Yesterday 6th of July has started the festival of San Fermin, in Pamplona, in the north of Spain. Most popular event in this festival is the running of the bulls “los encierros” in the morning at 8, from 7th to 14th of July.
I have never been (it’s 1000 Km far from Málaga), but it is one of the most popular festivals of Spain, specially outside of Spain. It’s a big party all day long, and the bull is not the main thing of San Fermin; is the alcohol and crowds of young people having fun.
Also many foreigners run in front of the bull. Main reason of its popularity outside of Spain is due of Ernest Hemingway, who brought it to the general attention of English-speaking people, specially in USA, when it was published his novel “The Sun Also Rises” (1926), where San Fermin events are main part of the plot of the novel.
You can see the videos of the running of the bulls 2009 here. And very good photos of 2008 by Big Picture.
Where do the bulls go? They run to their death: to the bullfighting square, where later will be killed. Like in Pamplona in many other main cities of Spain. Even I respect people who like bullfighting, like my grandparents, I am against it and it’s a shame for me that the main tradition of Spain is this animal torture.
(Credit: Enfoque Diferencial)
PETA organized every year some activities to make world conscious of this torture. Like me many other Spanish people, specially young generations, doesn’t like bullfighting and don’t support it. In the future I am sure this activity will be only part of our history.
EDIT. Today I have seen this original campaign in meneame called ‘Love Spain, Hate Bullfighting’ by the The League Against Cruel Sports.
C&P: In recent independent polls we learned that 89% of the British public would never visit a bullfight and that 67% of Spaniards are not interested in bullfighting.