The Philadelphia Peña and Taurino Club
Our Guide to the Festival of San Fermìn, Pamplona
Feria del Toro
In Pamplona, the bullfights start at 18:30 p.m. and ends around 21:00. Over the years, the corrida has become the main focus of our day: talking about, preparing for, dressing for, walking to, getting tickets for, fretting about, scheduling around, getting food for, and waiting for the bullfight. After the bullfight, we talk about the bullfight, and tomorrow’s bullfight. Ari often dreams about bullfights and matadors, but that's an issue for another page.
Ticket lines are for the weak, and you will easily find scalpers (usually older men) near the Plaza de Toros at around 17:00. This is our understanding: selling the tickets is illegal; buying the tickets is not. In a recent year, scalpers took us to the back of a nearby store to perform the transaction, when there was an increase in police presence. It felt like we were buying an illegal panda bear from the back of Mo’s Tavern. Would I buy a ticket in front of a cop? No. Do I worry a moment about buying the tickets? No, as the city is not in business of dragging tourists off for minor matters. Do the locals sometimes act like they’re going to get beat in prison? Yes.
Scalpers used to be bullfight “season ticket” holders who cannot attend every night, who stood in line at the right time, and who pay for their whole season by, once or twice, scalping during San Fermìn. They were nice, regular guys. That being said, you can buy tickets from dishonest "entrepeneurs" in Philadelphia, New York, London, or Pamplona. Or at the opera. In Pamplona, when someone is acting badly in selling tickets, the normal tactic is “bait and switch.” They show you good tickets, sell you good tickets, and then hand you bad tickets. So, check the tickets before you let the guy walk away with your money.
In recent years, the presence of the ticket "mafia" has emerged. This are, how do you say, not the nice guys. We try to avoid buying from them, because they are not just unloading unused tickets, but are actively trying to mislead and profit. A savy buyer can quickly smoke out a member of the "mafia" -- they have lots of tickets to sell, and they try to pass off bad tickets on obvious outsiders. Sometimes they will have someone stand with you while they go talk with other members of the "family." This person is used to run off anyone else trying to legitimately get rid of their tickets. So, use your head, and look for someone between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. trying to get rid of their extra tickets, and not the mafia. If you have to buy from the mafia, don't act like a tourist and make sure the terms of the deal are clear (i.e. are you buying seats together?). Further, they are deathly afraid of la policia. Don't be afraid to threaten getting the cops involved. Watch 'em run then!
Normally, we spend between 50€ and 75€ per ticket, depending on who the matadors are that night, and the night of the week. Weekends are busier. We just stand around making eye contact, and someone always approaches us. Every year, we swear we are going to make a better effort at bargaining. We don’t, and make the worst hagglers, because we’re too darn excited. We are truly ashamed.
In buying tickets, you are looking for a couple of things.
First, look for tickets marked “SOMBRA.” Tickets in the sombra (shade) are better seats in any bullring. However, in Pamplona, the local peñas invade the sol (sun) sections. It’s a real mess, and very entertaining. And likely, you want nothing to do with it. If you want to sit with the peñas, take a poncho. You’ll know when you need it. However, by night, you will be an official mozo whether you like it or not.
Second, look for where the tickets are marked “TENDIDO” or “GRADA” or “ANDANADA.” “Tendido” is the seating on the lower level. These are often not available from normal scalpers, and are much more expensive. For reasons unknown, a scalper may have seats in the this section, but may first offer tickets for other sections to you. This may be simple “supply and demand.” A tourist usually won’t care too much about the seat location, while a local may be looking for a tendido seat. Thus, it may be easier to unload the tendido seat. If you are looking for a really good view (maybe it’s the only time you are going), it cannot help to ask “tendido?” “Grada” is found at the mid-level of seating. Generally, this is where we buy our seats. “Andanada” is the higher level, where the seats are smaller and steeper. These are what we’d call “grandstand” seats. Frankly, these are fine seats, and we’ve had some of our best times up there. Andanada-Delantera is the front row of the upper section. These are our favorite seats.
