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.

Casa de Pilatos

This post is some of the last photos that I took while I was in Spain.

This was one of the last sunsets that I saw by the Giralda.

Another sunset picture.  Everything else is pretty much at the Casa de Pilatos.

Cool statue.

It was a cool time of the year when all of these pink petals were falling all over the courtyard.

This was really weird - maybe one of the weirdest things ever.  Yes he is breast feeding.

 

That's the last bit of what I saw while I was in Spain.  I still have one more ride on my Metro Card.  So I have to return.  I know I sure do miss Seville.  The last thing I remember about Seville was driving away on the bus to the airport while my roommate was walking home.  

Sad day.  I learned a lot and lived a lot.  I'll remember that time of my life with great joy.

I'll keep the blogging going.  NYC and Chile and onward.

D

Italy Part VI: TIVOLI

So I am back on the blogging grind.  I've missed having something to Blog about, so this is nice.  Tivoli was the last place that I visited on my trip to Italy.  It was a spur of the moment deal.

I wanted to see the place that inspired my parents (their company is Tivoli Partners).

 So I went with my two buds James and Chase.

It was rainy and nasty, but still a gorgeous town.  It has rolling country side that even a downpour couldn't spoil.

 

This picture is of the last leg of the train ride.

 

I was looking for iconic pictures I could take for my parents.  I guess this works haha.

 

 Europe: the land of old stuff and Vespas 

Homies

A cool bit of modern art in the middle of an ancient town.

And the clouds were rolling in as we were heading out.  That's the end of my Italy experience.  

It was a blast.

I capped my trip with eating 7 scoops of Gelato in Pisa and flying back on the charming RyanAir discount airline.

I've got some more pictures of Spain that ended my trip.  They are pretty sweet - at least for me anyway.  Hasta Pronto - Dblog

Italy Part V: ROME 2.0

Wow.  It has been many fortnights since I have last blogged.

I can't believe it.  I've been gone for as long as I was in Spain.

I miss my friends and the crazy traveling lifestyle.

It's great to be back.  I'll be going to Chile soon and I'll have much more to blog about.

So I'm still in Italy (in my blogs and maybe in my mind).

Haha blogspot has improved tremendously since my last post - nice work guys.

 

 St. Peter's Basilica 

 This is on top of St. Peter's Basilica looking into Vatican square.

 

On top of of the Basilica there were all these prayers written on the stones.  This one has been answered since I took this picture.  Haha craziness.

 

This is a big thing around Europe that I noticed.  People write their names and the names of their love and lock it onto bridges (and in this case the Basilica) and throw away the key.

This is in the Vatican museum.  It was a shame how many people took pictures of the Sistine Chapel.  I personally didn't love it.

 

I loved these Obelisks.  They were old Egyptian monuments and when Christianity came about they just slapped a cross on top and dedicated it to Jesus.

 

And I'll end with the Spanish Steps.  There's another Easter Egg Obelisk for you.  Italy is one of the most beautiful places on the planet - Rome especially.  I'll see what other photos I can dig up.  I do hope that Italy survives this European crisis.  Until next time... Dbell.out.