!Olé!

I went to a bullfight, corrida de toros "running of bulls". It was a smaller version than the famous Plaza de Toros in the center of Madrid. It had younger smaller bulls. Almost all towns in Spain have an arena for bullfighting. I went with Leticia and her father to the arena in a suburb where her parents live. In some ways the sport is very disturbing but it is easy to see why so many consider it an art form because the "toreadors" move with a very unique style and posture and it is amazing to see how they can manipulate the direction of the charging bull. It is overly cruel though because the toreadors stab the bull to aggravate it and make it more aggressive. It is also very dangerous for the bullfighters because even a small mistake can leave them to be trampled or gored. There was a woman next to us who would turn around every time a bullfighter fell to the ground and would shake her handkerchief and say "His poor sisters! His poor mother! His poor wife!" At the end if the fight some horses would carry the body of the dead bull out of the arena and the crowd would cheer for the toreador. They would shake handkerchiefs in the air and scream !Óle! if the thought he did a good job. If the  president of the bullfight agreed the toreador would get to keep an ear of the slaughtered bull, two if he did really well, and the tail too if he really hit it out of the park. Bovine appendages are not my idea of good prizes.