The Classes The Sections
Third, you are looking for your section number. After the words tendido, grada, or andanada, you will see a number. This is your “section.” In tendido, sections 1, 2, and 3 are the best. Sections 6 and 7 are occupied by the peñas. The peñas sections are vague, so that in 2004 we were pelted in section 8. In grada, sections 1, 2, and 3 are the best. Sections 6, 7 and 8 are occupied by the peñas. In andanada, sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (and even some 8) are the best. Sections 11, 12, and 13 are occupied by the peñas. You can usually obtain a map of the ring with the program and advertisements outside the ring.
Fourth, the remaining information on the ticket relate the “fila” (your row), your seat number, and the door you should use to enter the ring. As a fail safe, look for tickets for seats behind doors "Pral.," B, or C. Other doors lead to less desirable sections.
After obtaining tickets, walk from the ring back up Estafada to the Plaza Consistorial for the Parade of Mules, which begins at 17:30. Before beginning, you can mug for photos with the horse ridden by the alguacillos, and the mules used to drag the bull from the ring. We make it a tradition to walk with the Parade of Mules to the ring, and then to watch the peñas enter the ring around Doors E, F, or G, or watch the matadors arrive (some in limos) and enter around Door B. These are excellent San Fermin experiences that we could not imagine missing.
The Parade of the Mules The Bullring Afterwards Walking into the Ring
Again, the bullfight begins at 18:30, and late comers must wait until the 1st bull has been dragged out. Further, it will also mean that those in your row have spread themselves out to occupy your seats, so you will be less popular than desired (when everyone has to re-shift).
When entering, you can lease a seat cushion (you should) for 1€. After the fights are completed, you can act like a tourist without worry and toss your cushion into the ring. Every year, Ari nails the center of the ring from a mile away at least once. He’s the Robin Roberts of seat cushions. And the seat cushion rental goes towards charities for the blind, so I’ve got that going for me too.
Here is my lousy video: Clip1
Here is Ari’s much better video: Clip2
After the third (3d) bull is carried off, the sound of tin foil being unwrapped reverberates through the ring. It’s the 7th Inning stretch of bullfights. It’s not like an Eagles game, where you can buy dinner. You bring your own. It’s not unusual for someone to bring way too much food and drink and to share (just look wide eyed and confused and someone will feed you). One of my favorite Pamplona experiences came when a very nice lady brought a giant box of pastry and passed it out to Ari and I like a doting grandmother. It was so good we wrote down the name of the pastry shop, and then asked around until we found someone who could explain (in English) where to buy that King of All Pastry.
Once, someone passed a giant wheel of cheese up and down our aisle, all night, with a nice carving knife sticking out. Imagine that at a Sixer’s game. We usually load up on food at the market (behind Plaza Consistorial) earlier in the day, but you can get pretty good bocadillos at a little shop on Calle Arrieta, near the bull ring.
At the start, the alguacillos (bailiffs or constable) ride around the ring to a drawn out “ooooo-l-e” and the crowd jeers when they (usually) don’t get the big circle just right. They stop at the president’s box and obtain formal permission to proceed. In a spirit often shared by Philadelphians, the citizens of Pamplona show appropriate respect for the alguacillos and their position of the authority. By that, I mean they are verbally abused, often very amusingly.
The matadors and their cuadrillos parade in, remove their monteras and bow to the president’s box. Almost immediately thereafter, the first (1st) of the six (6) bulls from that morning's run enters the ring. A technical explanation of the bullfight is beyond the scope of this page. Hopefully, we got you inside the plaza.
