Who Needs Eggs, When You've Got Bull!s TORO, TORO!!

So right smack in the midst of Semana Santa and all its splendor in Ayacucho is the Sabado de Gloria or Saturday of Glory. This is a day of "Letting your emotion loose". I was told by my host family. It began at 10 a.m. and lasted well into the night.

The morning began in the plaza, which was begining to fill, in anticipation. There was a parade of Peruvian high stepping Paseo Horses. Then a few passes by a boisterous band and women and men dressed in their traditional Huamangina wear.

(This is my friend Eli or Elizabeth. She sells Muyuchi or the Andean Ice Cream)

At 10 a.m. began the annual JALA TORO or the pulling/running of the bulls in Ayacucho. The bulls are smaller than in Pamplona, Spain and not as Bravo or aggressive. They tie a rope to a bull, and they pull, saying JALA! JALA! which means to pull. It agitates the animal and then it begins to run all the way down the 28 de Julio and into the square. The people scream and take off running. Some are in front, some behind, and some right beside. The throng of screaming runners is lead by a group of Peruvian high stepping Paseo horses. There is a brass band with a drum, remember we are in Ayacucho of course. They go up the street playing DU du DU du DU du du! and then they come back down the 28 de Julio DU du DU du du du! That means the bull is coming. It gets the people all excited. They do this with about 4 or 5 bulls and waves of people. People run in groups or as individuals, and then do cheers and make human pyramids in triumph after they reach the plaza.
There is supposed to be no drinking in the "historic center" during Holy Week out of respect for the processionals and religious rituals, but I think that was waved this past Saturday JALA! JALA! Cops were walking among the people and they weren't saying anything to the people drinking, only the individuals selling the beer out of backpacks.
No I didn't run down the 28 de Julio, I know 2 people who did though!! I did run around the plaza though with them afterward. JALA! JALA! Again the plaza was filled to the gills, and party went on into the night. At night men and women dressed in their regular clothes, but also traditional Huamangina clothes, danced around in circles, and yes (de acuerdo) of course I joined them.