Qué Comer

Ajoarriero (Stewed cod)

Navarra doesn't have a coastline, by a short stretch. For that reason we don't have a large selection of fish dishes. The best-known fish dishes are trout and dried cod.

The Ajoarriero is a kind of scrambled unsalted pieces of cod, without bones, and cooked with red peppers and tomatoes.
Some unprincipled cooks add potatoes. While it is normally served on a plate, it can also be "sandwiched" and brought, say, to the afternoon bull-fight, where it can go down a treat when chow time comes up.

If you eat it in a sandwich, make sure someone you can trust has prepared it. If not, you might end up with a bone stuck in the throat, like some big toothpick. When the cod is not wholly unsalted of course, it could be the cause of catching the mother of an alcoholic inebriation.

Qué beber

Beer

Another treasured drink for hot days. Most people ask for it in the big plastic cup of ¾ size, called a Katxis. However, if you are a serious beer drinker, it would probably be best not to order this kind of thing, unless you are in a classic quality pub.

In general, the beer drunk in Sanfermin tends to be both dearer and of poorer quality than during the rest of the year. And if you want a personal opinion, the poorer quality beer usually makes for a headache, at least that is my experience, and it sometimes gives off a bad smell.

Sanfermin Fauna

The divine ones

They are the specialists at running in the bull-run. There are two main types: the anonymous ones who are there year in and year out and then the Michael Jackson - type that you can see in the bull-running. The anonymous ones usually run like angels in front of the bull’s horns.

They are inspired by a kind of transcendental vocation and the experience of hundreds of runs since they were youths. The “showmen” can run well, yet you can’t help feeling that soon they will be appearing with sponsored track-suits on them and some sports brand name written all over the garment.

Meanwhile they are up at six in the morning and out stretching the leg muscles and pacing up and down deep in introspective thoughts. After the run, the obligatory big breakfast and taking time to check that they indeed have appeared on the “tele” and then go off home and shut themselves in until the following morning’s run.