The Cuadrillo Pass with Cape Picador
Even though we attend bullfights whenever we can at legitimate venues, we are far from aficionados. Every year, we try to add 25 or so terms or concepts to our vocabulary. There are many books, especially those by Barnaby Conrad, that provide an invaluable resource to the English reader. However, if you throw in a couple of these words or phrases listed in no certain order, you’re on your way to being a full fledged aficionado.
withers (were bandilleros place on the bull)
pitones (horns)
cuernos (horns)
cornado (horn wound)
capotes (cape that is heavy, pink and yellow)
toril (bull gate, or “gate of fear”)
morrillo (hump or muscle in the neck)
tremedista (passes on the knees)
adorno (touching the horn)
ganadería (bull ranch)
a matadors cuadrilla has three (3) banderillas; two (2) picadors; mozo de espada (servant of the sword); and the novillero (the novice)
traje de luces (suit of lights)
montera (matadors’ hat)
estocada (the death thrust) & (the act of killing the bull)
muleta (matador’s “cape” used as lore in killing the bull, which is oval and red with a course yellow fabric & folded over a “palillo,” which is a wooden baton)
estoques (swords of a matador) – three (3) types (matar (for killing)); muerte (with a curve); and descabellar (dagger with long handle)
puntillero (member of cuadrillo who uses the descabellar)
mono sabios (wise monkeys, that is, “ring servants”)
capa de brega (cape used by banderilleros, which is a “working cape”)
burladero (hiding doors used by matadors and their cuadrilla). Literally, refuge.
peon de confianza (fighter’s representative)
quites (KEEtays) (passes to distract bull away from picadors) (each of 3 matadors participate in these passes)
Linares (city where Manolete was killed)
1848 (year that Juan Miura started breed)
Islero (name of Miura bull that killed Manolete)
Islera (Islero’s mother)
Formalito (Islero’s father)
Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodriguez Y Sanchez was born July 4, 1917 in Cordoba)
Camara (manager of Manolete)
Gitanillo (3d matador at Linares)
Dominguin (2d matador at Linares)
There are six (6) stages of a toro bravo’s life (becerro, anojo, eral, utrero, novillo, toro)
A bull inherits it physical characteristics from father, but its fighting heart from its mother.
el hora de la verdad (the moment of truth)
almohadas (ring pillow you are sitting on)
brindis (dedication of the bull to a member of the audience)
divisa (colors of the granaderia attached with metal barb to the morrillo)
larga cambiada de rodillas (cape pass made from knees with cape spread in sand before the matador)
merienda (snack eaten after 3d bull)
killing passes – recibiendo (bull charges matador); volapie (matador takes steps toward bull); a un tiempo (combination of prior killing passes).
Ticket lines are for the weak, and you will easily find scalpers (usually older men) near the Plaza de Toros at around 17:00. This is our understanding: selling the tickets is illegal; buying the tickets is not. In a recent year, scalpers took us to the back of a nearby store to perform the transaction, when there was an increase in police presence. It felt like we were buying an illegal panda bear from the back of Mo’s Tavern. Would I buy a ticket in front of a cop? No. Do I worry a moment about buying the tickets? No, as the city is not in business of dragging tourists off for minor matters. Do the locals sometimes act like they’re going to get beat in prison? Yes.
Scalpers used to be bullfight “season ticket” holders who cannot attend every night, who stood in line at the right time, and who pay for their whole season by, once or twice, scalping during San Fermìn. They were nice, regular guys. That being said, you can buy tickets from dishonest "entrepeneurs" in Philadelphia, New York, London, or Pamplona. Or at the opera. In Pamplona, when someone is acting badly in selling tickets, the normal tactic is “bait and switch.” They show you good tickets, sell you good tickets, and then hand you bad tickets. So, check the tickets before you let the guy walk away with your money.
In recent years, the presence of the ticket "mafia" has emerged. This are, how do you say, not the nice guys. We try to avoid buying from them, because they are not just unloading unused tickets, but are actively trying to mislead and profit. A savy buyer can quickly smoke out a member of the "mafia" -- they have lots of tickets to sell, and they try to pass off bad tickets on obvious outsiders. Sometimes they will have someone stand with you while they go talk with other members of the "family." This person is used to run off anyone else trying to legitimately get rid of their tickets. So, use your head, and look for someone between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. trying to get rid of their extra tickets, and not the mafia. If you have to buy from the mafia, don't act like a tourist and make sure the terms of the deal are clear (i.e. are you buying seats together?). Further, they are deathly afraid of la policia. Don't be afraid to threaten getting the cops involved. Watch 'em run then!
