Corridas de Toros

Under the top 10 things to do in Spain, watch a bullfight is #2 but I think they forgot to mention it is #1 on the top 10 things that will scar you on your trip. Granted the group of us girls that went didn't research anything on what exactly would go down at this corral but I had been told I HAD to see it. Then again, others said something or another about bulls possibly being killed. I figured, hell, if I can pull the trigger back home on animals why shouldn't I be able to watch it here? Wrong. Little did I know, the entire point of this shindig is to kill, i mean slaughter, the toro (bull). This could never happen in the US, PETA would be all over this shit.

Warning: If you ever intend to see a bullfight or even remotely think you might, do NOT read any further. The following will insure you won't. If you are eating and reading, come back later or negative side effects may occur.

We bought the cheapest tickets to this massive stadium for under 5 Euros but they were at the very top and in the sun, which later we were very thankful for. This was not some type of redneck rodeo though, tickets got up to well over 100 Euros the closer they were and the people entering this stadium were dressed like they were going to an Easter football game- bright colored pants with button down bright colored polo shirts. We thought then we were in the right place. The atmosphere was ecstatic rubbing off on us and making us giddy to see what the excitement was all about.

Our seats were what we call nose bleeds but we could still see everything perfectly as the first bull just popped out into the ring in the middle of the arena looking like a dog without his owner. There were 3 or 4 men in highly elaborated skin tight costumes in the arena hiding behind walls around the edge about 5 feet high and 5 feet wide. They were holding capes that were hot pink on one side and yellow on the other. At this point I thought my whole life was a lie, the capes aren't red? What other false things are they teaching us in the US?! These few men grabbed the attention of the bull by coming out from behind the wall and waving the pink side at him to make him come their direction. What I don't get is why they do it because the second he comes at them they run back to their safe place (the wall at the edge) wearing him out until you hear the band's trumpets roaring and the crowd growing louder.

All of a sudden two men with long spears came out riding horses along with 3 other men with short decorated spears. Fear sets in for the bull. What are they about to do? Stab him for no reason?? He didn't even do anything!! And then it started. The bull charged the horse, which was fully protected with some type of metal blanket, don't worry, and he gets stabbed by the long spear over and over again until he is distracted by the hot pink cape man. Then it happened again, the bull charges the other horse and the sun is beaming the blood off his back. THEN the other men waved their short decorated spears like they were working the airport and wanted to "land" the bull so he of course charged right down their landing strip...Nooo bull nooo. Right as he is about to ram them they tossed the spears in the air landing them on the same spot he has been stabbed repeatedly. What's worse is the cute little spears must've been rigged to have some double sided edge because the spears stayed hanging on his back, annoying the bull like a puppy and his collar. This happened at least two other times and even more stabbings from the horse rider if he tried to ram them again and then they were gone. Thank god, That bull has had enough!!

Nope, not over. Now Mr. macho man, the Matador, strutted into the ring looking like a twig compared to the bull but obviously stronger regardless. At this point I hated the Matador, he is teasing the bull making him run into this stupid red flag over and over again. (Oh and my whole life wasn't a lie, only the Matador has the red cape) Why the bull never strayed from the red, I don't know but he kept doing it even with blood dripping from his mouth and his knees weak. Oh shit!! Before I even realized what had happened, the Matador had taken a long silver sword and stabbed him perfectly clean in the back as the bull was running towards him. Thud! The bull dropped to his knees and the crowd roared and clapped. Should I really be clapping right now?? 

I had no idea how to feel at this point, the bull is attached to 4 horses by a chain and just drug off. This entire slaughtering shindig lasted 30 to 45 minutes and it happened 6 times in a row. If you want to do the math, they do this at least every night in June. ( I no longer wonder what meat I'm eating, I just assume) The first killing was shocking but after that I went from horrified to slightly entertained.

 And as scaring as it was, I actually would highly recommend it to anyone. Sorry for the stomach ache, Adios!