The encierro, the running of the bulls, is an activity that originated in Spain and is still popular in Spain today. During the encierro, a small group of bulls are let loose on a cordoned off route through the (usually) narrow streets of the city. The remarkable thing about this is that a group of (often young) people run in front of the bulls. This article is about the San Fermín festivities of Pamplona, where bull running is the main event.

• The whole event revolves around only one thing: the running of the bulls. And this happens not just once, but every day for the entire fiesta.
• It starts the night before when the bulls are brought from the corrales del gas to the corrales of Santo Domingo.
• In addition, the night before the encierro, the bulls are separated from each other and people can watch them from a balcony.

The Bull Run

The encierro was originally created out of necessity. The bulls had to be transported to the bullring for the bullfights, and the only way to do this was to run the bulls through the streets. When at some point people started running in front of the bulls, this became an activity that came back every time. It became increasingly popular and eventually grew into a tradition. The first legal bull run was held in 1899, but it did not become internationally popular until the event was mentioned as "the feast of survival" in a novel by Ernest Hemingway.

The fiesta as it is known today is held in Pamplona every year from July 7 to 14. Every morning, when the church bell has struck 8 o'clock and 2 flares are shot into the air, about 6 bulls are let loose to make their way to the corrales of Santo Domingo, with a lot of brave gentlemen running ahead of them. Of course, the bulls do not let a few men get away with it and, as a result, as many as 200 to 300 are injured each year. Most injuries are caused by falls and so are not serious. The narrow, bumpy streets do not make it easy for the men, but the bulls are also often surprised by a sharp turn. Falls are inevitable.

The movement of the bulls from the corrales del gas to the corrales of Santo Domingo, the place where it all begins each morning, also has a name: the encierrillo. The encierrillo takes place the evening before the encierro. A distance of 440 meters is covered in silence and is almost as popular as the encierro itself. To see this move, you need a special pass that can only be obtained at City Hall. For people who do not like the violence of the encierro, the encierrillo is a perfect substitute to still enjoy this special event.

A small part of the tradition surrounding the bull run is the apartado: segregation. The night before the encierro, the bulls are separated and spectators and fans can watch the bulls from the balcony. The bulls are viewed and judged based on appearance and characteristics. Probably this is to assess the animal during the run, or else just interest. It is part of tradition, so fun to participate in.

University New Year in Salamanca

Every year on the penultimate Thursday of the academic term, thousands upon thousands of students from all corners of Spain descend on the small Castilian city of Salamanca for the annual Nochevieja Universitaria – translated as University New Year. This impressive celebration was inaugurated in 1999, when students wanted to be able to celebrate New Year with their university friends, before going home for the Christmas holidays. Since then it’s become a highlight in the university calendar, not just in Salamanca, but across the country. People come in busloads from as far as Seville just to be part of this magical night, before heading home early next morning (literally) after a whole night of partying.

A couple of days ago I was lucky to be able to experience Nochevieja first hand, going with some friends from work to see for ourselves what all the fuss was about. We all decided to meet at 10 pm, thinking that the Plaza Mayor – where the ‘countdown’ to the New Year takes place – would already be jammed with people. We were a little surprised to find that at this point it was only half full, if that. Regardless, the atmosphere was extremely jovial, with a raised platform and DJ underneath the famous reloj (clock), playing all our favorite tunes – with Avicii’s Wake Me Up receiving a screaming reception.

Nevertheless, the idea of standing there for the next two hours was not so appealing, so we went to a nearby bar and had a few drinks and some dancing. We stayed there for about an hour, before heading back to the Plaza Mayor for the strike at midnight. On our way there, we bumped into another friend from work who had unfortunately lost her phone, which reminded us all to keep an eye on our belongings, especially since by this point the Plaza Mayor was jam packed. We pushed our way into the center of the square, nestled between a group of Spanish students, and some sweet Americans. There was still about half an hour left before the “big moment”, but it flew by with more club classics from the rather excitable DJ.

