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Volunteers Wanted: Keen to Race the Bulls in Pamplona so We Don't Have to?

July 2, 2008 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

This Sunday is the annual start of Pamplona's Running of the Bulls, and just like in past years, we are totally not going to be there.

If you're crazier than us, then you need to know that the festival lasts for nine days (it's always July 6-14), and if you're happy to risk being gored by a very annoyed bull, you have to assemble by 7:30 am, ready for an eight o'clock start.

Also important to know: The bulls can get through the streets faster now thanks to some anti-slip surfacing one of the trickiest parts. Faster, we said. We're not sure that's a good thing. The last time a tourist was directly killed by a bull was in 1995, so perhaps it's all not as dangerous as we thought. But how about you guys report back: We'll be sitting this one out at home.

Related Stories:
· Pamplona Bull Run [What'sOnWhere]
· Spain's Running of the Bulls Launches Feminist Debate [Jaunted]

[Photo: jsprhrmsn]

clickair: Running With Your Seatmates

July 24, 2007 at 1:57 PM | 0 Comments

For travelers who missed the Running of the Bulls, Barcelona-based airline clickair is now offering its passengers a second chance at the action.

But this time, instead of running from the bulls, ticket holders are running for their seats.

Part scavenger hunt, part free-for-all, passengers say this no-frills airline is all headache. Ticket counters aren't clearly marked, and once past the security checkpoint, passengers are lucky to avoid getting gored. Clickair's boarding system is a mad dash, since the budget airline doesn't assign seats.

And while it's cushions may be comfy and fares may be cheap, passengers will want to pack their own DVDs and magazines since this no-frills carrier also offers no in-flight entertainment.

Related Stories:
· Airline Reviews [Jaunted]
· Clickair Website [Official Site]

[Photo Credit: Marketing News]

Spain's Running of the Bulls Launches Feminist Debate

July 11, 2007 at 8:55 AM | 0 Comments

Pamplona's famous Running of the Bulls is in full swing this week. With that testosterone-fueled event, there's a new feminist agenda emerging: Women want to create their own festival with the bulls' female counterpart, in the "Running of the Cows."

Fair enough, we say. Although women have now been allowed to compete in the main Running of the Bulls contest for a while now, not many do, and who can blame them. (Or is it just that women are too smart?) Anyway, it's all about equal rights, and they say a female version of the famous Spanish event "would put Pamplona at the vanguard of traditional fiestas with equality for men and women". Although we're not sure yet if anybody's asked the cows how they feel about this.

Related Stories:
· Women Demand Female Pamplona Run [Reuters]
· Running of the Bulls coverage [Jaunted]
· Pamplona Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: inthesitymad]

Bull Run Gets Painful, Romantic

July 11, 2005 at 11:35 AM | 0 Comments



Um, One: does this man really think a half-ton bull will not see him "hiding" behind the post? Two: no words for the pain, humiliation he is going to experience tomorrow. Three: stale wine breath and garbage heaps offer true seduction...

The breaking coverage from San Fermin continues, today with some bad news. There were four gorings on the fifth day of the big event. One of them was a cop trying to stop a drunken reveler from getting killed and one man now has a 14 cm horn gash in his thigh. Apparently a bull separated from the herd unexpectedly.

Stay tuned: With three days to go, who knows what the hell will happen next!

Related Stories:
·   Four gored in brutal Pamplona bull run in Spain [Reuters]
·   Bull Run Gets Deep [Jaunted]
·   Bull Run To Get Better [Jaunted]
·   Gore Watch: Bulls Strike Back [Gridskipper]

Bull Run Gets Deep

July 8, 2005 at 10:24 AM | 0 Comments

Today's note from Pamplona is something akin to Mic Dundee's communal moment with the water buffalo.

The International Herald Tribune ran a personal essay about the author's of "Run to the Sun" (a photodoc of 25 years of the bull run) personal motivation on why he does it:

To run with the bulls is to get inside the bull's aura on the streets, moving close to the majestic beast and catching the glint of recognition that comes from meeting his eye and feeling totally at peace. The runner must have the utmost respect for the bull, or the magic won't happen.

Ah Sensei, we see your animal voodoo magic now. We will be checking hospital listings later in the day to see your condition too after you meet the bull's eye.

Related Stories:
·   Meanwhile: Why I run with the bulls year after year [IHT]

Bull Run To Get Better

July 7, 2005 at 11:01 AM | 0 Comments




Hm. Really looks like fun eh? There is nothing quite like having wine (which has got be about 75 degrees) squirted in your mouth and then being trampled by an animal weighing in the tons and then most likely having to spend the night in your sleeping bag on soggy grass surrounded by pissed animal rights activists.

Yep, the annual running of the bulls is in full effect. So far the casualty report looks low with no gorings yet but some hospitalizations. Oh, and a bull with a broken horn (owwwww).

A correspondent from the field reports:

Stained and smelling of alcohol, Simon Hulett, 21, from Melbourne, said he was just warming up.

"It's been the best four hours of my life, and it's only going to get better."

Of course we could be wrong. Schweet Simon, a hella crunk high five to you.

Related Stories:
·   Wine fight, firecrackers launch bull run [The Daily Telegraph]
·   First Running of the Bulls [Gridskipper]
·   None Gored in First Bull Running of San Fermin [eitb24]