My first and probably only Bull fight.

Before the Bull Fight

Today I went to Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Sevilla, which is the oldest bull ring in Spain. I knew that while I was in Spain I wanted to see a bull fight. I  know this is going to sound bad but I will say it anyway...Before I got to Spain I didn't  know that they killed the bull at the end. Yes, I know thats pathetic because it is kinda the whole point. Who is the bravest, the best, the more dominant, the matador or the bull? Thats the whole point as well as its long standing tradition in Spain. I am glad I went but also have mixed feelings about it all. I just feel so bad for the bull. He is ganged up on, so technically it is not a fair fight, which they say it is. They try to kill as quick as possible in the end but the matadors today were not that good, I guess, because they totally missed the target a few times before the sword hit just right to kill the bull. I was just on my toes the whole time. Nervous and scared for the matador because he was an inch from the bull's horns, just standing there, and sad for the bull because I didn't know how much pain he was in. It was crazy to see though, especially when the bull prepared to charged and readied his front leg by digging it repeatedly into the ground. One bull even charged so hard that when he went through the pink cape he went head first and did a complete roll over! It was crazy! Another bull, when charging the Picador, which is a man on a horse with a lance who stabs a large back muscle drawing first blood, the bull tipped over the horse and the rider fell off! I thought the horse was stabbed by the horns, but they have protection on, and the horse quickly got back up. I also learned a lot about the whole process too. For instance, the bull is color blind the colors are only used based on tradition. Also, the matador only can do 3 to 4 passes with his cape, or else the bull begins to figure it out. The matador is judged on his foot placement during passes (staying in the same position), give passes without the bull touching the cape, and is able to give 4 passes in a row. One matador was pretty good at the passing, he actually did good the whole time, but then at the end kept missing, so he was just stabbing the bull until he finally sunk the sword and killed the bull instantly. It was graphic. That part just made me sad. Like I said, I have mixed feelings about it, but it was something I wanted to see and know I have.