Spanish New Year's Traditions

It is a Spanish New Year’s tradition to eat twelve grapes at midnight, one for each time the clock chimes ding dong. On our way into the Plaza Mayor we had each been handed a little box of twelve grapes (for free!) for us to reenact the tradition at “New Year” – or, in our case, when Thursday became Friday… With about five minutes to go, the DJ stopped doing his thing, and was replaced by a spectacle of lights and drumming music. The Plaza Mayor was changing different colors – red and green – and the façade with the clock had a visual show projected onto it. The main theme of this production was a series of dates, but none of us knew what the dates stood for, and my research has so far proved fruitless. Maybe it was key dates in Salamanca’s history, or Spain’s, or of the night’s sponsor, Brugal? Anyway, the point is it was really cool.

The final segment of this 3D mapping show was a 10-second countdown to midnight, at the completion of which we all hurriedly ate our grapes. The task was significantly harder than we’d expected; eventually I found myself with about four grapes in my mouth at once because the clock was dinging faster than I was eating! And then that was it… once midnight had passed it was the end of Plaza Mayor’s turn to host the thirty thousand students, who then went out into the large number of bars and clubs that hug the center of the city – but only after a ten-minute struggle to leave the Plaza Mayor, a difficult task with so many people going in so many opposite directions. We found ourselves at a bar very near to the Plaza Mayor which was playing typical Spanish club songs. I didn’t recognize any of them, but happily danced away for the next few hours.

When we left the club – slightly deafened from having spent all our time next to the speakers – we thought about going to another, but the Englishness in us had work the next morning firmly at the back of our mind, and the thought of partying until 6 am Spanish-style didn’t appeal. But, we were glad we’d experienced one of the highlights of the academic year in Spain, and it will definitely be a great memory for years to come.

10 (at least) Christmas Traditions in the Spanish Speaking World

A number of festive celebrations, some religious and some secular, take place throughout the month of December around the Spanish speaking world, where the holiday season often extends well beyond the 24^th and the 25^th.

Countries located in the southern hemisphere that have strong Christmas traditions greet the season in the middle of their summer time, where culinary and decorative holiday traditions are adapted to warmer temperatures, as they are in tropical neighboring countries near or on the equator.

In many Latin American countries it’s common for the Christmas period to extend from the middle of December until well into the new year and beyond King’s Day (January 6^th). On December 7th in Guatemala, they burn an effigy of the Devil, and on that same day in Colombia it’s el día de las velitas (Day of the Little Candles) when candles are placed everywhere to honor the Virgin Mary. In Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela, starting from December 16^th, the nine-day Posadas celebration begins. In many of these places, the Christmas season doesn’t draw to a close until the day of Candelaria on February 2^nd.    

Las Fallas, a huge celebration in the region of Valencia. It is one of the most famous fiestas in Spain. The celebration begins every year on the last Sunday of of February with the opening party, La Crida. On March 19, the party ends when all the Fallas made are set on fire, and there is a huge fireworks party.

• Las Fallas is celebrated every year on March 19 in honor of St. Joseph Day.
• Each neighborhood in Valencia has its own festival organization, `Casal Faller'.
• A ´Falla´ is a huge doll made of papier mache, this doll is made on a huge piece of wood or cardboard which is stuffed with fireworks.

Surely one of the most famous Spanish holidays is Las Fallas. With this festival, Valencians celebrate the beginning of spring. Carpenters used to go into the streets with a wooden plank on which candles were hung. Nowadays it has become a true spectacle. Each neighborhood in Valencia has its own Casal Fallar, with this Casal Fallar one makes a Falla, a huge doll made of papier-mâché on a wooden stick.

Some neighborhoods sometimes spend months making and Falla. And some of these Fallas can cost as much as a million euros. A few examples of Fallas are; witches, demons, giants, fairies but also different political figures have passed in review. Together, these Fallas make up a large parade. On the last day of Las Fallas, these papier mache dolls are set on fire to drive away the evil spirits.