Normally, we spend between 50€ and 75€ per ticket, depending on who the matadors are that night, and the night of the week. Weekends are busier. We just stand around making eye contact, and someone always approaches us. Every year, we swear we are going to make a better effort at bargaining. We don’t, and make the worst hagglers, because we’re too darn excited. We are truly ashamed.
In buying tickets, you are looking for a couple of things.
First, look for tickets marked “SOMBRA.” Tickets in the sombra (shade) are better seats in any bullring. However, in Pamplona, the local peñas invade the sol (sun) sections. It’s a real mess, and very entertaining. And likely, you want nothing to do with it. If you want to sit with the peñas, take a poncho. You’ll know when you need it. However, by night, you will be an official mozo whether you like it or not.
Second, look for where the tickets are marked “TENDIDO” or “GRADA” or “ANDANADA.” “Tendido” is the seating on the lower level. These are often not available from normal scalpers, and are much more expensive. For reasons unknown, a scalper may have seats in the this section, but may first offer tickets for other sections to you. This may be simple “supply and demand.” A tourist usually won’t care too much about the seat location, while a local may be looking for a tendido seat. Thus, it may be easier to unload the tendido seat. If you are looking for a really good view (maybe it’s the only time you are going), it cannot help to ask “tendido?” “Grada” is found at the mid-level of seating. Generally, this is where we buy our seats. “Andanada” is the higher level, where the seats are smaller and steeper. These are what we’d call “grandstand” seats. Frankly, these are fine seats, and we’ve had some of our best times up there. Andanada-Delantera is the front row of the upper section. These are our favorite seats.
The Classes The Sections
Third, you are looking for your section number. After the words tendido, grada, or andanada, you will see a number. This is your “section.” In tendido, sections 1, 2, and 3 are the best. Sections 6 and 7 are occupied by the peñas. The peñas sections are vague, so that in 2004 we were pelted in section 8. In grada, sections 1, 2, and 3 are the best. Sections 6, 7 and 8 are occupied by the peñas. In andanada, sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (and even some 8) are the best. Sections 11, 12, and 13 are occupied by the peñas. You can usually obtain a map of the ring with the program and advertisements outside the ring.
Fourth, the remaining information on the ticket relate the “fila” (your row), your seat number, and the door you should use to enter the ring. As a fail safe, look for tickets for seats behind doors "Pral.," B, or C. Other doors lead to less desirable sections.
After obtaining tickets, walk from the ring back up Estafada to the Plaza Consistorial for the Parade of Mules, which begins at 17:30. Before beginning, you can mug for photos with the horse ridden by the alguacillos, and the mules used to drag the bull from the ring. We make it a tradition to walk with the Parade of Mules to the ring, and then to watch the peñas enter the ring around Doors E, F, or G, or watch the matadors arrive (some in limos) and enter around Door B. These are excellent San Fermin experiences that we could not imagine missing.
The Parade of the Mules The Bullring Afterwards Walking into the Ring
Again, the bullfight begins at 18:30, and late comers must wait until the 1st bull has been dragged out. Further, it will also mean that those in your row have spread themselves out to occupy your seats, so you will be less popular than desired (when everyone has to re-shift).
When entering, you can lease a seat cushion (you should) for 1€. After the fights are completed, you can act like a tourist without worry and toss your cushion into the ring. Every year, Ari nails the center of the ring from a mile away at least once. He’s the Robin Roberts of seat cushions. And the seat cushion rental goes towards charities for the blind, so I’ve got that going for me too.
Here is my lousy video: Clip1
Here is Ari’s much better video: Clip2
After the third (3d) bull is carried off, the sound of tin foil being unwrapped reverberates through the ring. It’s the 7th Inning stretch of bullfights. It’s not like an Eagles game, where you can buy dinner. You bring your own. It’s not unusual for someone to bring way too much food and drink and to share (just look wide eyed and confused and someone will feed you). One of my favorite Pamplona experiences came when a very nice lady brought a giant box of pastry and passed it out to Ari and I like a doting grandmother. It was so good we wrote down the name of the pastry shop, and then asked around until we found someone who could explain (in English) where to buy that King of All Pastry.
