Posted by unregistered user at 7/18/08 3:44 p.m.

Oh, I hope he was able to participate with the locals when they physically assault and stab the bulls.

That would be a lot of fun, I'm sure.

Really romantic and exciting.

Animal abuse is like that, though, isn't it?

Hey, maybe you can join the Japanese on the next whale hunt?!?

Posted by unregistered user at 7/18/08 9:19 p.m.

I sincerely hope that the previous unregistered user was being sarcastic because it would seriously be sad if the person was that narrowminded and self-centered to bring up something completely unrelated to the center of the whole story. Self indulgence at its best. Thank you for a wonderful example of what is becoming ever so characteristic of our society.

Posted by robert2533 at 7/19/08 12:12 a.m.

Having attended the fiesta a number of times over the last 30 + years, I can assure you that the encierro, the running of the bulls, can be very dangerous at times. It's not an endurance race because it is over quickly, but the adrenalin rush is unmatched. This year had the third fastest times on record with the run on the quickest day timed at 2:22. It was also the safest encierros since 1998, with only 4 horn wounds during the 8 days, and was probably less dangerous then the encierro put on by the Txori restaurant/pintxos bar in Belltown.

But the fiesta in Pamplona is far more than just the encierro. It is one of the best examples of the culture and spirit of Navarra and the Basque people.

Posted by unregistered user at 7/19/08 2:41 p.m.

Not sarcastic, but truthful:

"The bulls,... are prodded into running, panicked, through a gauntlet of crazy, screaming people who get a kick out of taking a swing at them as they go hurtling by. I'd feel like trampling someone, too.

Many bulls are injured during the run when they fall on the pavement or crash into walls.

And they all are tortured and killed with swords by matadors in the bullfighting ring later that evening.

Most tourists have no idea that the bulls stampeded through the streets during the day are slaughtered in the ring at night."

and

"On the street, the animals are prodded and beaten to make them panic and run. Screaming people running alongside the bulls grab and twist their tails and hit them with sticks, and many bulls are injured when they lose their footing or crash into the sides of buildings.

In the packed stadium at the end of the route, the bulls are exhausted, weakened from injuries that they've sustained along the way.

But it's not back to the pasture for these tormented animals—later in the day, matadors will make sure that each and every bull dies right there in the dust by severing their spines while they are still wide awake and conscious."
**************************************

Do tell, Mr. Boatsman, did you finish the evening watching the bulls being ritualistically slaughtered in the ring?

You must be so proud of yourself.

Will you be joining the Canadians for their next seal clubbing event?

Posted by shawnkempsbartender at 7/19/08 4:40 p.m.

ritualistic slaughter of animals is a great way to reclaim ones shriveled middle-age manhood.

Posted by unregistered user at 7/21/08 9:20 p.m.

well, as what was pointed out many times, yes, the bulls are slaughtered. This is not, in fact, Mr. Boatsman, but someone who knows he didn't attend the encierro because he didn't want to celebrate or witness the slaughtering of the bulls. Witnessing the slaughtering of bulls might be shawn's idea of reclaiming shriveled middle aged manhood, but once again, the whole idea of the situation had nothing to do with celebrating the slaughtering of innocent animals, I don't know how that keeps getting misinterpreted.