Las Fallas, besides its beautiful papier mache puppets and magnificent parade, is also very well known for its many fireworks shows. Every day starting March 1, a deafening fireworks display called the Mascleta is set off at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. From March 1 to March 18, this is done every day. The real fireworks ornamental fireworks follow on the night of March 18, during the night of fire, Nit del Foc. On this night, one of the world's most beautiful fireworks shows takes place. On St. Joseph Day, La Crema, the cremation of the Fallas takes place. At Valencia City Hall, all the papier mache dolls are then set on fire. This is also the last fireworks show that takes place during Las Fallas. Each Falla is made on a large piece of wood or a large piece of cardboard. In addition to the papier mache, huge fireworks are also put into the puppets. This makes for a fantastic crematié of the puppets.

This wonderful celebration in Valencia has so much to offer, it is one big party for days in Valencia, live music is played throughout the city, people can go out dancing and drinking until the early hours. But above all, it is a wonderful celebration where traditions are carried out and one of Europe´s most beautiful fireworks shows takes place.

Photo by alcebal2002

The Spanish Carnival is one of the things you must have experienced at least once in your life! For 2 weeks the streets of the Canary Islands are full of festivities with all the revelers creating a very special, but above all a lively and great atmosphere

Celebrate Spanish carnival in Tenerife in the Canary Islands! This carnival is the second largest in the world, second only to the carnival in Río de Janeiro! Characteristic of this celebration is the spectacular clothing. Women wear costumes made of plastic, metal, paper but mostly the most beautiful feathers! These costumes are sometimes so heavy that the women cannot walk in them. Then they are "just" driven onto the stage!

A queen is always elected. The election is televised throughout Spain. This always happens on Wednesday. The following Friday is the opening parade, or Apoteósis or Cabalgata, in which the queen leads the way with her bridesmaids and is accompanied by the comparsas, carnival groups that dance through streets to the infectious rhythms of samba and rumba! The comparsas mingle with the dancing and partying crowd during the Verbena, the street carnival, until early in the morning.

If you walk through the streets for the rest of the week you will find many parades, bars and stages installed in the streets and dancing all day long! On Monday there is a big electronic music festival "The Santa Cruz Dance Festival" with the most popular DJs! During the week there is a lot of dancing, parades and of course the burial of the Sardine. It is believed that this helps the fishermen get a good catch for the next year. During the weekend it is really over... But of course it ends with beautiful fireworks and one last party!

Tenerife is of course the place to be during Carnival in the Canary Islands, but Gran Canaria is no slouch either! Here, most towns and villages celebrate their own carnival, but the biggest party does take place in the main city of Las Palmas. Here you will also find the floats, carnival queen elections, street performers, fireworks and of course non-stop partying!

Carnival in Gran Canaria is an unforgettable experience, you'd think you were in Brazil! Book your vacation to the Canary Islands or Spanish course in Tenerife now and see it with your own eyes!

Red from HEAD to tomaTOES

A whole city beyond control. Windows, storefronts and cobbled streets of the historical Buñol coated with squishy red pulps and tomato guts. Struggling crowds in the centre of the city.

You have no chance to hide from this weird spectacle! According to the motto: fight, otherwise you’re going to be the target of attack...but against whom? It doesn’t matter, simply join the show and throw yourself into the tumult of the largest tomato fight in the world!

Hereby, it’s neither a matter of joke, nor have I cooked up this story. A scene like this is taking place every summer in the Spanish city of Buñol, close to Valencia. I swear! More than 20,000 people from all over the world are getting together on the last Wednesday of August to take part at La Tomatina, the largest festival in the world dedicated to a very particular kind of vegetable fight. The only aim permitted: tomatoes, with an amount of ammunition of about 90,000 pounds! This year the Tomatina festival, held on 29th of august, expects around 40,000 participants.

Story behind “La Tomatina”

The historical background of the tomato festival is by no means religious. The annual tomato furor rather started by coincidental reasons during the carnival parade “Gigantes y Cabezudos” of 1945 in Buñol. For pure anger, a group of young people began to throw tomatoes and infected other visitors of the parade that joined the spectacle until the police intervened. After several years of turn taking between acceptations and prohibitions, the spectacle was able not only to establish itself, but also to earn an international reputation.

