Bulls, Racism and Small Villages

well it's Monday the 14th, and i've lost track of day number what it is. i've finally settled into *holiday* mode and have stopped keeping track of time. usually i'm hopping from place to place, spending maybe 3 nights at most in one place, but having decided to stay 9 nights in one town has truly defined vacation for me. it's nice for relaxing but i wonder if i should've seen more places - although i have been taking day trips. there have been times where i just veg out - sleep in, lounge around, go down to the beach.

but let's see what have i done since my last update... i went back to Pamplona, hiked/strolled to the two viewpoints in San Sebastian (Monte Urgull & Igeldo), drove west of town to visit some picturesque villages and attempted to surf. i've also been meeting loads of Aussies & Canadians, and a few Americans here and there, plus the odd random European - plenty of new travel friends.

my return trip to Pamplona had its ups and downs. i got some stellar Running of the Bulls photos from my balcony view, but also experienced racism from the Spanish youth. i arrived in time that evening to watch the full 15 minute fireworks display, before looking for a nice place to sleep for the night. it was a chilly 13C that night plus it rained earlier that day, so sleeping in the park was not an option. a friend suggested sleeping in a parkade but the stench of urine & vomit was nauseating. eventually i decided on sleeping just inside a bank where the ATMs are. it was clean & warm, and only experienced minor hassles from drunks coming in to get more cash for their source of drunkeness, but at one point the entire entrance was packed with others thinking the same idea as me - napping in a warm, clean area. the group of them were called away and a few stayed behind. i didn't show my head until later, and that became a mistake. they misidentified me as Filipino and even though they spoke Spanish, their words and prods had the notes of harrassment & bigotry. they even said in English, *Chino, do you think you're ugly?*. and i was thinking the first time i visited Pamplona, it was simple fascination with a foreigner - taking photos, attempting to engage in conversation, etc. it also continued a bit more when i was at the bus station to catch my bus back. i didn't this experience the first time i visited Spain but i interacted with more locals this time around.


but on a positive note, watching the Running of the Bulls from a balcony on Estafeta, just after *Deadman's Corner* was brilliant! i was able to get to the balcony an hour before and take in all the energy & buildup before the run. :-) the run itself only lasts 3 minutes from start to finish, and of course they whisk by very quickly in front of you. i set my camera on continuous shooting and held down the shutter as the runners rounded Deadman's Corner, until the bulls could be seen running away. there was one major casualty who required medical attention - looking like he was holding his crotch or ass. haha (sorry). i think i caught some frames of him getting trampled.

back in San Sebastian over the past few days, i wandered around town on occasion, walking up & down the beach doing some serious people watching - plenty of topless sunbathing, and also got some great shots of the cityscape/landscape from the two Montes.


a definite highlight of the past few days and of this trip, was doing a drive with Scott to visit some villages west of San Sebastian - Zarautz, Zumaia, Elantxobe and Gernika. in Zumaia, we saw some really weird trees that grow together - their branches joining with the branches of an adjacent tree. in Elantxobe, Scott mentioned the town was similar to those in Cinqueterre (i've never been). we briefly checked out the museum in Gernika, which had displays on the 1937 Nazi bombing. outside Gernika near the town of Oma is something truly fascinating - El Bosque Pintado (the Painted Forest). local artist Agustín Ibarrola had painted several trees creating eerie, enchanting images. i was also thinking the whole time what an awesome ride it would've been on my motorcycle on those roads - WICKED twisties!


the final bit for my blog update is my failed attempt to do some surfing. the conditions were horrible, the instructor was crap, and it was expensive as hell. as a result of all that, i cancelled my second day. i only got an hour of instruction for 40 Euros! basically the guy says, here's your board, this is how you stand up, now get in the water. thankfully i did some extremely detailed and involving lessons in Bali last fall. the waves were also nearly non-existent. i definitely do not recommend surfing in San Sebastian - i'm heading to Central or South America next time.

with a couple more days to go, i'll be renting a car, and driving east and probably across the French border to visit some more villages, eating more tapas, plus more wandering and strolls on the beach.