The group at the bullfight ^
First stabbing of the bull ^
Fight the bull after its weakened^
The arena....it really is beautiful... and perfect weather this day^
The poster^I went to a bullfight thinking I would see a very Spanish event and leave a cultured person…
Forever I will remember the picture I refused to watch but unfortunately saw…. chunks of torro (bull) hanging off of a beautiful creature that is bleeding from its neck as several men stab it to death. I know, its gross…right? Now imagine watching 6 bulls die like this as the crowd cheers.
I am glad I saw it once, ‘una vez para verlo, nada mas’… one time is enough. This is what told my Senora and spanish friend. This isnt a form of entertainment that I would take part in if I lived here long term.
We got tickets to a less important bullfight for pretty cheap. 13 Euros and the seats were good. The arena here in Sevilla is pretty famous so I thought that was cool that I would watch one here. I think that before I went to the fight I was just excited to be doing something so culturally normal. I didn’t really think through what I was going to see. Dying bulls. I don’t know what you think of when you think bull fight but you should know that when you go to one you will witness death and lots of blood….. either the man dies or the bull so really your just hoping the better of the two happens. (The men are rarely killed and only sometimes injured).
The fight is called “Corrida del torros” (Run of the bulls)… the spanish people wont even label it what it is… I think it should be called “Muerto del torros” (death of the bulls)… at least put a disclaimer somewhere for the poor tourists. Haha. Basically the “show” is a progression of men vs. bull. The fight I went to was 6 bulls and 3 men. So each fight is a sequence (one bull vs. one bullfighter (and all his helper men)) of weakening, stabbing, tormenting, and killing the bull- maybe making it do a couple tricks with the cape thingy. Some deaths are more gruesome then others but I think, from what I gathered, that when the matador can kill the bull fast (at that point in the show) it is a good thing.
Anyways, if you come to Spain, if you have a weak stomach, don’t watch a bullfight. I couldn’t even watch the parts where they really stabbed a huge pole through its neck….eww. I’m glad that our screams and tears were entertaining for all those around us during the fight though.
You sat through this? You are a barbarian. Just kidding of course, but really it is incredible that this is still a form of entertainment. When I come to visit, this is not on my list of things to do ...
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a disturbing experience. Not quite sure how you sat through 6.
ReplyDeleteI told Nathan that you saw a bullfight and he was all excited to read the blog. After reading it all he could say was "They're gonna be extinct. Why would people do that?" Then as if a lightbulb went off he asked if they did it so they could eat the bull! Haha typical boy always thinking about food.
When I was there, the defenders of the bullfight had their arguments...they said that these bulls are typically given the kings life because they only want to use the best bulls. Sometimes the crowd "boos" if the bull isn't brave enough and that bull will be taken out and replaced. Also I was told that at the bull ring in Madrid the meat from the killed bull was given to an orphanage or something. Most animals are slaughtered for food in some gross way...but we don't see it...these bulls go down in a blaze of glory :) At least that's what they told me :) I still think it's pretty gross/crazy...but I've been quite a few times and I have to say it does get less shocking when you know what is going to happen. Just chalk it up to another cultural experience!
ReplyDeleteHola Laura. Me he emocionado mucho leyendo tu articulo. Realmente lo ha escrito muy bien y tengo que darte las gracias.
ReplyDeleteEl turismo Español es una empresa muy fuerte y a menudo engaña a los turistas diciendo que los toros es algo cultural muy aceptado en la sociedad española.
Pero la verdad es que el 70% de los españoles lo queremos eliminar. Y solo la ayuda del gobierno puede mantener "esta Horrible tradición" funcionando.
De nuevo te doy las gracias por lo que has escrito.
Un abrazo Laura.
* Tortura ni arte ni cultura