Beside countless festivities and celebrations like fireworks and street parties, the visitors can enjoy typical Valencian food and participate in the so called ham pole climbing. The goal of this competition is to reach the top of a wooden pole rubbed in with soap and get a piece of Spanish ham.

The day of the Tomatina starts with a water cannon shot as a start signal for the tomato fight around 11 o’clock. Once the huge trucks filled with plenty of “red weapons” arrive at the Plaza de Pueblo, you can feel free to join the crazy tomato battle for at least an hour and a half. My experience tells me, that it’s recommendable to wear REALLY old clothes, special glasses and closed shoes instead of slippers, which you could lose easily while running from your combatants. In consideration of this dirty event you better use a water resistant camera, if you want to take some photos of the spectacle.

The second shot of the water cannon changes everything...the fight is over and you can get rid of the tomato guts by using the public showers placed at your disposal on the riverbank.

How to get to Buñol

Are you curious? Get on a bus from Valencia or Madrid and come to Buñol that day! Find accommodation details or further information about the festival on the official website of La Tomatina.

What are you waiting for? Ready-steady-THROW!

Holy Week in Spain (Semana Santa) is always the week before Easter. Religion in Spain is especially important during this week. The main aspect of Holy Week in Spain is the penitential processions. These penitents wear pointed masks during the processions to keep their anonymity (both men and women). In Spain there are three major cities known for their special Holy Week in Spain, these are Seville, Zamora and Toledo. In 2012, Spanish Holy Week is from Sunday, April 1 to Sunday, April 8.

In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, grand processions pass through cities depicting the sufferings of Christ and Mary. Almost every procession has a group of statues on a platform (paso) depicting a scene of Christ's suffering or a sorrowing Mary (the Virgen). The Virgen is always wearing a crown and has crystal tears for the sorrow of Christ's death. These images are dressed with embroidered gold costumes and are usually carved from wood. Most processions are held in silence and some fraternities even have a duty of silence. Only women are allowed to participate as penitents; everything else is carried and done by men during Holy Week in Spain.

Holy Week in Seville

The Holy Week of Seville is one of the most famous in Spain and is also celebrated very extensively. The whole country goes out to experience this holy week in Seville. There are more than 60 processions during Holy Week in Seville. Each procession is held by a Catholic brotherhood (Hermandad of Cofradía). The largest fraternity in Seville is the Cofradía of the Virgen de la Esperanza Macarena and has about ten thousand sisters and brothers. Each procession has its own route, but usually runs from a particular parish to Seville's cathedral and back again. Some processions last several hours and the pasos are carried by members of the holy brotherhood, also called costaleros. In front of the pasos go anonymous groups of sisters and brothers as penitents (Nazarenos) who all carry one burning candle. The front Nazarenos carry a large cross called the Cruz de Guia. Holy Week in Seville is marked by the beautiful pasos carried through the narrow streets of the old city, an emotional process for most Spaniards.

Holy week in Zamora

Like holy week in Seville, Zamora residents claim that semana santa in Zamora is the most famous. The first holy week in Zamora was already held in the ^13th century and was later named a "festivity of international tourist interest." In Zamora the Gregorian sound is heard which creates an emotional atmosphere during the nightly processions.

Holy week in Toledo

In Castile, Holy Week is also characterized as severe and somber compared to other regions. People take to the streets to witness the Passion of Christ and the suffering of his mother Mary. The statues are sometimes hundreds of years old and are true works of art with their beautiful embroidered clothing on the detailed pasos. In Toledo , a march is held at midnight on Good Friday (Viernes Santo).

Anyone can join a fraternity. Each fraternity is different and also has its own board at different levels. The purpose of Holy Week is the same everywhere, but everywhere it is celebrated slightly differently.

It is well worth attending Holy Week in Spain (Semana Santa) in one of these cities. During this week there is an atmosphere that cannot be described, only felt. The music, the attitude of the spectators and the many emotions will not go unnoticed by anyone.