People
Envy
Happiness
Dogs
Though
Sense
Courage
Knowing
Jubilation
Means
Better
Ass-ets

The man is a scary, psycotic, genius storyteller-singer-actor-writer.

I think I am going to have to get a ladder, in case all those Asian people jump. Also, what the f*&k was I doing when I was younger? I never listened to him enough. That will have to be changed.

[© Copyright Antonio García Rodríguez]

Galicia would not be known for bullfighting, encierro or any tauromachian.

But the 4th annual “Sanfermin a la Gallega” took place in Chapela, Vigo on the 18th of July. Sanfermin.com has the original story (only in Castellano). The fiesta is complete with Txupinazo, el encierro, and Pobre De Mí.

“Sanfermin a la Gallega” seemed to be a family affair with only the families and their friends from the area taking part. Maybe it will make it into the itinerary of encierro fiesta (Tafalla, San Sebastian De Los Reyes an event for the foreign runners?

Instead of 700Kg toros running they had, chickens. Yes chickens. But keeping with Sanfermines traditions, after the encierro the brave and ligero (light) chickens were eaten.

Every year, the actual location of the fiesta is changed, to give people of the different neighbourhoods an opportunity to host the up and coming fiesta.

Over 500 people took part in the fiesta, in organisation, and celebration.

Viva las Gallinas! Gora las Gallinas!

Of course, over the past 500 odd years the fiesta has changed, but in the last (at least hundred years- since video/photographic recording) the fiesta looks the same.

The old cartels of Sanfermin have a certain charm, the 1959 cartel showing an “oldworld feel”.

[All copyright of photograph: T. Vincente / San Fermin 1959 © T. Vicente]

The video below is of the 1959 Sanfermin:

While the clothes are not the famous “blanco y rojo” (white and red) of the past 20 odd years, it is easy to see this is fiesta time.

The beginning shows Calle Santo Domingo, everyone getting ready to run down the street, against the bulls, an exciting and terrifying practice that goes on today.

What you will notice is the rolled up Diario De Navarra, is not as ubiquitous as it is today. Diario’s marketing department have done a wonderful job on that.

From the short clip of the encierro, its also clear that the number of people taking part is much less than now adays, where some runs can have 1,500-2,000 people taking part, particularly at La Curva, Estafeta and Telefónica/La Callejón.

Los Kilikis, Cabezudos, and Los Gigantes are, the same-inflicting pain on the unsuspecting children.

What has changed, is the location of the funfair, up until last year, being held Calle Yanguas y Mirande in the grounds outside La Vuelta De Castillo, this year moved to Rotxapea. Those grounds have now become the City subterranean Bus Station, seeing the closure of Spain’s last 1930’s style bus station, in the nearby Calle Tudela.

Towards the end of the video, we see a corrida, again with the same traditions, ceremonies, ending of course with, Las Peña.

[This video is hosted on Sanfermin.com]

The bull, locally from the ganadería of Induráin was brave, fast and was able to stay on his feet (wheels) while taking the Curva of Estafeta.

Below you can see the full encierro, courtesy of Sanfermin.tv:

Ya falta menos!

This years Pobre De Mí was, well, as always, a sad occasion. Below is the video.

Ya falta menos! Viva Sanfermín! Gora Sanfermín!

Someone asked me something today about Charlie Schick. I check out his blog (I am subscribed to his internal Nokia blogs and also his external blogs).

I see a really interesting and useful post about mobile tinyurls, and mobile browsing.

I did some wavesurfing (following outward links) and came across esyurls integration with Mowser, Russell Beattie’s mobile formatted browsing tool (I remember Russell from way back when he was writing on his Notebook).

So, I post the link to Jaiku, and sofar I see 3 people using it.

esyurl integrates with Mowser to allow you to see either a mobile formatted website, or a “normal” PC sized site.

Martin already likes it so let me know if you use it too.

It’ll make sending links around to mobile browsers much much easier.

Thanks Charlie, Russ, Filipe, and Martin!

Technorati Tags: mowser , charlie schick , martin sauter , mobilesociety , mobile browsing , esyurl

Cubic Telecom and Celtrak Global Roaming are joining technical and logistic forces to release new services to overcome the monoply traditional mobile operators have had in the roaming/long-distance calling business since the inception of mobile phones.

These new services will offer significant savings to those who are currently paying a fortune for International roaming.

Pat’s mantra is “a world where anyone can call anyone at anytime without worrying about the cost”, and in todays world of “blah blah” talk, its a pretty good one.

CelTrak seem to compliment Cubic Telecom’s business well. They offer 3 basic packages, combing in different ways cellphone, SIM card, and call credit.

CelTrak then also offer instant onair top-up, which effectively means that instead of having to get a pin to top your phone up with, your credit is automatically increased over-the-air. Nice and simple.

CelTrak’s SIM works in any GSM phone. CelTrak has over 700 GSM roaming agreements with mobile operators all over the world, which gets them competitive roaming rates in different international locations. These romaing rates offer between 50-90% savings over normal rates.

A question to ask is, why are other companies not seeing the possible benefits to be made by striking roaming deals with mobile operators?

CelTraks ambition is “of offering low-cost roaming to consumers everywhere”, which sounds pretty much like Pat’s mantra!

CelTrak have views of also offering data services for roamers, another area which is a lucrative cash-cow for cellphone operators.

It looks like Cubic Telecom get some good benefits from CelTrak, like the roaming agreements, while CelTrak also get good benefits from Cubic, like the good foothold in Europe, and the MaxRoam SIM products.

For me, if they were able to offer a VoIP service in the form of a software application, this would make a big difference to me.

I am interested in seeing their virtual PBX service, a service that CelTrak seem to have on offer also.

My current VoIP provider, Blueface, also have a virtual PBX, which is also a nice feature.

Congrats Pat, hope to hear more news soon!

Technorati Tags: cubic telecom , celtrak , voip , mobile phones , cell operators , telecomms , pat phelan

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A pint of Lapin kulta please - Pistä yks Lapin Kulta, kiitos.

Winter is my favourite season - Talvi on mun lempivuodenaika.

I love taking saunas - Mä tykkää saunoa.

Would you mind swatting me with birch leaves? - Voitko vihtoa minua?

I want to move to Finland. - Haluan muuttaa Suomeen.

My name is XXX - Minun nimeni on XXX

A house is not a home without a sauna - Koti ei ole koti ilman saunaa.

I like beans - Minä pidän pavuista.

Reindeer are cute - Porot ovat söpöjä.

Cheers! - Kippis!

Some salmiakki, please - Saisinko salmiakkia?

Could I have this dance? - Saanko luvan? (Ahem…not one for those of us who have partners!)

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Technorati Tags: finland , finnish language , suomi , languages , runningwithbulls.com , nokia