In August, we were able to attend a bullfight in the town next to the base, El Puerto de Santa Maria. Our Spanish tutor gave us the tickets! I was ecstatic as I really wanted to experience this very important part of Spanish culture. I was also very nervous as I know the bulls will die in the end...in front of us. There are seven bulls and multiple matadors in a bullfight. The whole event last about 2.5 hours. Each bull comes out separately and each matador takes them on. The bull is at a disadvantage from the start. He is tired out by the matador who "teases" them with the cape, a man on a horse then comes out and stabs the bull in his shoulder blades to start the process of bleeding the bull and tiring him out even more. 3 other matadors also come out ad stab the bull in the back to slow him down. The matador then continues to tease the bull with the cape until finally, when the bull is pretty exhausted and has bled a lot, he/she stabs the bull through the back and into the heart. Sounds gruesome? Well it is. I will admit that during the first fight, I was in tears and just begging for them to kill the bull and put it out of its misery. And major props to the bulls, one disgraced the matador that night by STAYING ALIVE and on their feet even after he stabbed it through the heart. One tough animal. And although it is crazy experience, it is absolutely beautiful to observe the whole event, the beautiful costumes and the excited Spaniards in the stands.
Waiting for the bullfight to start. It was 90 degrees that day but our tutor gave us seats in the shade.
Let's play "Where's the Matador" in this picture. They are waiting to be introduced to the arena.
The first bull. He looks ticked.
Bull v. matador. This man on the horse in the foreground is the one that delivers the first stab to the bull between his shoulders with his spear. Notice how padded the horse is. They also blindfold the horse so he does not go blind. You can imagine the bull takes out everything on the horse when it gets stabbed. We saw more than one horse get flipped over and the bull attempt to gore it with his horns.
Another bull v. matador.
This matador had a great fight and was awarded the bull's ears which he is holding in his right hand-a great honor. He also takes a promenade around the ring and flowers are thrown to him. I guess this particular matador is an up-and-coming star. All the girls love him.
Ole!
The last bull of the evening. A big boy.
Okay. Graphic pic but I just wanted to show what the matador must do with the sword. It is very difficult and sometimes takes multiple tries to get the sword in and kill the bull. And the crowd gets angry if the matador does not do this quickly and kill the bull. They don't want to see the bull suffer too long. Ironic...I know.
Waiting for the bullfight to start. It was 90 degrees that day but our tutor gave us seats in the shade.
Let's play "Where's the Matador" in this picture. They are waiting to be introduced to the arena.
The first bull. He looks ticked.
Bull v. matador. This man on the horse in the foreground is the one that delivers the first stab to the bull between his shoulders with his spear. Notice how padded the horse is. They also blindfold the horse so he does not go blind. You can imagine the bull takes out everything on the horse when it gets stabbed. We saw more than one horse get flipped over and the bull attempt to gore it with his horns.
Another bull v. matador.
This matador had a great fight and was awarded the bull's ears which he is holding in his right hand-a great honor. He also takes a promenade around the ring and flowers are thrown to him. I guess this particular matador is an up-and-coming star. All the girls love him.
Ole!
The last bull of the evening. A big boy.
Okay. Graphic pic but I just wanted to show what the matador must do with the sword. It is very difficult and sometimes takes multiple tries to get the sword in and kill the bull. And the crowd gets angry if the matador does not do this quickly and kill the bull. They don't want to see the bull suffer too long. Ironic...I know.
6 comments:
No way would I be able to sit through that.
I honestly don't think I could witness that either..... but very cool to say that you were there!
um yeah... the anonymous comment was from me, Kristine Hill :)
I'm with you Deb, I can't believe Heather sat through that.
You know me....do I have to say anything?? I DEFINITELY couldn't sit through that :O :((
there is a few things I would like to say, H, all the blood the bull lose, it is not in vain. the torero needs the bull to be tired, so the bull can low the head, then it will show the place where the sword will entrance. that is the only way to kill them. so all the suffer of the bull is for that, not because we love to make them suffer.
Another point of the story is, do you know the value of the meet for an entire bull? it is less than 600 euros. do you think with the value of the meet, the ganadero (those who raise the bulls) can have such large plots in the field (you have seen the ranch in our way to Castellar, havent you?) to mantain the bulls out of estables without getting from 4500 to 6000 euros per bull? the bull will be extingued as you know them, they wont live in liberty as they do right now...and look at this, I am not saying this is not a savege custom, it is, and I agree that is too much suffering for any animal, but I am trying to explain why this is happenning.
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