I just boarded the train at Barcelona Sants headed to Pamplona. I guess 2nd class was all booked, so they put me in "preferente," first class for the same price! They gave me a magazine that lists all the events for the week and also a red "pañuelo," the handkerchief everyone wears around their necks along with all-white attire.
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I'm now on the train from Paris to Brussels, where I'll get a connection to Amsterdam. The past two days have been inolvidables, increíbles, mejor que nunca había soñado. Unforgettable, incredible, better than I could ever dream.
I arrived in Pamplona and easily found my way to San Sebastián by bus. Getting from San Seb to my campsite, though, definitely tested my navigational skills. I took a city bus in San Seb, wandered the streets in the rain looking for a bus to Zarautz, never found the bus, went to the wrong train station, then finally got a train to Zarautz and a pick-up by the Stoke van to go to the camp. vaya! what a trip.
The camp was by Stoke Travel, a group of rowdy, well-traveled, San Fermín in-the-know Australians who run campsites and host trips around Europe at various festivals. The camp reminded me of the Harry Potter quidditch world cup: well over 100 tents all squeezed together with excited travelers buzzing about and celebrating non-stop. For €50 a day, you get a spot in a tent, sleeping bag, mattress, breakfast, transport to and from Pamplona (about 1 hour away), plus unlimited beer and sangría. Within a five minute jaunt down the mountainside, there's a wide and clean beach that faces north into the Mar Cantábrico. I AM IN LOVE WITH NORTHERN SPAIN AND ITS LUSH COUNTRYSIDE.
Here is the view from the edge of the campsite out over the sea. The small town of Zarautz is just outside of the frame to the left.
I stayed at the camp on Wednesday night so I could rest up for going in to Pamplona the next morning. I didn't do much resting. My night was filled with barbecue, sangría, meeting and laughing with lots of ozzies (Australians), and only 3.5 hours of sleep before I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to head to Pamplona. They made us one-eyed monsters (fried egg inside a piece of bread with the center cut out), one of my favorites!
Here's my outfit I wore into town. Everyone has to wear all white with a red handkerchief around their neck.
It was really chilly when we arrived in Pamplona at 6:30. I went with my tent-mate Billy (an Australian girl who's also traveling solo) and a young Australian couple (Nathan and Kiana) to watch the encierro from inside the bull-fighting arena. The encierro is the actual running part, when they bring the bulls who will be killed that afternoon to the bull-fighting ring and the daring locals and tourists run ahead of them. My group and I sat in the 3rd row and had a really good view. There were 2 giant screens in the arena so we could watch the whole run, which only lasts a few minutes.
Nathan ran and us girls watched from the stands. Since this was the first day, the atmosphere was especially hectic and full of ready-to-explode energy.
This is my wineskin. Fits well over 1 bottle of wine, only 3 euro for a bottle of Spanish wine from any cafe in Pamps.
I'm nearing Amsterdam, so I need to shorten up my
descriptions so I can finish this post before I have more adventures in a new city!
After the encierro:
-chocolate con churros for breakfast
-bought a wineskin and filled with with wine
-wandered Pamps for a bit then bus back to the camp at 11 a.m.
-beach exploring/failed attempt at cliff-jumping with new friends from Australia, Canada, and U.S.
-swimming and beach-lazing with Texan twins Josh and Jake. (If you've read The Sun Also Rises you'll know how cool it is that I spent San Fermín with someone named Jake.)
-sangria-drinking and card games
back at camp
-headstands and baguette/chorizo sandwiches on the hillside overlooking the sea during sunset
-bus to Pamps at 10 p.m.
-street-wandering and partying until about 4:00 a.m. then cold/uncomfortable sleep in the depths of underground bus station
-7:30 wakeup and run to the arena to watch the encierro that started at 8:00
-more choc and churros for breakfast
-souvenir shopping for my Hemingway and Pamplona-obsessed father (you're going to LOVE your souvenir, Dad!)
-bus to camp at 11:00 a.m.
-immediately to beach with giant bottle of water and sunscreen
-headstands on the beach
-homemade sandwiches again for lunch
-pack backpack, read book and recover in the shade, chat with new friends who I will never forget (and hope to visit and travel with again someday!)
-pry myself away from my
new favorite place in the world (camp) for the train station
-train to Hendaia, town just on the other side of the Spanish/French border
-night train to Paris. much-needed night of replenishing sleep in my comfy sleeper car
-transfer from Paris-Austerlitz to Paris-Nord at 7:30 a.m. to catch my train to Brussels, where I got on another train for Amsterdam
Just like this quickly-written post, my time in N. Spain blurred by before I wanted it to end. I could spend weeks at that camp and at that beach. I'm dead serious when I say I want to live in that area--I'll make it happen!
Now, my time in Amsterdam begins. My lovely friend Sarah, with whom I studied in Murcia 2 years ago, has introduced me to her friend Esmee, an Amsterdam native. I'll be staying with Esmee and her boyfriend in their apartment for the next 2 nights. We should be meeting at the central station as soon as I arrive in about 10 minutes. Blogging from an iPhone is time-consuming and somewhat creativity-constricting, but I'm glad I got to share my experiences. hasta luego!
~peace, love, and adventure~
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