July 7, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 25,1423

PAMPLONA (Spain), July 6: A million delirious, wine-soaked revellers packed the streets of Pamplona on Saturday, as Spain’s world-famous bull-running festival burst to life amid concerns that the Basque separatist group, the ETA, might spoil the party.

As the “chupinazo” fireworks arched into the sky above the city’s historic main square, thousands of Spaniards and foreign tourists unleashed a barrage of eggs, flour and champagne.

The “chupinazo,” or “big shot,” marks the start of the San Fermin festival — nine days of collective insanity celebrated in Ernest Hemingway’s 1927 novel “Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises.”

Amid deafening shouts of “Long live San Fermin,” the crowd tossed inflatable balls and several laughing young girls like flotsam on its sea of hands.

“It’s San Fermin time. Off to Pamplona with a goatskin of wine,” sang the party-goers, dressed in their traditional all-white costumes and red scarves.

After 20 hours of non-stop partying, a handful of the bravest, or most reckless of the men, will risk their lives in a three-minute adrenaline-fuelled dash from six fighting bulls.—Reuters