Photo: Carlos Mediavilla
6th July 2014
The trendy selfies featured in a big way this year in Sanfermin. They were to be seen just about everywhere at all hours of the day and night being taken by just about everyone. And if you risk your very life to take one, even better. Here we have proof of that, where the guy wants to get his “selfie” with a sea of people behind him, rather than catch the Txistularis flute-players playing.
The picture is familiar in many ways, but the setting is not.
Beyond the Walls – Echoes in a different country, by Mat Dowsett
Spanish Language version (here)
Pamplona. Home of the running of the bulls and the fiesta to end all fiestas. San Fermín draws a varied and international following, but very few foreign visitors are aware that Pamplona is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fiestas and bulls. Across Spain and beyond there are many hundreds of fiestas and thousands of encierros every year. Within the old walls of Pamplona a local drama is played out on an international stage, but beyond the walls are the unseen and untold tales of the people, the bulls and the streets of these other fiestas.
I have a wonderful book that describes all of the giants of Navarra with histories and pictures. The “gigantes” have become one of the features of Navarran fiestas that we love the most and that we look forward to seeing the most. Now that we have a young daughter we are looking forward to taking her to see these incredible creations in towns up and down the ancient kingdom.
But look closely at the picture and you will see that the background is a little less familiar. In fact this is not Navarra, not even Spain. This is England. In Chester, an ancient Roman city in the North West of England, close to Liverpool, at Midsummer every year they have a parade of many different kinds of animals, figures and mythical creatures. Included in this parade is a family of Tudor giants – a father, mother and two daughters. They proudly take their place and parade through the streets with the rest of the characters and it is a scene that reminds me distinctly of Navarra.
You might think that Chester has taken inspiration from Northern Spain but incredibly the history of this period is no less than 500 years old. The Midsummer parade was very popular in Tudor England and was first recorded in 1498 when Chester was unique in England for having an entire family of giants. Sadly the parade was abandoned in the 1670s but was revived 25 years ago in 1989 and has found a place in the hearts of the people of Chester once again being a colourful parade accompanied by music, drums, dancers and led by dignitaries of the city.
It is also interesting to note that there is also a parade of giants in Chester on a number of occasions through the year with many other giants (many much more modern in conception) joining the more traditional. So that it can truly be said that Chester in Cheshire is the spiritual home of English giants.
Photo: Javier Martínez de La Puente
6th July 2014
This year there was a big effort made to make citizens aware that a “No is also No” during Sanfermin and that sexual harassment is totally out in fiestas. The data collected would suggest that the campaign hit home this year (only 5 cases reported for groping and no rape cases).
Picture taken by Javier Martinez de La Puente
Sanfermin is known all around the world, we have even got to the hawaian paradise! This group in the picture cheers the party dressed like hawaians, and they dont only live up the streets with their music, they also give life and color to Pamplona. We have prove that there’s not only people dressed in red and white and that this are the kind of things that give the most color and fun to the party.
Picture taken by Javier Martinez de La Puente
We know that Sanfermin is a non-stop party scene, but one of the best examples of that is the Peña clubs who, each day after the afternoon bullfights, parade around the streets of the old part of Pamplona creating a party mood with their music and fun. People get help getting caught up in the fun scene that this Peñas are creating. They sure go to the whole hog.
Photo: Jesús Caso
6th July 2014
This Sanfermin tradition is becoming more and more international. And proof of that is the profusion of “guiris” with their wineskin in hand, either trying to swallow a mouthful of Kalimotxo or squirting it into the eyes of some of their mates. Just part of the Sanfermin fun, which continually gives rise to surprising images like these of watching the guiris trying to drink from the “pamplonica” wineskin.
Photo: Javier Martínez de La Puente
6th July 2014
Traditions are traditions are one of these is to call for water on the day of the Txupinazo opening event. Even though this year there was no shortage of rain from the sky, the party revelers felt that they had to have their traditional soaking from buckets and basins being poured from the balconies. And to that end, they beseeched some icy water with some typical lines such as “No seas rata, el agua está barata” and “Aquí no hay sequía, está en Andalucía”!
Photo: Jesús Caso
6th July 2014
Nobody wants to miss out on the best party in the whole world. And this year the Mask was to be seen enjoying Sanfermin in his habitual yellow suit and with his maracas. In spite of the fact that practically everyone dresses up in red and white, there is always some party-freak ready to appear in multi-color with some special get-up just to give an original touch to the party scene.
Picture taken by Javier Martinez de La Puente
Nothing like going around the streets and make a karaoke like this girl did in the middle of Mercaderes street minutes befote the running of the bulls from the 12th of July. With her singing and her cheer she made everything so much fun! Artist!
The Sanselfie competition now has some winners. Rebeca Sánchez Azcona, Carlos Fernández Catalán, Jacobo Silvestre Palomino, Ander Santamaría Lorea, David Medina Lázaro and Javier Fernández Rodríguez are named as the winners for this year. Congratulations to all of them!
We have received all kinds of Sanselfies: the head of a horse, selfies with Mr. Testis with lots of hugging and touching up going on, a cuckold dog, big heads, balcony bulls…but, above all, selfies which reflect a hell of a lot of partying fun.
These have been the best Sanselfies of each week:
