Letters from Abroad

I'd like to extend an apology to my faithful readers. I lied in my last column. This one isn't about food. The closest it gets to dealing with food ... well, I'll explain later. You see, things came up, and I ended up going to the last bull fight of the season.\nLet me attempt to provide you with a visual ... I expect it to be difficult, but I will try my utmost:\nBull fights (or corridas) are formal events. Women look elegant in dresses or skirts, and men wear nice pants and a collared shirt, though there could be a few who don't. Anyway, for being such a formal event, I was shocked to see that we had to sit on cement benches that have your seat number in bold black paint underneath it. \nFor an hour before the fight starts, and for some time afterward, many people hang around at surrounding bars and have tapas or drink Cruzcampos, an unbelievable beer that is brewed right here in Sevilla. About 20 minutes before the fight starts, a crowd of people herd through the doors. The cheapest seats are 18 euro and are in the sun. As they get more expensive, you get shade, closer seating, seats near famous people, etc. My friends and I, all being college students who lack significant funds, bought the seats in the sun.\nIn the beginning, the matadors walk out followed by what seemed to be their "entourage" and men on horseback. Each bullfight has three main matadors and each matador fights two bulls. The whole thing lasts about two hours.\nThe matadors take their stance behind these makeshift walls, and the bull is released. He runs into the middle and looks around, seemingly confused. The matador comes out with his pink cape (yes, it is pink and matches their socks, which are pink also). The main matador is the only one with a red cape, but he still wears pink socks. The bull charges, and the matador swings the cape up and turns around to catch him again. This process continues. The matador will then run back to the makeshift wall and another matador will come out and test the bull's abilities.\nAfter getting the bull worked up, the men on horseback come out with wooden poles with a sharp metal end. They get close to the bull and stab it in the neck or shoulder. The bull kind of jumps up as the pole digs deeper. It runs into the side of the blindfolded horse. The horse, unaware of what is going on, just moves back as the man riding it maintains control while simultaneously stabbing the bull. Only one of the two men on horseback stabs the bull. After this, the matadors come back out and repeat the "testing" with the cape.\nThen, three other men come out, each with a set of dart-like spears in hand. One will get close to the bull, throw the spear at its neck or shoulder and run off behind the wall. They each do this twice -- sometimes successful, sometimes not. Each successful time merits a cheer from the crowd. When the bull is finally significantly weakened, the main matador (with the red cape and pink socks) comes out and does a similar ordeal as the others. It is obvious at this point that the bull can barely keep up. Finally, it will fall over and the matador and some of those in his entourage will stab the bull to kill it.\nImmediately after the bull dies, three or four horses are brought out to drag the bull away, the crowd cheering the entire time. If it was a good competition, the crowd will wave white cloths or handkerchiefs in the air.\nLet me just say, that this was quite an experience. I couldn't ever have imagined what this event would be like. It is hard for me to grasp exactly what happened. I can, however, understand why Sevillanos love it. The bravery and the skill of how these matadors handle themselves is unbelievable. Sure my heart went out to the bulls as did the hearts of all the other girls I was with. I'm glad I experienced this, but I don't see myself going to another. Rocio, the daughter of the family I live with here, went to the same bull fight. She told me later that night that these bulls weren't good (muy malo). Usually, she said, they are meaner and feistier. Maybe I just felt bad that a bull was being killed directly in front of me. Either way, it's something I wouldn't take back for the world. My señora absolutely loves them, and at least it helps me relate to my Spanish family and to understand this culture that much more.\nThat was my bull fight experience. I attempted to portray it from my point of view, and I apologize if any of you who have been to one has a different view of it. This is what it was to me.\nSo back to the food topic that I promised a couple weeks ago: After the bull fights, they butcher the dead carcass and sell it the next day. If anyone is interested in trying it, I can always send some State side. This time I really do promise that my next article will be a more appetizing topic solely related to food. I mean it.