And they’re off. Today saw the first encierro of Pamplona’s San Fermín festival, that annual event in which several hundred drunken Spaniards and tourists decide that it will be a great idea to let several tons of pissed-off bovine chase them through the winding streets of the old city, with nothing more than Hemingway’s ghost and a little red neck scarf to protect them. Here’s Reuters’ overview of the first day:



There’ll be another encierro every day until the festival’s end on July 14th, plus parades with giant puppets, bullfights, and lots and lots of drinking and dancing in the streets.

Elsewhere:
- “American May Be Paralyzed From Bull Fight” (NYT)
- “San Fermín” (Wikipedia)
- “The San Fermín Festival Guide (City of Pamplona)