Bull Crap

Sunday, I had the pleasure/misfortune of watching the last corrida de toros of the season at La Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza in Sevilla. A bullfight is a must-see for tourists and it's still popular for natives, of course. I knew that watching the bull die would not be pretty, but it didn't hit me until I saw it. It didn't hit me until I saw a bull vomiting blood after having his back muscles stabbed over and over again. 'It' is the feeling of shame, watching a animal die for no apparent reason. But as I went on to watch five more bulls die, I thought about the enormous amount of skill it takes to be a torero and the fact that I love to eat meat of other animals when I could very well become a vegetarian. I'm torn. I don't know whether I had the pleasure or misfortune of watching the bullfight. What do you think? Watch the videos below and answer the poll to the right.

(A torero barely escapes the horns of an angry bull.)



(A banderillero sticks banderillas, or brightly colored sticks with harpoon points, in the bull's back to weaken its muscles. Afterward the torero continues to run the bull in circles with his cape and the bull continues to bleed. Finally, the torero stabs the bull's back with a sword and kills it.)

(A picture of Meghan, Jori, Kim and I before the bullfight. I was so happy and naive.)