in an excellent mood, more or less in tune, do not fail to complete the song singing the lyrics of several songs that were heard. The truth is that in the beginning you strange such anarchy but then again there’s nobody upset and willing to go away. It should be referred is the tradition of this Portuguese group, where the traditional Piglet is taken to the square and is raised almost that we might hear the music of the generic Champions League before is completely eaten by the hungry mob.
The tradition of this group - Piglet
THE BULLRING ARENA
After the races and have when is time to leave the square, nothing better to do it by exiting the bullring arena through the big door, but before that will be doing a few more pranks and take a bunch of pictures for posterity.
Clothes are by now no longer white to be more pink
What is happening in the arena is nothing more than a continuation of what happened during the race, taking the opportunity to make a few more last-minute play and enjoy the door into the street, the same is used to enters the Bulls from Encierro.
CHINESE RESTAURANT
Never has the phrase "patience of the Chinese" made so much sense, given that this restaurant on the street where it passes the Encierro and very close to the Presuntería, it’s also a place of devotion to this group and lunching time, it’s well known to the lunch time be at this restaurant, where to desperation (or not) of the owner of the restaurant, you feel the same atmosphere that exists in the bullring. Since the shots of sweet and sour sauce, the soy sauce stain on the clothes, with wine traveling by air and "pseudo fakirs" to make clouds of beer, here everybody sung, plays with everybody and can still among it all eat a little bit... Also see interpretations of “Dragon Ball” or even a test of the Shaolin monks, listening to the way a few anecdotes from Alentejo, the animation never decrease and mealtime becomes sacred by the way of pure celebration!
The mandatory lunch in the chinese restaurant
LATE NIGHT
The streets are full of people and from a variety of places, from staying on the streets, bars / clubs, the central square where a concert is given, the choice allows the night be long and animated, totally nonstop. The good mood, alcohol and good amity is a constant, among some jokes more rush and constant fun, all is part of the night menu and the only problem is being too short for such things going on.
Theirs is also a street that is quite wide from side to side, standing one side bars and in the other the bullring, is prepared to receiving everybody along with a DJ and covered areas for those who want to follow the party in the street. Those who prefer club or want to change the type of musical genre, you simply enter one of the bars and then find international music, Spanish, typical and etc, among the busiest bars, being more narrow or wide, there are several types and among them distinct themes.
Another option is in central town square where you can go to the various terraces and once again have more bars / clubs scattered around the square, here is a little bit more quiet and familiar but no less excited.
Among the night's not over and not realize the hours advanced, it's time to "Encierro" this cycles a 24 hour cycle turning pamplona into pure fun and nonstop festivities during 9 days.
GOING TO SAN FERMIN
Sanfermines have a little something for those who like to party!
Trip to San Fermin, a real leap of faith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntb7lXPV1rY&feature=player_embedded
In conclusion, Sanfermines is a place where you can’t go for vacations, it is extremely tiring, confusion after confusion, the smells of the streets are stinking and filthy ... you walk through a surreal place completely and totally different ... and I? !?! Well, and next years I hope to be there again!
ALL ABOUT MY TRIP TO SAN FERMIN
If anyone has ever said that a picture is worth 1000 words ... so let's say my fiestas de San Fermin been something ...
THE PARTY IN NUMBERS ...
Start time of Encierro: 8.00 hours
Dates: 6 days 12 hours earlier, an officer of 7 to 14 July
Distance of Encierro: 848.6 meters. Santo Domingo, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Mercaderes, Relay, Javier Bajada, Telefonica, and Callejon Plaza de Toros.Average length: 3 m 55 s
In conclusion, Sanfermines is a place where you can’t go for vacations, it is extremely tiring, confusion after confusion, the smells of the streets are stinking and filthy ... you walk through a surreal place completely and totally different ... and I? !?! Well, and next years I hope to be there again!
ALL ABOUT MY TRIP TO SAN FERMIN
If anyone has ever said that a picture is worth 1000 words ... so let's say my fiestas de San Fermin been something ...
Tribute to our Tour to San Fermín 2011
THE PARTY IN NUMBERS ...
Start time of Encierro: 8.00 hours
Dates: 6 days 12 hours earlier, an officer of 7 to 14 July
Distance of Encierro: 848.6 meters. Santo Domingo, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Mercaderes, Relay, Javier Bajada, Telefonica, and Callejon Plaza de Toros.Average length: 3 m 55 s
Average speed of the bulls: 24 km / h
Average number of runners in Encierro: 2,000 on a normal day, reaching up to almost 3,500 in a weekend.
Population of Pamplona: during the holiday week is just over 190,000 inhabitants to 2,800,000 people!
Average number of runners in Encierro: 2,000 on a normal day, reaching up to almost 3,500 in a weekend.
Population of Pamplona: during the holiday week is just over 190,000 inhabitants to 2,800,000 people!
THE PARTY - IN OUR NUMBERS ...
Total Participants: 33 + 1
Hours slept: Very Few
“Tinto Veranos” / beers / red wines drunk: Too many
PARTICIPANTS FINAL LIST
1. Cabo Cortes - 8ª Tour
2. Afonso Nobre (Gerente) - 8ª Tour
3. Chico Garcia - 8ª Tour
4. Zé Rosado (Cabo dos Newbies) – 3ª Tour
5. João Beltrão – 3ª Tour
6. César Calmeirão – 3ª Tour
7. Ricardo Prieto (Mané) – 2ª Tour
8. Bruno Gomes – 2ª Tour
9. Gonçalo Lopes – Newbie
10. Nuno Casanova (Rato) – Newbie
11. João Maria Costa – Newbie
12. Zé Miguel Costa – Newbie
13. Manuel Mira – Newbie
14. Diogo Santa Bárbara - Newbie
15. Salvador Manzarra (Celhas)– Newbie
16. João Braga – Newbie
17. Tangerina (Bizerra) – Newbie
18. Bernardo d'Eça (Giselle) – Newbie
19. António Grave Jesus (Estrelinha)– Newbie
20. Zé Pedro Pires da Costa – Newbie
21. José Maria Cortes – Newbie
22. Filipe Mendes – Newbie
23. João Caldeira (Rambinho) – Newbie
24. Frederico Caldeira – Newbie
25. Tiago Telles Carvalho – Newbie
26. Noel Cardoso (Chinês) – Newbie
27. António Dentinho – Newbie
28. Quim Zé – Newbie
29. João Cabral – Newbie
30. Gonçalo Saúde – Newbie
31. Manuel Ramalho – Newbie
32. Francisco Borges - Newbie
33. Pedro de la Puebla – Newbie
(34). Flávio (Brasileiro) – Newbie
POSTAL WITH THE NAME OF THE PARTICIPANTS
Poster with the name of the 33 + 1 participants
AND THE FEELING IS STILL ALIVE...
Promocional Vídeo San Fermin - Pamplona 2011
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