7/7/07 Corrida de Torros

Este Sabado pasado fui a San Fermin con mis amigos a ver Los Correrida de las Torros. Cuando llegamos a San Fermin, nos vimos mucha gente. La periodistas dicen un millon de personas estuvieron en la ciudad. La gente estuvieron muy loco. Algun de la gente estuvieron muy violento. Un hombre asalto me amigo Hussien. Despues tome un foto del otra hombre, me explico que la gente del Pais Vasco les gustan a pelear. Lo dije, "no quiero a pelear, pero peleare si debo.”
This man also told me that the reason people in Pamplona love to fight is because they believe they are autonomous from Spain. This gives them a sense of pride that is exclusive to that region. The drunken man then became very friendly and asked to take pictures with us. As I took a photo of him and my friends, he attempted to kiss my friend Erica. After the photos we went outside to join hordes of people dancing in the streets. Despite other more violent encounters, the people in the streets were very friendly and it seemed like the whole city was having one giant party. There were loosely organized trios and quartets playing jazz and marching band music. The audience showed their gratitude by pouring canvasses of sangria down their throats to quench the thirst of the dry heat on that sunny day.
What was most enjoyable about the day was the lack of regulation. People seemed to enjoy a liberty that makes Chicago look like the Soviet Union. It was amazing to see people having fun in a city that didn’t have to be diced up and chaperoned by the police. The city wasn’t sectioned off, there were no barricades and people climbed monuments and took pictures at will. It was refreshing to know that there were still places were freedom was more valued than security. Although, I’m sure there were many injuries that occurred, both from the bulls and from the alcohol, it seemed like in Pamplona these Spaniards were just grateful to live for another day.