European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 21, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Spa Pamplona s famous fiesta brings. Out the Brave a and Foolhardy a amps photos by. Michael Abrams it s difficult to image a More rambunctious festival than the eight Day extravaganza held every july in the streets of Pamplona Spain. A for those who have experienced the fiesta de san Fermyn highlighted by the daily running of the bulls there s nothing else quite like it. It seems improbable that any other festival on the planet could surpass this Celebration for its uniqueness and debauchery and for its intensity duration grit and grime tradition. Mystique music tall tales and Short slumbers. On the size and scope of the san Fermyn festival air Force tech. Sgt. Abel Sillas summarized Quot i be been in Japan. I be been in Europe. I be been throughout the United states. And i be never seen anything to that. Extent Quot a. Quot it s something you never forget Quot said Alfie Swartzbaugh a computer analyst for a. Defense department contractor in Heidelberg Germany. Quot i be never been to a belter party Quot. A Pamplona which has a population of about. 103,000, is the capital City of the Navarre Region in Northeast Spain. Festival organizers estimate that More than 300,000 tourists visited Pamplona during this year s Celebration. The annual festival begins a noon july 6 and continues nonstop until Midnight july 14. San Fermyn is Pamplona s Patron Saint who died when he was dragged through the streets by a Bull. The festival was immortalized by Ernest Fleming Way s 1926 novel the Sun also rises. Hemingway wrote How Quot the fiesta exploded at noon on july 6. From that Point on the revelry continues More or less unabated for the next 204 hours. About the Only break of any kind occurs in late. Morning after the Vej . Bull run and the Braggadocio that spews from the Mouths of Many runners who. Mingle in and around the Plaza Del Castillo. They come to Swap stories with friends and strangers before setting their Heads Down for some much needed shut Eye Quot the object is to stay up All night run and then collapse Quot Swartzbaugh said. Many merry makers collapse on the Concrete Plaza or its Grassy Border. City Parks and nearby campgrounds Are also favored. Most people however return to their hotels or boarding houses sometime during the night or morning to re energize themselves for another Day of bullfights parades fireworks music dance people watching food and drinks. The Standard attire for those who arise for another Day of san Fermyn is a White shirt and White pants with a a red Bandanna and Sash.  try to Wear at least a Bandanna Over a while shirt. But All it takes is a a r 12 stripes Magazine july 21, 7 094 i n fiesta is celebrated with a daily bullfight far left. Bulls and steers approach the bullring left then counterclockwise revellers Parade Down the Street the party continues throughout the night Good viewing spots Are hard to find. Night or two for the get up to be soiled by sangria and Beer. As the Sun slides toward the horizon streets already crowded with people become Eyen More so As bleary eyed revellers fool their bodies into thinking their bodies need More abuse. Their walk becomes a stagger As the night advances and madmen begin to Strat Gize exactly How they plan to negotiate the Cobblestone streets that in hours will be filled by thousands of a people and six fighting bulls. A. A. Quot it s an Honor to run with them an Honor to be part of the festival Quot said Sillas an experienced san Fermyn a runner who got  the Side by a Bull s Horn Quot they Are kind of wild but to be next to them is Beautiful. A. A Quot it s not the bulls Quot he added Quot but the number of a people that make it  army spec. Corey Tracy skinned his Knees and Good when he was tripped As he and scores of others scampered through a Tunnel leading into the bullring where the run . He ran on his first morning in Pamplona and then called it quits. A it s something you re suppose to have fun at but it s also something you could get killed at Quot Tracy said. Quot that was the last Day i ran. That was  "1 was scared Quot Tracy said. Quot i was definitely scared i was thinking Why in tire hell am i doing this Quot july 21, 1904 stripes Magazine 13. A a