Bull Run

Bull runs around here are like nothing I have ever seen in America. I really don't even know what to compare them to as far as outdoor activities go. Maybe you could compare them to watching football on the TV? Or playing church league softball?

 

These people take them their bull runnin' seriously!

 

I asked our friend Julie how many runnin's she went to last year. The answer? Seventy-two! Seventy-two bull runs in one year. That's like a fourth of the year!

 

Apparently they are mostly done (or exclusively done) in the summer months. Each town on the island hosts one for a few days at a time, and they spread them out so that there aren't runs happening at the same time in different cities. Since the island is very tiny, you can easily drive to any location and join in the festivities.

 

And I'm starting to realize that that is just what people do. You see some of the faces at each event -- especially some of the real pros at running with these animals. There is this one younger man who is nearly always there with his red umbrella, terrorizing the animals.

 

It's important for we Americans to know a local if we are going to attend. They can help you by letting you follow them. Parking is difficult. Where to sit is hard to know. And to get a good seat, you often have to know someone who will let you sit in their yard, behind boarded walls.

 

Carlos and his wife Julie are perfect for that. I am pretty sure Julie is the mayor of the island. This woman knows everyone. And she speaks great English. Always a plus! She will often call me, tell me when the next event is, and offer us to meet her and follow behind. This was JB and my fourth run. A first for the grandparents.

 

My new friend Megan, married to a lawyer on Base, took a few pics for me. They came out great! Megan and her husband Matt live down the street from us and have one daughter, Charlie.

 

 We arrived at the event two hours early to secure good seats. While we waited, there was plenty of opportunity for eating (vendors walk around with homemade goodies like donuts, danishes, and sandwiches); there is also a little travelling beer/burger stand. (Although they don't do burgers -- they do biefanas which are sort of like a grilled piece of beef on bread.)

 

 Here's our happy family just before they start the bulls running. When a bull runs on a rope, he is still given enough slack to control what he does. He can also still really hurt someone. But the rope helps turn him around and keep his running path limited. I'm still not really sure why these events are so fun, but I have to admit I enjoy them. It's a great time to sit and socialize with friends and family. There is a marching band composed of a few locals who go and play in front of different houses in hopes they will be allowed in for dinner. There are pigs being cooked on porches. (Turkey would have a COW -- ha! ha! That was a joke! Actually Turkey cooks goats instead.) While the event is a little too long for our three little kids, going for half of it seems to fit us perfectly. The runs start around 6pm and you can leave around 7:30pm and still have enjoyed two of the runs.

 

This is the first time I have set by the bull boxes. They are the black boxes with red lines around them on the other side of the street. They let one bull out at a time, held on a rope. They blow one big cannon to indicate the bull is "out." When he is back in, another two blows to indicate he is back "in." At this point, people can get into the street to go get food or visit friends before they let out the second bull. They then let the bulls run up and down the street for about 20 minutes. They then lure them back into their little kennel.

 

We decided to leave after the second bull as it was getting late. This is "intermission" so you have a bit longer to get down from the safety of your wall and get to your vehicle. Only problem, our vehicle (and the vehicles of about 100 other people) had been blocked in by a few bad parkers. We had no choice but to wait another hour in the parking lot until our van was freed up. No parking lot attendants to keep the order in these parts.

 

I was so glad our parents got to see this fun cultural event. Things are so different in different parts of the world. I don't think PETA would like these events ... at all. And I must admit they bother me slightly. The bulls aren't really mistreated. But they are taunted and urged into gettting angry.

 

We are having a wonderful time showing our family the lay of the land here in Portugal.