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Ok, quick entry because I have to catch a train to Castellon soon.
Yesterday was my only day of class this week. I love only having two day school weeks, and when one of those days is canceled for a national holiday... well it's party time people! Hence, i'm going to Castellon today to visit Jenny and Ilea and staying for the weekend. It should be a good time.
Saw the bullfight on Monday. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be. It is really bloody and the poor bull keeps bleeding while the torredors taunt it to charge. What happens is a fired up bull charges in the ring where the torredores (guys in the shiny suits), about nine tease the bull with pink capes. The bull charges at them and they dash behind these wooden baracades. this goes on for a while and then the picadores come out. They are men on horses who carry long lances. Then bull rushes at the horse which is well protected by thick reed mats. The picador stabs the bull in the back, and then they leave the ring. Next the matador pokes these decorative things into the bull where the picador stabed it. I don't really know what they are, but i think they have a hook on the end so it sticks to the bull. Last, the matador with his classic red cape, faces the now tired and injured bull alone where for about ten minutes he does almost a dance with the bull charging at the cape, and him sliding out of the way. There is certainly an art to it, and the crowd responds depending on what the matador does. Finally, the matador takes a sord and when the bull charges, he stabs the bull near the spine, trying to kill it. Sometimes the bull doesn't die and he has to stab it again. If the matador kills the bull sduccessfully and with sufficant style the crowd chears and waves white scarves and flags at the matador. The bullfight had six bulls in all. Thinking about it now, it is reather horrible, but I think that when you know you have to see the whole event, you steel yourself for what you see. It's like you are a little numb. Not everyone can take it though. One of my friends left the stands after the second bull, and someone behind us was histerical through the whole thing. I doubt I'll go to another one, but I'm glad that I at least experienced this important part of Spanish culture.
On a lighter note, the night before was a fantastic fireworks display. I went out with Rosa and her family to a tapas restaurant near their flat and then returned and watched the show from their balcony. it was the perfect view as they were above the crowd, and where just a block away from where they were shooting off the foreworks.
This is the view of the city from their balcony
Yesterday was my only day of class this week. I love only having two day school weeks, and when one of those days is canceled for a national holiday... well it's party time people! Hence, i'm going to Castellon today to visit Jenny and Ilea and staying for the weekend. It should be a good time.
Saw the bullfight on Monday. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be. It is really bloody and the poor bull keeps bleeding while the torredors taunt it to charge. What happens is a fired up bull charges in the ring where the torredores (guys in the shiny suits), about nine tease the bull with pink capes. The bull charges at them and they dash behind these wooden baracades. this goes on for a while and then the picadores come out. They are men on horses who carry long lances. Then bull rushes at the horse which is well protected by thick reed mats. The picador stabs the bull in the back, and then they leave the ring. Next the matador pokes these decorative things into the bull where the picador stabed it. I don't really know what they are, but i think they have a hook on the end so it sticks to the bull. Last, the matador with his classic red cape, faces the now tired and injured bull alone where for about ten minutes he does almost a dance with the bull charging at the cape, and him sliding out of the way. There is certainly an art to it, and the crowd responds depending on what the matador does. Finally, the matador takes a sord and when the bull charges, he stabs the bull near the spine, trying to kill it. Sometimes the bull doesn't die and he has to stab it again. If the matador kills the bull sduccessfully and with sufficant style the crowd chears and waves white scarves and flags at the matador. The bullfight had six bulls in all. Thinking about it now, it is reather horrible, but I think that when you know you have to see the whole event, you steel yourself for what you see. It's like you are a little numb. Not everyone can take it though. One of my friends left the stands after the second bull, and someone behind us was histerical through the whole thing. I doubt I'll go to another one, but I'm glad that I at least experienced this important part of Spanish culture.
On a lighter note, the night before was a fantastic fireworks display. I went out with Rosa and her family to a tapas restaurant near their flat and then returned and watched the show from their balcony. it was the perfect view as they were above the crowd, and where just a block away from where they were shooting off the foreworks.
This is the view of the city from their balcony