Spain has always been associated with bullfighting (at least to me), and I just had to attend one of the “fights” after I saw its posters all around the street where we stayed. I pinpointed the place on my GPS and were on our way, “4 bulls” that was the only thing I could understand from the sign (beside the date and the location), little did I know that I was in my way to see something I will remember for quite some time!

An hour later, 60 Euros poorer (approximately 33 BD) I was witnessing nothing short of a bloodbath before my own eyes, after the second bull had fell to his death and just before it was slaughtered with a dagger since the sword wasn’t enough to kill it on the spot I was wondering, why the hell am I here again?!

This is supposed to be some sort of a folkloric thing, something that is related to art and men in tights dancing, before a fair fight is held between a bull and bullfighter! Boy was I wrong!

The typically 4-5 years old 500 Kilos bull comes charging into the middle of the arena to be “tested for ferocity” when toreros wave magenta capes (called capotes) in order to provoke the bull to charge, he is encouraged to run around for 2-3 minutes before the banderilleros enter the ring, and while on the run, plant banderillas (short barbed sticks with harpoon-like ends) on the withers of the bull. Weakening it for the excessive loss of blood, and forcing it to lower its head due to the injury in the shoulder muscles, 6 banderillas are usually planted before the final stage, a band plays traditional Spanish music as the crowd now cheers for the matador who now holds the muleta (a small red cloth cape) in one hand, and a sword in the other. Daring passes at the bull work to dominate the animal until it stands exhausted with its feet together and head hung low; the matador must then approach the bull from the front and kill it by thrusting his sword between the shoulders.

Needless to say, out of the 4 bulls that were butchered in front of me, only one died with the hit of the sword. We had to watch the three other bulls being slaughtered by a dagger right after they fall to the ground due to their injuries and excessive loss of blood.

I still had a burger for dinner that night though.. *sigh*