Absolute Bullshit.

After Sunday's bullfight, I was ready to do one thing. Pack my bags and leave this country that supports such incredible acts fo animal cruelty. I was a bit traumatized to say the least. Spain’s national past-time of bullfighting is the most barbaric and cruel “sport” I have EVER witnessed.

Granted I did not do my research when I bought my ticket, but everyone who offered advice on what to see and do in Spain said seeing a bullfight was a must, so I was thrilled when I purchased my ticket on Friday afternoon. The way I was feeling when I walked into Plaza de Toros, you would have thought it was the GA vs. FL game... set in ATHENS! (if only that were possible... GO DAWGS!) But this is only to give you an idea of what I thought I was here to see.

I guess in my mind, I thought it was a fair “fight” of man vs. beast, and the one who out-smarted the other won. Kind of like boxing. Both “fighters” train, they go in the ring with their skills, and one comes out the winner. No one bothered to tell me that in a bull-fight there is NOTHING FAIR about it, AND the bull DIES. And if you stay for the full enjoyment of the afternoon, you can watch SIX BULLS be put to death...for no apparent good purpose.

When I found my seat in Plaza de Toros, it took me a while to figure out how this game was played.

There were the torreros, dressed in funny costumes with pink tights and pink and yellow capes. There was a bull, usually black. There was a man on a horse with a long spear, and the horse was blindfolded and had its ears covered. (this should have been a sign that nothing good was happening in this arena). Then there is the lead torero that has a sword and red cape and an even more colorful costume.

Basically it goes like this: A bull is released into the arena. The “jesters” all run at him with pink capes to excite him, and when he charges they run behind a wooden gate. The bull keeps running and bashes his head, or attempts to stop and just bashes his horns, either way wood chips go flying.

This game of hide-and-seek lasts about 10 minutes. Then the drums start, and the man on the horse comes out. When the bull sees the horse he immediately attempts to make friends, at which point the man with the spear pierces the bulls head, and blood begins to ooze down the bulls back. The bull gets pissed, and usually charges the blindfolded horse, often taking him down along with the man with the spear.

If this happens, the jesters begin running around with their pink capes again to get the bull away. Once the horse is up, the jesters come out with feathered darts that they throw onto the bulls back where the piercing had happened. These darts dig into the bulls skin, so the more he tries to get rid of them, the deeper they penetrate. At this point, there is blood gushing all over the animal and then the torrero comes out to finish him off. He spins the bull in circles with the cape dance – ie., makes him dizzy and ultimately falling on his knees – and then he takes the spear and sticks it ALL THE WAY into its head. The bull then kneels all the way, falls on its side and dies. (This is the most well-known Torrero in Madrid. He is on all the posters. One word: MURDERER!)

(those are not feathers... but feather tipped DAGGERS)

THEN if that were not enough, the lead ‘jester’ comes running out with a dagger, and sticks it between the bulls horns and wiggles it back in forth until all movement from the bull ceases. Then the trumpets start, and a chariot of horses enters the arena and then they drag the dead bull out.

I could not believe I had been roped into seeing such non-sense. It was the most brutal treatment of animals I have ever personally witnessed, and I am truly ashamed that I spent 13Euros to see such barbarickness. NEVER AGAIN.