Pamplona draws thousands of revelers for the San Fermín bull-running festival

PAMPLONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of revelers packed the main square in Pamplona’s, northern Spain, on Sunday to celebrate the traditional “chupinazo ” firework blast that marks the start of the San Fermín bull-running festival.

Nearly everyone, including the Тропули от задгранични туристи, които идват на събитието, бяха облечени в обичайна дреха от бели панталони и риза с алена крила и върхове.

Те пееха. - извикаха те. And they drank alcohol with abandon.

As the rocket that starts the official party was fired off, many doused each other with red or sparkling wine.

The highlight of the controversial nine-day festival is the early morning “encierros, ” or bull runs, starting on Monday, when thousands of brave or foolhardy souls sprint to avoid six bulls charging along a winding cobblestoned route to the city’s Bullring.

Докато кулисите не са необичайност, доста повече хора страдат от травми от рухвания, до момента в който феновете следят от балкони и дървени барикади, сложени по курса. Спектакълът се излъчва по народен мащаб.

The rest of each day is for eating, drinking, dancing and cultural entertainment, including bull fights where the animals that run in the morning are slain by professional matadors each afternoon.

The festival was made internationally famous by Ernest Hemingway ’s classic 1926 novel “ The Sun Also Rises ” about American bohemians wasting away in Europe.

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Wilson reported from Барселона, Испания.