Tom Turley. New York

That morning of 1987, Tom Turley (New York, 46 years) was one of dozens of foreign graduatesvip in search of adventure that roamed the Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona. By chance he started talking to Todd, a young man that was having a drink with his family on a terrace. Tom was in Pamplona invited by a friend to experience the San Fermin Festival with no other plan than spending 24 hours partying, no sleep at all and not having a clue about Hemingway and his San Fermin Festival insights.

Red shirt, Tom Turley. Estafeta corner

Todd's father, Ray, asked him if they had a place to stay and invited him to spent five days in the luxurious La Perla Hotel (5*), a paradise reserved for very few such as Hemingway. Tom couldn´t believe his luck, and this is when he understood one of the most important lessons of San Fermin, true and genuine friendship.  

He promised Ray, he would always come back to this festivity. And up to today he has kept his word. The first time he got into the Running of the Bulls (encierro) the legendary Miura Livestock where the protagonist of the day. ."I must admit the seeds of fear where inside me”, he admitted. He jumped and rolled under the fence down the alley. In the distance he saw the paws scraping the floor. "What a feeling ..." He definitely caught the San Fermin rush virus and started learning the proper techniques and courage need it until he became a magician of running de bulls on the most dangerous & famous place: “ Dead Man Corner”, the intersection of Estafeta and Mercaderes Street. You could see him always wearing a red pullover (another San Fermin gift that was given to him by a friend in a cold morning while going to the daily Bull Run).

And he thought for himself: “Perhaps the best thing is not to touch what is right: the pullover, the promise to Ray about participating yearly in the Running of the Bulls and don’t miss a day thinking on the Bull Run". When faced with the question: Why run? He would always answer "It’s as difficult as answering why you love a woman: Because of her beauty, her intelligence? There are no words or way to explain it " But one thing is for sure: "I know you have to get close to death to savour what life is about."

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO RENT A SPOT FROM A PRIVILEGED BALCONY, RIGHT IN THE DEAD MAN CORNER, TO WATCH THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS IN SAN FERMIN FESTIVAL, LOG IN THIS LINK AND YOU WILL BE AMAZED!