Madrid 3: Bullfighting Ring...

For some reason I had this craving to go and see a bullfighting ring before I left Spain.  Bullfighting is such a part of the culture, and the rings are even more important than baseball stadiums in the United States.  So I wanted to see if we could get a tour, find out some information about the Corridas del Toros, or something to that effect at least.

However, when we got to the ring, it was closed!!!  Apparently, there was an actual bullfight that night, and they needed to set up!  Now our bus tickets were for 6pm, and it was already 4pm, so we were thinking to head back to the bus station.  But we suddenly thought, wait, what if we could actually GO to the bullfight!  It is such a traditional part of Spanish culture, that it seemed like something that we should do!  

It was such a spontaneous move on our part.  We sprinted (on the metro) back to the bus station, begged to be able to change our tickets, and with the help of a very understanding (yet kind of mean) bus ticket-vendor, we rushed back to the bullfighting ring and bought relatively cheap tickets!  We were very proud of how we managed to coble together a new plan within no time at all, and were so spontaneous!  

Us being so excited before the fight started!  Little did we know...

It was packed!  Apparently it was a really important fight.  

So bullfighting... You hear people say that it is an important part of the culture, that it is traditional, that it is just a different society, blah blah blah.  Here is the truth though: it is absolutely brutal.  I really really tried to appreciate it for what it was, and eventually I was able to look at just the technicality and skills of it all, but originally it was very very hard to watch.  

There are 6 fights in total, but we never thought we were going to make it through more than one.  It starts off with a parade of horses, which was very nice.  Then out come the fighters and practice their moves, fine as well.  Then it really starts.  The fighters tire out the bull until the real torrero comes out for the main event.  

He does everything that you would imagine of a bullfight, with the poses and the flag and all of that.  But in between his flag action, the man on the horse comes out with a long spear and spears the bull really hard until it starts bleeding profusely.  It is like movie blood, that is how intense it is.  I will try not to be that gross about it, but just know it will make you a vegetarian for a little bit if you see it in person.  

As far as I can tell, everything with the fight is done in order to tire the bull out so that the torrero can eventually take him down.  It was just so sad to watch the bull slowly get tired, and eventually fall down.  This is seen as a huge disappointment to the crowd, until the bull gets up again.  Finally, the end comes, where the torrero takes a sword and plunges it into the bulls neck.  If we are lucky, it is a clean shot and the bull dies almost instantly, but that does not always happen.  Eh, I will not go over it anymore, but lets just say it was really really sad to watch for me.  

I REALLY tried.  I did.  I had always been one of those people who is accepting of other cultures, but this one was hard to understand.  HOWEVER.  I was still thrilled that I was able to go.  I really was.  This is such an important part of Spanish culture and the atmosphere was very enjoyable.  The spectators get really involved, the cheering reminds you of baseball games, and the general feeling in the air is a good one.  And eventually I semi-enjoyed it, because I was able to focus on the technical aspects of it all, what made it a good fight and what didn't.  It was a really good experience.  

So that is Madrid!  It was my last trip here in Spain which was a little bittersweet.  But it means I am going home soon, which is also fun!  At least...if this volcano would stop acting up!!!