Once, someone passed a giant wheel of cheese up and down our aisle, all night, with a nice carving knife sticking out. Imagine that at a Sixer’s game. We usually load up on food at the market (behind Plaza Consistorial) earlier in the day, but you can get pretty good bocadillos at a little shop on Calle Arrieta, near the bull ring.
At the start, the alguacillos (bailiffs or constable) ride around the ring to a drawn out “ooooo-l-e” and the crowd jeers when they (usually) don’t get the big circle just right. They stop at the president’s box and obtain formal permission to proceed. In a spirit often shared by Philadelphians, the citizens of Pamplona show appropriate respect for the alguacillos and their position of the authority. By that, I mean they are verbally abused, often very amusingly.
The matadors and their cuadrillos parade in, remove their monteras and bow to the president’s box. Almost immediately thereafter, the first (1st) of the six (6) bulls from that morning's run enters the ring. A technical explanation of the bullfight is beyond the scope of this page. Hopefully, we got you inside the plaza.
The Cuadrillo Pass with Cape Picador
Even though we attend bullfights whenever we can at legitimate venues, we are far from aficionados. Every year, we try to add 25 or so terms or concepts to our vocabulary. There are many books, especially those by Barnaby Conrad, that provide an invaluable resource to the English reader. However, if you throw in a couple of these words or phrases listed in no certain order, you’re on your way to being a full fledged aficionado.
withers (were bandilleros place on the bull)
pitones (horns)
cuernos (horns)
cornado (horn wound)
capotes (cape that is heavy, pink and yellow)
toril (bull gate, or “gate of fear”)
morrillo (hump or muscle in the neck)
tremedista (passes on the knees)
adorno (touching the horn)
ganadería (bull ranch)
a matadors cuadrilla has three (3) banderillas; two (2) picadors; mozo de espada (servant of the sword); and the novillero (the novice)
traje de luces (suit of lights)
montera (matadors’ hat)
estocada (the death thrust) & (the act of killing the bull)
muleta (matador’s “cape” used as lore in killing the bull, which is oval and red with a course yellow fabric & folded over a “palillo,” which is a wooden baton)
estoques (swords of a matador) – three (3) types (matar (for killing)); muerte (with a curve); and descabellar (dagger with long handle)
puntillero (member of cuadrillo who uses the descabellar)
mono sabios (wise monkeys, that is, “ring servants”)
capa de brega (cape used by banderilleros, which is a “working cape”)
burladero (hiding doors used by matadors and their cuadrilla). Literally, refuge.
peon de confianza (fighter’s representative)
quites (KEEtays) (passes to distract bull away from picadors) (each of 3 matadors participate in these passes)
Linares (city where Manolete was killed)
1848 (year that Juan Miura started breed)
Islero (name of Miura bull that killed Manolete)
Islera (Islero’s mother)
Formalito (Islero’s father)
Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodriguez Y Sanchez was born July 4, 1917 in Cordoba)
Camara (manager of Manolete)
Gitanillo (3d matador at Linares)
Dominguin (2d matador at Linares)
There are six (6) stages of a toro bravo’s life (becerro, anojo, eral, utrero, novillo, toro)
A bull inherits it physical characteristics from father, but its fighting heart from its mother.
el hora de la verdad (the moment of truth)
almohadas (ring pillow you are sitting on)
brindis (dedication of the bull to a member of the audience)
divisa (colors of the granaderia attached with metal barb to the morrillo)
larga cambiada de rodillas (cape pass made from knees with cape spread in sand before the matador)
merienda (snack eaten after 3d bull)
killing passes – recibiendo (bull charges matador); volapie (matador takes steps toward bull); a un tiempo (combination of prior killing passes).