Day 7: relative calm in Pamplona

[mount_oregano]

This morning's newspapers have front-page photos from yesterday's encierro in Pamplona that are even scarier than yesterday's live coverage was. The two runners that suffered the worst injuries, one gored in the throat and the other in the chest, are recovering well and but remain in intensive care.

Today's run with bulls from the Fuente Ymbro Ranch went smoothly. Fewer runners came today, so the "pros" had a chance to do their best. Again, the bulls had been doing laps in their pastures, so they ran fast, only 2 minutes 30 seconds.

As always, there were a few injuries from falls, but only three people were taken to the hospital. Statistics tell us that your odds are 1 in 70 to get a minor injury at an encierro in Pamplona; 1 in 700 to get a serious injury; and 1 in 2,800 to get gored.

Here's Cuatro TV's evocative slow-motion video of today's run, which I recommend. Turn down your speakers for the annoying car commercial that comes on first:
http://www.cuatro.com/sanfermines/videos/septimo-encierro-camara-lenta/20090713ctoultpro_4/

This is Cuatro's promotional video for its San Fermín coverage, featuring Barack Obama's "Yes we can" speech. It's silly, but you might be looking for additional work-avoidance activities. That annoying car commercial comes on first:
http://www.cuatro.com/sanfermines/videos/promo-sanfermines-yes-we-can/20090713ctoultpro_16/

TVE's authoritative report, with other items of interest for those deeply interested in the fiesta, all in Spanish:
http://www.rtve.es/noticias/sanfermines/2009/

Finally, the Onion satirical newspaper has resurrected an article from 2004 that shows that someone on its staff knows pretty much about Spain: "Spain Vows Eternal Vigilance In War On Bulls":
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30771?utm_source=infocus

— Sue Burke