El Chupinazo is the traditional rocket launch that happens annually on the 6th of July at noon sharp (usually) to mark the beginning of the festival. It is held in a small plaza in front of city hall that is packed with way too many people and it is a place I NEVER want to be again. Talk about a claustrphobe's nightmare. I will admit that for the first 30 or so minutes it was entertaining to watch the melee of drunken tourists douse each other (and us) in sangria. But it became distinctly un-fun when some brilliant people decided that pushing the crowd back and forth across the plaza was a grand idea and the imminent possibility of death by trampling reared its head. That was when we began to get separated and the battle to stay upright began. This was at about 45 minutes till noon...there were times when I had no feet on the ground...it was a horrible hour of my life. There was about a 40 minute stretch where we all were sure we were going to die of suffocation. It was wonderful.
Of course looking back on it we are all glad we went. And we have all agreed that we will never go again. Ever. It was the most draw-out physically and emotionally distressing situation I have found myself in so far. Not looking for a repeat. The amount of crazy was overwhelming.
The reason for the 15 minute delay (which Nerea assured me never happens--they always fire the rocket at noon!) was because a group of Bosque Nationalists had managed somehow to string the Bosque flag over the plaza in an act of defiance and display of their wishes to be completely autonomous. As much as I appreciate their patriotism, I can't help but be a little bitter that they prolonged my suffering for an extra 15 minutes. Fortunately we all had small groups that stuck together during the whole ordeal and we all came out relived to be out and most importantly: alive. I owe Sam my life, and I had to take Sammi to the nearest Corte Ingles to get her new shoes (when there is that many people in a small space the distinction between your feet and the ground becomes unimportant to those around you...poor girl was shoeless for about half an hour...).
Our clothes, which had been the traditional all white, were then pink with wine and sangria and we were drenched from head to toe in the stuff. Utterly exhausted, we decided to break for a while and reconvene for fireworks that night.
The opening to the week has been a trip for certain. Thursday was the 4th of July, Nick's birthday, and juevintxos, so naturally we had to celebrate. Friday was San Fermín eve and we were curious to see how the population boom was treating the city. Saturday was...well. All in all we were exhausted but happy. The fireworks show was phenomenal and the best part is we get to see them every night of the festival!! I've never been so excited for 11:00pm to roll around every night :)
I'll keep you posted. Hopefully things will settle down during the week when some of the tourists head home.
Besos a todos.
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