As previously mentioned, my wife and I spent 13 plus years traveling, 6 months in Oz. and 4 months in Europe each year. On one of our trips we stayed two months in Spain and Portugal. I had written a "sting or conman") screenplay about bullfighting and sold an option on the screenplay to a production company. I'd watched about a dozen corridas in Tijuana, Mexico, studied a few books and came to like it. Last week was La Fiesta time in Pamploma and I flashed back on our visit there. La Fiesta de San Fermin--Los Sanfermins to the locals--The running of the bulls. It's a week long event of partying, little sleep, dancing in the streets and of course bullfights each day.

The street that leads to the bullring is lined with double ranks of heavy wooden barricades, just in case a bull should leap over (which they can do). 7am. a rocket explodes in the air, gates are opened and out runs cows with the bulls mixed among them. I did not run, A. I was recuperating from separated knee ligaments (skiing) and B. I'm not totally crazy. The running lasted about two minuets. That afternoon we watched the corrida, mediocre at best my wife hated it and rooted for the bulls.

In the evening the parade starts and it's wild. The people on balconies spray the crowd below with Spanish champagne. The main event is giant paper mache figuers, representations of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and captive "moors",( North African Arabs), paraded through the streets. It's called the Raui Raui procession, and the crowds boozing and jumping up and down screaming " Raui Raui". It's like a combo street party and Woodstock, absolutely wild and the party goes on all night until the sun comes up and another day starts once more with the running of the bulls. This goes on for eight days.

#1 Sunup in Pamploma.

#2 The running starts.

#3 The Raui Raui.

# My wife and I celebrate a little more sedately.

Lt. Col. Rodney, Alabama Malitia." Ole"
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