THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS AT BLANCA

In 1923, Hemingway saw his first bullfight in Spain. He was so taken with this ancient blood sport that he soon returned to witness one of the bullfights that highlighted the annual fiesta of San Fermin in Pamplona. By the time the festival was over, bullfighting was one of the passions of his life, and his third visit to the Pamplona festival in 1925 became the inspiration for his first novel, The Sun Also Rises. Ever eager to test his courage, Hemingway himself frequently participa-ted in morningsessions at Pamplona where amateur matadors could take on bulls with padded horns. Here, he can be seen (right of center, in white pants and dark sweater) confronting a charging bull.

Thanks largely to one man -- Ernest Hemingway - most everyone in the English-speaking world knows something about the encierro, the "running of the bulls." Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), born in Oak Park, Illinois, started his career as a writer in a newspaper office in Kansas City at the age of seventeen. He became the Nobel Prize in Literature 1954 for his mastery of the art of narrative and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style.

"The Sun Also Rises" written in 1926, introduced the world to the running of bulls. Hemingway wrote "Death in the Afternoon," "the bullfighting bible,"
published in 1932. He continued to attend bullfights throughout his life.

Bull running is not unique to Pamplona - there are other, less famous but not less spectacular events in other Spanish cities, such as Blanca in the province of Murcia that belongs to the "Costa Calida" of Spain. If something is important for the inhabitants of Blanca then without doubt it is the running of the bulls that takes place in the month of august. Now already for more than 300 years, in one or another way, this typical feast is celebrated by their habitants. The so-called "encierro" of Blanca is such an important event that it has been declared by the Spanish Authorities as a "Regional Tourist Event". However, it is not only one of the best regional events in Murcia, but it is also an interesting national event, where runners from whole Spain come to Blanca to show their running talents.

The running of the bulls in blanca dates back from 1658 when its purpose was purely practical - to move the bulls to the bullring. That time the village had only 400 inhabitants, but the build bullring had a capacity for more than 2000 spectators (1). A clear proof how important the village was in that time for bullfighting. Every year, images of brave (or stupid) souls being gored by bulls are beamed from Blanca to curious and horrified viewers, making the running of the bulls a national attraction.

Most foreigners are still appalled by the inhumane killing of the bulls at the afternoon bullfights held every day during the festival, but it is an aspect of the Spanish culture you will either understand and appreciate or you will continue to hate.

Maybe you dislike aspects of their culture, but on the other hand there are plenty of things about your culture that they dislike. Just keep in mind that any single McDonald's franchise probably goes through more murdered cattle flesh in an afternoon than the Spanish kill in hundreds of bullfights.

And where do you think your leather jacket came from? At least this way the bulls get a fighting chance. Besides, it's a great excuse to drink sangria and the typical Spanish red wine that is very good for your health.

And if you have ever lamented the fact that the poor bull doesn't have a chance then come to the Blanca's streets in the afternoon between 16.00 and 17.00 p.m. and show your running talents and give the bulls the chance they are given to prove their gameness. You will find that they take every advantage of their opportunity to try and take some humans with them. Because of the small moorish streets of Blanca, the entire route is wall-to-wall with people participating in the run.

The emotion that the inhabitants of Blanca feel for their "encierro" starts already very early in the morning when the truck arrives with the bulls. Near to the "corral" many people of all ages are to be find there and they are paciently waiting the whole night to be able to see the arrival of the bulls at the end of the village. Experienced comments do not fail any moment. The oldest persons describe the bulls in previous years and the youngest ones are listening with facinated faces. As happened long ago in the arabic times the youngest people feel a deep respect for the oldest one. Nothing is changed in this respect in this beautiful moorish village.

The day of the "encierro" in Blanca is a very special day. During the whole morning before the running of the bulls the atmosphere that is felt in Blanca is of an excessive happiness. Lively marches and dancing animate everyboddy to participate in a festival, wherein everboddy is welcome and noboddy will feel himself or herself a stranger. According to the advance of the morning the happy atmosphere is transformed in a nervous one for those young men that decided to runn before or behind the bulls.

If you want to experience the exhilaration of the run without too much danger, arrive about 15.00 p.m. and find a spot on the street closest to the stadium where you will have to worry more about being trampled by the hundreds of people behind you than the bulls.