Our first bullfight for all of us! We are all very excited to finally see a
real la corrida de los toros at the most famous bullfighting ring in Spain, Las Ventas, during the festival of San Isidro (Madrid´s patron saint, and yet another excuse for Spaniards to party all week and take days off work).
This picture gives you a good idea of how popular bullfighting is in Spain. Almost the entire stadium was full, and although the actual bullfighters weren´t that great, it
was a spirited crowd and we
did get to see one of the toreros get gored in the leg--right after he plunged his sword into the bull for the kill. Then, he proceeded to freak out when the bull didn´t die immediately, but rather jolted forward and stabbed him in the thigh with his horn. That was the point in the bullfight when the torero catapulted himself over the arena´s wall like a frightened Spanish girlie man. It was fabulous. The crowd went CRAZY. That alone was totally worth the 30 euros per seat.
The torero was more show than substance, totally brash and cocky without much elegance, and he really didn´t take many risks while passing the bull--but instead, he just struted around a lot and waved his red cape like he was in a Broadway show instead of bullfighting in Las Ventas. So in way, it wasn´t surprising that the girlie man got gored, and it pleased me.
Dan particularly liked it when the bulls charged the horses and almost tip them over. We had really great seats. We were actually much closer than this, but my camera makes objects look three times farther than away than how they actually appear.
Anyway, it was fabulous fun and I think Dan got a great intrduction to the true spirit of the bullfight, which is really all about honoring the strength and power of the bull than it is about senseless sport.
Yay! The Windy City Traveler has arrived to Madrid safe and sound. As usual (and loveable), he was beaming, and smiling, and happy to see me. Yay!
Our first bullfight for all of us! We are all very excited to finally see a real la corrida de los toros at the most famous bullfighting ring in Spain, Las Ventas, during the festival of San Isidro (Madrid´s patron saint, and yet another excuse for Spaniards to party all week and take days off work).
This picture gives you a good idea of how popular bullfighting is in Spain. Almost the entire stadium was full, and although the actual bullfighters weren´t that great, it was a spirited crowd and we did get to see one of the toreros get gored in the leg--right after he plunged his sword into the bull for the kill. Then, he proceeded to freak out when the bull didn´t die immediately, but rather jolted forward and stabbed him in the thigh with his horn. That was the point in the bullfight when the torero catapulted himself over the arena´s wall like a frightened Spanish girlie man. It was fabulous. The crowd went CRAZY. That alone was totally worth the 30 euros per seat.
Dan and I ate at La Bola, a restaurant famous for their cocido. I remembered going there with Paco years and years ago (thanks Paco!) and found it again by memory. So I hooked Dan and me up with reservations and we stuffed our faces.
This is me, showing off my pretty Spanish fan, which Mom bought me for my birthday. Thanks Mom, you always have such good taste!
This is Dan in front of an authentic Egyptian Temple in the middle of Madrid. We spent the whole day walking around and seeing the sights. Tomorrow, we´re off to Barcelona by train--so long as we wake up by 7AM and don´t miss it!
This is me with my trusty blue umbrella (that I purchased in Rome, and has been quite the accommodating traveling companion--double click on photo for full effect) at the top of the Alhambra, the Moorish fortress conquered by the Catholic king and queen, Isabel and Ferdinand in the 15th century. Isabel and Ferdinand were the monarchs who united Spain during the Reconquista by kicking out all of the Moors and Jews who had made it a fabulous place to live for more than 8 centuries. (Sorry, Moors and Jews--Spaniards can be such bullies!)
This is me on the top of the Albaicin hillside in Granada that overlooks the Alhambra behind me. I have a funny look on my face because I'm wondering which is going to win first: the German tourist figuring out how to push the snapshop button on my camera, or my camera battery running out... The German man won! Yay for Germans!
This is the touristy lookout from Albaicin, but once you get away from this point and start wondering through the cobbled Moorish streets, it's peaceful, serene, and feels completed isolated from the modern world in the valley below. Perfect for my loner, gypsy proclivities.
I love this photo. Just some high school kids kicking it back on the front entrance of the Juan Miquel church. Double click on the photo to get the full effect.
How could you not LOVE waking up every morning and strolling down streets like this for your morning chocolate con churros?
The 3rd of May is the Dia de las Cruzes, celebrated in Granada and Cordoba. It's really a pagan holiday that's been turned into a bastardized Christian excuse to drink and dance and party in the streets all night.
