From the 6th to the 14th of July, the running of the bulls takes place in Irunea/Pamplona, Spain. It is a well celebrated occasion and something that started from needing to get the bulls from outside the city into the bullring.
The atmosphere surrounding the running of the bulls ceremony opens with chanting and waiving rolled newspapers high in the air. Upon the sound of a rocket being fired, the corral is opened and the bulls are released. With laser eyes and an enthused energy toward whatever is in their path, the bulls are set free.
What makes anyone want to do this, I don’t know. Although the run only lasts a few minutes, I am sure that would seem like an eternity when you are running for your life. Since 1910, 15 people have been killed in Pamplona, enough to make me stick to watching the event. I think the energy and atmosphere is why thousands of people event.
While I knew that there were barricades or fences that line the streets, I did not know that there are breaks in them large enough so that a person can slip through to enter or leave but small enough to not allow the bull to break through. I always thought that once you were in you were in for good. I suppose that with are so many runners, actually making it to the edge would be nearly impossible when everyone is vying for that coveted position.
As for now, I think it would be a worthwhile experience to visit Spain and better understand its culture and tradition through an event such as the running of the bulls but I can’t say I will be jumping in on the action any time soon.
TRAVEL -- FOR ADVENTURE ENTHUSIASTS 
