Ontinyent, a nearby town, have a bull running event in December. This one is strictly for those of a nervous disposition. The bull's horns are covered in special leather 'gloves' with balls on the ends, to minimise damage, and the bulls are also held on a rope, resticting their movement. Well, that's the theory anyway!
In reality, it is the crowd that bring on most of the energy. Thousands of people, flocked into a few streets, surging backwards and forwards away from the bull. Terrifying and exciting all at once. There were local video camera's set up, and it was possible to watch it live on screens in the bars, so you knew whether or not it was safe to get out of the bar, or better to stay there.
We saw a few people (being assisted by marshalls) who appeared to have hurt their arms (one looked as though it was broken) and we saw one unfortunate elderly gentleman knocked to the floor by a bull. He couldn't get away, because of the crowd behind him. Afterwards, he seemed to be ok, but he was obviously shaken.
The atmousphere was amazing. Once you realised how 'safe' it was, you mentally thought you could get very close to the bull, but in reality, when confronted by a fully grown bull running at you, capable of anything, your 'fight or flight' adrenalin kicked in, and it was difficult to think straight.
Many people had gone in small groups, wearing matching sweatshirts and bandana's. Young and old, male and female, it really was spectacular.
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