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San Fermin 2024

The San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain is probably the biggest party on the planet, attended by people from all over the world. The central area of Pamplona gets very crowded and there are hundreds of events from the 6th to 14th of July every year. Some years ago they tried to do a head count and lost track around 6 million for the whole thing, I doubt no one will ever know for sure. This one will be my fourth, but I don't plan to do all that much because I want to head for the mountains and some of the small pueblos there.
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Somewhere around 3 am on the 6th I was woken up by claps of thunder, a storm had hit. Rain poured from the dark sky and just to let everyone know, Mother Nature dropped a waterspout down in the middle of the bull ring and flooded it. The rain continued until around 8:30 in the morning. Nothing really happens until noon, when the firework goes off and everyone puts the red scarves on then get soaked in Sangria and just about any other liquid people can throw on you—the San Fermin Fiesta begins.

In the morning people gather to eat breakfast together from around 8 am on. I headed for the street where my friend Pedro lives, trouble is I couldn't remember exactly where it was. I know the street has a small park on with a playground for the children. I asked one guy in a store and he sent me to Plaza Castillo, the opposite direction. Eventually a local who spoke English told me where to go, but the side way to it was blocked off by outdoor toilets. Carrying on down the street brought me to another side way and I saw the trees of the park. Pedro lives further toward the center and I eventually found him as the breakfast table was being set up. Others arrived, some who remembered me from the 2022 festival.
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Pedro, (Pet in Basque) is the one standing on the right.

I had a wander around and noticed just how many people were in the city. Normally the first day is relatively quiet, not this year. There must have been at least a million show up. The crowds were thick and if you don't like crowds then I doubt you will enjoy the San Fermin. Then went back to my room for a rest after the broken night.
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Couldn't see a thing except the visitors as the bulls and runners did their thing.

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Grabbed this later. Bull fights and bull runs are part of the Spanish culture. If you can't handle that, then shut up and stay home.

Sunday saw the first Enciero (Bull Run). To have a decent view means paying to see it from a balcony or getting out there about 6 am and waiting until 8 o'clock, when it takes place. While the San Fermin is a religious festival, it is also a people thing. Families come to visit relatives, friends of those living here also arrive and the streets in the central area are packed solid.
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During the entire party litter is everywhere. That is allowed, but for the rest of the year the streets are quite clean.

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Diego takes fotos of people and sells them the prints. We had a short chat then continued on our ways.


The rest of the time I didn't bother that much about the festival, this was my fourth one and I went out to some places in the mountains to get away from the crowds.


Viva San Fermin
Jul 07, 2024




My old Simian Circles blog here for reference

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