Spain > Pamplona
By Jessica Lloyd

The Running of the Bulls
This tradition is very dangerous, but thrilling and exciting at the same time. It originally started to get the bulls from A to B, for the bull fights, with the bull keepers running behind the bulls to herd them to the ring. Local men started to join in to help them, and soon it was a popular and helpful way of having fun. It has been like that ever since. It is customary to sing and pray to a statue of San Fermin before running, asking for protection which they surely need!

It just so happens that the Feria Del Toro (the Bull Fighting Fair) was held very near the same week as the San Fermin festivities. So, now they just have it all at once, in a nine day party. It attracts a national and international crowd, but isn’t the only place in Spain to have a running of the bulls. There are, of course, bull rings all over the place, and they too have to get their bulls from A to B in exactly the same fashion. Pamplona is the biggest and most publicised of all the bull running events.

The Fiesta of San Fermin
Spain’s most famous festival, Fiesta of San Fermin, happens every year from July 6 to July 14. The whole festival is in celebration of a man called San Fermin. San Fermin was the son of a local patriarch of Pamplona, who became a bishop. He went to work in a place called Amiens, but found himself unappreciated and headless shortly thereafter. His home town of Pamplona found out about his beheading, and he became a local hero and somewhat of a martyr. They then started this yearly celebration in his honour, which has been going on since the 3rd century AD.

What is the Riau-Riau?
This is where the people of Pamplona gather together to hurl insults at the mayor and Co., on their way to church on July 6. The Mayor and town councillors walk along in their hats and suits, and hundreds of people delay their trip by blocking the way and making fun of them, bringing up all their gripes and insulting them. This has now been made illegal, because it was just taking too long for the Mayor and Co. to get to the chapel. It was banned for one year, and then reinstated, but then banned again because they hadn’t managed to get past the town hall gates in 45 minutes. It is uncertain whether it will be reinstated again or not.

Nightlife
There is supposedly one bar for every 4 people here, which is entirely believable, so you won’t run out of choice of watering hole anytime soon. With plenty of people visiting during this festival, there is always a party on somewhere. Spanish are famous for their love of parties. They don’t tend to go clubbing until late, so the fiestas go well into the early morning. There is a university in Pamplona too, so there is a larger-than-normal student population here.

Languages and Money
Spanish and Basque are the official languages spoken here. Basque is a word used to describe a group of people who inhabit southern France and some areas of northern Spain, and there is a great deal of history concerning these people and their language. The currency in Spain is euros, and Spain is widely known to be the least expensive of European nations.

Other Attractions
Pamplona is a beautiful place, with a huge cathedral and very pleasant waterways and parks. They make wine, gourmet food and have a large and interesting history. Pamplona is the capital city of the province of Navarre, with a population of nearly 200,000. It is very nearby to southern France, and is at the top end of Spain.

Suggestions
If you are in Spain during this time, this festival should be on your planner! It is definitely worth a visit for the great parties and extremely interesting things to do and see. It is very uniquely Spanish. 

Links
Pamplona
Accommodation
Navarre
Accommodation in Spain
Valencia Escorts