San Fermin Bull

A dying tradition has endured for 2016 as the famed running of the bulls at Pamplona, Spain was completed with great fanfare and, fortunately, no deaths this year (except for the bulls who are slaughtered in a local bull ring hours after the make their triumphant run). This year four runners had been transferred to hospital for cuts and bruises to their heads and arms. All four of those reportedly hospitalized are Spanish men, one of whom may have a fractured skull. Let's hope the fracture knocks some sense into him. 

That crazy event in which seemly crazy humans dressed in cheesy white run in front of the rampaging bulls in an attempt to avoid being trampled or gored. I suspect liquor is the main motivation for such a pointless risk, given that drinking is second only to the bulls as the attraction.

The celebration of Sanfermines (San Ferinn), as it is officially called,  in 1591 makes since because, well, there wasn't a whole lot to do in those days. But that this survives today is  interesting.   It was thanks to the writing of American writer Ernest Hemingway that the festival developed the notoriety of today. The publication of his novel “The Sun Also Rises” stirred curiosity and interest, enough to motivate foreign participation and those crazy tour directors to ad it to the tour book offerings.

The smart among the curious watch from behind the protective barriers on the street or from balconies that overlook the run. Since records have been kept, starting in 1910 a total of 15 runners have been killed in the runs. many hundreds more have been seriously injured and in some cases, permanently disabled from the injuries. I was hoping that Hilary Clinton would be among the runners this year, but as we all know, she is incapable of finding her E mail, much less San Fermin, Spain.

Animal rights groups such as AnimaNaturalis and PETA have frequently protested the running of the bulls and subsequent bullfighting, but it still endures. This year's protest was bizarre. Wearing nothing but black underpants, bull horns and carrying red buckets reading “Pamplona: Bloodbath for Bulls” in multiple languages, the protesters poured the fake blood all over their bodies. Wow! Women only in black underpants, who needs bull----!
Cultural expression or cruelty to animals. You decide. For me the ladies in their underpants have far more appeal. Here is a look at how Spanish TV covered the 2013 run.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX_v16dh6H