We went to the bullfights on June 5th. It was some sort of opening day, six young toreros all trying to prove themselves. We've been asking questions ever since to try to understand what we were watching. Two concentric circles line the ring, the bull comes tearing out and several toreros taunt and torment it. Then the brass band toots and out come the picadors on horseback. The horses are blindfolded so they can´t see that a raging bull is charging them and they are clad in thick armored padding so they don´t feel the full impact of the bull smashing into them, which the bulls most certainly do. One picador got knocked off his horse, sending the picador into the dirt and the horse on a wild tear around the ring. By now the bull is bloodied and angry and the slow ritual of its death has begun. The toreros take turns in the lead roll as they take the center of the ring and slowly dance with the dying bull. The pink capes that have been used up to this point are put away and out comes the red cape. The dull sword is replaced with a sharp one. Finally, the death blow is dealt, everyone cheers, the bands toots and out come a team of horses to drag the bull away. Then it all starts over again. Somewhere benath our seats the bull is butched and somewhere else the beast is eaten. We had kabob.
-Gregory
About Me
- Madrid 2009
- We are spending the summer in Spain and hoping that this simple blog will keep our friends and family informed about our activities. Of course, if you want to follow this in chronological order, you have to start at the bottom of the blog. Also, by clicking on any of the blog photos you should be taken to a Flickr page with additional images of our trip.
You had kabob -- after a bullfight?
ReplyDeleteYou must not have read my comment of a few days ago, telling what tasty morsels come from a bull. Maybe next time -- if there ever is a next time.
JR
THAT"S HORRIBLE(i always knew they killed bulls after,but to get the information from a real person i know.I mostlikly would've thrown up just watching them.
ReplyDeletei've always wanted to do somthing important,so maybe whem I'm older I'll try to stop this cruel "entertainment"
Though i would call it torture
I'm not sure what's better, being a bull raised in a verdant Spanish field and dying in a bullfight.... they do raise these bulls with extra special care (they are greatly respected) or being an American cow in a cramped stinky feedlot eating cheap corn and then going to slaughter as soon as I was old enough and ending up at Burlingame Fred Meyer.
ReplyDeleteIt's a tough one. Maybe if we had bullfights we would respect what we eat more. Or maybe we should all become vegetarians.
xo Steph