Let's Go Budget Madrid by Harvard Student Agencies Inc

Author:Harvard Student Agencies, Inc.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Let's Go, Inc
Published: 2012-03-24T00:00:00+00:00

12 Angry Bulls

For an adrenaline rush like no other, try running away from a dozen angry bulls in a huge crowd of similarly terrified people on a narrow street where you could be trampled or gored at any second. Although it may appear to be just a large group of men running like chickens with their heads cut off as huge beasts charge behind them, the running of the bulls (encierro) serves a practical purpose. The bulls must be transported from the corrals where they spend the night to the bullring where they will be killed the next evening. According to Spanish folklore, this tradition began in the early 14th century in northeastern Spain. Men would attempt to get the bulls to market faster by provoking them, and over time this evolved into a competition where young men would try to race in front of the bulls to the pens without being overtaken.

Nowadays, the event starts off with runners gathering in a blockaded street. All hell breaks looses when the police move out of the way and the runners dash pell-mell in front of the oncoming bulls and their pointy horns. The race covers a mere 903 yards in only four minutes, but a surprising amount of chaos can ensue in that time. During the race in San Fermín, 200-300 people are injured each year, mostly minor injuries as a result of falling down and tripping over other people. In late summer every year, the Madrid suburb San Sebastián de los Reyes sponsors a smaller version of the running. Adrenaline junkies in Madrid can have the same experience with a smaller chance of being trampled by other runners, although if you are sane (or slow), the sidelines are a safer option.

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