Bullfight! Olé-Olé-Olé-Olé

So I had to go to a bull fight.  I'll let the reader know how it works.  WARNING: this is not a humane practice.  This is a cultural experience and shouldn't be taken as anything other than that.

First they come out and do a few laps.

They introduce all of the fighters.  There are generally only 3 main bull fighters (Matadors) - everyone else helps to distract the bulls.  They first play with the bulls by making them run around to tire them out.  Each matador gets two bulls - 6 bulls a show.

Next, these guys (Lancers) on the horses come out and stab the horses in the spine with spears.

Next the group of bull fighters (Banderilleros) stab barbed wooden decorative sticks into the bulls.

Once the bulls have been weakened, the main matador comes out.  This is the most iconic part of bull fighting.  The skilled matadors come out and show their dominance and grace by leading the bull around.

After they play with them for a while, they finis the bull with a quick stab to the spine.  There is one tiny spot on the neck of the bull.  The less experienced matador will glance the sword off the bulls skull several times.

 

If the bull fighter puts on a great show, the presidente (or presiding dignitary) will reward him by giving him the bulls tail or ears.

Sometimes the bulls run into the ground and flip.

Other times the bulls get revenge by flipping the padded horses.  Apparently they used to not have pads; a lot of horses used to die.

My overall experience was excited, disgusted, and impatient.  I did not realize that they killed so many bulls.  It was a lot.  Watching a bull fight is a cultural experience that I never have to experience again.

That's all from my trip.  It was a blast.