En la plaza de toros

This week we had the day off on Tuesday because it was the patron saint of Murcia's day.  If you were chipper enough to wake up at 7:00 in the morning (I was not) there was a special mass at La Catedral with local musicians playing and then they town walked the statue of the virgin up the mountain barefoot.  They walk barefoot as a sacrifice to the virign.  The night before there was also a free concert at the mall from 10:oo pm to about 2:00 am.  I did not attend that either. Although I hear both were excellent.  Instead, I went to the Plaza de Toros on the holiday.  Since it was the last day of La Feria, it was the best three matadors.  Each matador got progressively better, thus the last guy was the best.  And yes, I did watch them kill the bull.  As it turns out, in Spain they always kill the bull, its in South America where there are some Plazas that don't.  It was pretty tough to watch, but it wasn't nearly as horrible as I had imagined it to be, and besides, now I can say I've been to a bull fight.

This is the last matador.  (I tried to upload a video but my internet     sucks)

I think that the bull fighting looks like dancing, but perhaps that it just because I am used to seeing Paso Doble which is   the French interpretation of a Spanish bull fight.  As it turns out there are a lot of rules.  If you notice in the ring there are 2 white circles.  A certain percentage of the fight has to be in each section; so outside the circles, in between the two, and in the middle.  The picaderos (the guys on horses that stab the bull, the least pleasant part to watch) have to be outside the circles.  There are also bandilleros who are the guys with the capes, but they have pink ones.  The matador is one of the bandilleros at the beginning and then he changes his cape to a red one and has a sword.  When he gets the bull tired he tries to kill it.  If he kills it with one stroke and the bull falls instantly he is basically the coolest guy ever and for his troubles he receives the tail and both ears of the bull.  If he kills it with one stroke but it staggers for a little he either gets just the tail or both ears.  If he kills it quickly but with two strokes he gets one ear.  And if he sucks, a.k.a. it takes a long time, he gets nothing.  The first guy got nothing, the second one ear, and the third both ears; and this was just their first try.  They all fought two bulls, but we only stayed for one apiece.  Afterwards we went for cocktails and felt much better about the whole thing, they were strong cocktails.

Hasta la semana que viene!

xoxo

Sarah

P.S. This week I also went to the beach and classes started today, however that is not nearly as exciting.