Hey Kids,

Made it back to the States without much incident. I stayed another night with Jose Luis in Madrid and had some great tapas.... it really helps to have a local for a guide. Looks like all is well except for those horrible drivers.... I might not have been as friendly to that meatball!! haha!

Hope you continue to have great experiences.... Everyone says "Hi" and has been asking about you both. Just got back from a party with Mark, Jamie, and Romeo.... the usual chaos ensued!!

Cheers!!

Will

Hi Guy's.

Your trip sounds incredible! Just wanted to let you know that I switched jobs. I am @ USC in thte tix office. HAve Fun!

Louie

I really liked your run in tale. It reminds me of a joke. This guy walks into a bar and . . . .

you are rockin' the bc superfan shirt!! keep making me proud. natty, so good talking to you. thank you so much for calling. miss you guys and love you.

looking at the picture with the tv...I'm lucky to be alive

July 9, 2006 -- San Sebastian, Espana -- Its just past midnight in the Basque town of San Sebastian . . .we arrived this afternoon after one of the most incredible fiestas on the planet -- the incomparable Fiesta de San Fermin -- better known to gringos as the annual "Running of the Bulls Festival". For the record, of all the parties across the globe -- Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnival in Rio de Janiero and even World Cup celebrations in Italy at this very moment -- cannot hold a candle to the mayhem of the past 24 hours. Imagine 3 million, testosterone-charged, muchismo, Euromullet wearing twenty-something males (and a dash of gringos) descending on an otherwise tranquil medieval town for 2 weeks of insane partying and bull taunting. Its tradition to literally drink all night and then risk your life while running from 1,500 lb., really-pissed-off bulls while the sane revelers watch from the relative safety of barriers erected along the alleys. So, after talking about running since high school, my friend Will and I decided to risk it all for 2 minutes of glory (yes, the animal cruelty in the streets lasts just a few minutes while the real gore occurs in the bullring at the end of the route). Well, that was the plan. So here we were at 7:15AM on the route, waiting with 4,000 other idiots for the bulls to be released when the Pamplona Police (aka. Nazi stormtroopers) arrive to "ready the streets" for cleaning. In short, they pushed and shoved and swung clubs at any slow, unsuspecting or wrong place at the wrong time would-be runner that happened to cross their path. 30 yards up-stream a barrier was erected marking the start of the "official" runners . . . we were forced to climb under a fence on the urine soaked cobblestone streets and run in vain for the next 40 minutes searching for a place to join the runners. It didn´t happen -- remember, there are millions of drunk party-goers lining the course -- which doesn´t make for easy travel. So, with a few minutes to racetime, we gave up on running and headed towards the bullring to catch the action. Bad idea. About 25,000 other would-be runners had the same idea and we were stuck in a sea of smelly up-all-night hell. Searching for a way out -- or up -- we decided to climb the outer wall of the bull ring which had an incredible view of the route heading into the stadium. Frustrated, hungover and exhausted, we at least could watch the runners get trampled as they appraoched the ring. Guess again -- with the bulls within earshot we were thrown off our perch -- literally -- by those same Nazi stormtroopers. If you have ever seen footage of those overzealous, shoot first and ask questions later riot cop (60s race riots) swinging billy clubs then you can imagine what we encountered. 15 feet above the ground they swung, luckily hitting our fellow climbers first while we jumped to the ground and ran. Crazy. OK, so we stayed up all night to run with the bulls and were denied, scaled a building just to catch a glimpse of a hoof or two only to be beat down by riot police -- can´t get any worse, right? Wrong. During the pushing and shoving of the crowds, a pickpocket lifter Will´s wallet along with $850 in cash, credit cards, license -- you name it -- gone. We spent the next 3 hours filling out police reports while the runners passed out on the urine-stained sidewalks (the only available bathrooms, of course, were in the streets). I´m assuming Pamplona was slightly different for Hemingway.

Pics to follow manana.

M & N

We'll miss you guys at 6 man tomorrow. Doesn't look like I"ll be able to visit ya in early Sept. ...might be in Boston for a week and Heard you might be coming back home soon????? We'll work on getting those people out of 429 Manhattan Ave(:

Super-Diamond tomorrow night at the pier! Just thought you'd appreciate an invite.

MIchael

Hi Matt & Nat!

Here your tour guide to Pamplona! Will just showed me your website, read the whole piece on the running of the bulls, hehehe, told you, you shouldn't try to run... Now I'm going to break a lance (like we say here) for my hometown. What about the amazing fireworks, the free concerts, the friendly "pamplonicas"... You didn't mention anything good about the festival :( Well, well, well, I hope you have guys a save trip and keep having a good time! Good luck!! José Luis

Nat, your writeup of the Running of the Bulls experience is worded so well it belongs in the LA Weekly or New Times. Can you post a picture of what a Euromullet looks like? Is it the same as the domestic blend, or does it sport a more Continental flair? -Steve

WOW.... your pics and stories are amazing. I wish I was on your incredible journey. Will hopefully be in Europe next month. Not sure how much longer you'll be around there but will post a message if I get there. Looking forward to more stories and pics. All the best take care and be well.

Dude.... emailed you back off line this morning. Pictures are awesome. Stories are great as well. Loved Praha as well. And if I had known you were looking to buy a car, Nance is selling her Warlaumont/Provost Turbo Bug. Had you only known!