05.09.18
Back to Saintes Maries de la Mer for 3.30 start of the bull run. We bought our tickets, a mere 2 euros, and headed into the arena. Concrete step seats in the glaring sun with no shade anywhere were not comfortable but luckily it was not crowded and everyone filtered in gently. The tannoy shouted - we couldn't understand what intermittently with some brass band sort of music and eventually the 10 Raseteurs ( the trained runners) made their appearance. Each one had his name announced and raised his arm to acknowledge and then they casually jumped the barrier with no effort at all ready for the start of the show.
At a long horn blast the gate was opened for the first bull to enter the ring ..... and nothing appeared! Then after a minute or two a bewildered bull ran out, stopped and gazed around. At this point the Raseteurs jumped in to join it, goading and running at him to try to snatch the rosette and tassels from his head. These young men are so agile that you tend to overlook the danger of this, the bull becomes more agitated and paws the ground, twisting and turning to try to butt the protagonists. When he actually butts the wooden barrier in frustration you realise how powerful those horns are. It is thrilling to watch these athletes duck and dive from their handsome predator, confounding the bull by changing direction after grabbing for his head and running like crazy to leap the barrier and hang from the railings like a monkey before swinging back in for the next try. There appeared to be 2 teams of 4 plus a chief 'goader' for each team. They have a metal 'claw' (crochets) fitted to their fists to enable them to hook the rosette and/or the tassels. When they manage it, they raise it triumphantly to applause from the crowd.
Each bull is only in the ring for 15minutes, sometimes they do not voluntarily leave when the gate re-opens, you can understand their confusion! To get them out another bull with a bell appears - clearly his 'leader' which he meekly follows offstage to loud applause. Some of them jumped the barrier themselves and one tried very hard to get back through the gate, standing on hind legs and virtually nose to nose with spectators.
Exciting stuff and 2 euros very well spent. At the end the gaurdiens race through the town on their white horses - another exciting spectacle, but unfortunately we were at the back of the crowd for this.
We went on to have a great meal of guardien beouf! The local dish of course.
Back to Saintes Maries de la Mer for 3.30 start of the bull run. We bought our tickets, a mere 2 euros, and headed into the arena. Concrete step seats in the glaring sun with no shade anywhere were not comfortable but luckily it was not crowded and everyone filtered in gently. The tannoy shouted - we couldn't understand what intermittently with some brass band sort of music and eventually the 10 Raseteurs ( the trained runners) made their appearance. Each one had his name announced and raised his arm to acknowledge and then they casually jumped the barrier with no effort at all ready for the start of the show.
At a long horn blast the gate was opened for the first bull to enter the ring ..... and nothing appeared! Then after a minute or two a bewildered bull ran out, stopped and gazed around. At this point the Raseteurs jumped in to join it, goading and running at him to try to snatch the rosette and tassels from his head. These young men are so agile that you tend to overlook the danger of this, the bull becomes more agitated and paws the ground, twisting and turning to try to butt the protagonists. When he actually butts the wooden barrier in frustration you realise how powerful those horns are. It is thrilling to watch these athletes duck and dive from their handsome predator, confounding the bull by changing direction after grabbing for his head and running like crazy to leap the barrier and hang from the railings like a monkey before swinging back in for the next try. There appeared to be 2 teams of 4 plus a chief 'goader' for each team. They have a metal 'claw' (crochets) fitted to their fists to enable them to hook the rosette and/or the tassels. When they manage it, they raise it triumphantly to applause from the crowd.
Each bull is only in the ring for 15minutes, sometimes they do not voluntarily leave when the gate re-opens, you can understand their confusion! To get them out another bull with a bell appears - clearly his 'leader' which he meekly follows offstage to loud applause. Some of them jumped the barrier themselves and one tried very hard to get back through the gate, standing on hind legs and virtually nose to nose with spectators.
Exciting stuff and 2 euros very well spent. At the end the gaurdiens race through the town on their white horses - another exciting spectacle, but unfortunately we were at the back of the crowd for this.
We went on to have a great meal of guardien beouf! The local dish of course.
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