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

Mediterranean Adventure

So let's knock this out. haha. I haven't been too motivated to get these photos up, but here they are. Africa. I was stoked. I then went. I have been. That is about how the story goes. We stayed in Tarifa which is between Gibraltar and Cádiz in Spain. It was beautiful. The place we stayed was gorgeous and great. We learned quick that was kind of too far for a backpacker, but we managed. We took a ferry to Tanger, Morocco and went on a tour.

At first it was great. We saw a lot of cool places. We rode camels - if you consider a camel standing up a camel ride. We ate a delicious Moroccan lunch and I had a beer from Casablanca. Later we endured a torturous couple of hours in a timeshare like sell-a-thon. We were separated from the group and hit with a berage of sales tactics because we are Americans. We sat and listened for 30 minutes while our tour guides friend tried to sell us rugs, and then, immediately after, we went next door where his other friend tried to sell us spices. Glad to go. Glad to be back. Awesome. Here's photos:

Sunset in Tarifa, Spain near our hotel

c

The beloved carpets. I wish I got the spices guy too.






The hotel



Snake charming. An ancient art with a modern gym-bag flare.



Tanger, Morocco



Tanger, Morocco



Love it.



Tanger, Morcco



Old fort on the beach in Spain



Our Hotel - Hotel Hurricane



I just thought the gas tank on picturesque beach was too ironic.



On the bus in Spain, looking out at Africa


Rope on the beach


So that's it. I've been on another continent. haha. It was great.

Pig vs. Caveman

By popular demand - I have posted the pictures on facebook.
This is a public link to the album. Check it!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=346318&id=617066132&l=42268b5c51

Carnival in Cádiz

Carnival in Cádiz was crazy. It wasn't your normal traveling experience. Most of my photos were of an altercation that took place between two highly intoxicated Spanish guys. It was a battle of the ages as they were both in full costume - Pig vs. Caveman. Keep in mind this is about 3 PM. I took about 70 photos, but I'll put the highlights on here - maybe it deserves its own post. I think so. Anyways. After thousands of drunk Spaniards and foreigners pilled into this small city, all that was left was a trash pile and urine (not kidding). But I got a few pictures before the distruction.



Courthouse?







So there's a cat living on a cardboard box next to the water. It didn't like me.







4 AM trying to capture some lightning.



Glad this is over... 24 hours of walking around in a crazy city and sleeping on the floor of a train station next to what I'm pretty sure was throw up - yeah. But hey. I'll try and get a post up here of the valiant battle between man and beast.

Flamenco

So I went to a Flamenco show. It was kind of a cool coincidence. I ended up tagging along with a group of students and professors from Presbyterian College. We went to the museum of flamenco in Seville. It was founded by Cristina Hoyos who is one of the most famous flamenco dancers. You're not supposed to record the show, but somebody else on youtube did. If by extension I'm at a fault here, sorry. This guy is so awesome. It makes me want to learn!



So I tried to get a good photo without flash - fail

Granada

Alright so Granada is a cool place. After a late arrival, a late night, an early rise, 16 hours of walking to catch a 3 AM bus, I saw Granada and survived. I took some photos.

This is where Granada is (if you're like me and you don't know geography)

View Larger Map


Most of these photos are of the Alhambra. The Alhambra, from what I've been told, is a huge castle that some prince built for his girlfriend. It's huge, beautiful, and elaborate.




Catedral



Alhambra



Door. I find it funny how they cement in buildings for sale.



The rest are of the Alhambra (except the last).

Balloon!

The view off the terrace of our hostel. The Oasis hostel in Spain is superb - no joke. We had home-made Paella (cost a little extra) and a monstrous breakfast in a beautiful building all for 20 euro a night.

Travel with French people - they know how to enjoy themselves (smile).

Also! I met some people from SC the other day and saw some flamenco - always good times being a guiri.

Anyways. I am going to Cadíz this weekend (beach).
Blog - I'll talk to you real soon.