Ole! The Bull Fights in Salamanca

Saturday began the annual 2 week bull fighting season in Salamanca. Yesterday we all decided to go to the bull fight even though we weren't quite sure we were going to like it (because yes, they kill the bulls). It was definitely an interesting experience.

The bull ring is just like a baseball stadium. There's music and people selling drinks up and down the aisles, BUT unlike in the states you can bring as much food into the stadium as you want. Which is good, because it's tradition that everyone eats a sandwich after the 3rd bull. My senora was kind enough to pack me one so I wouldn't look like a loser.

So here's how the bull fights go: There are 3 bull fighters and they go through the order twice so that each gets to fight 2 bulls. Each torero (bullfighter) has a team, which seems kind of unfair because the other teammates do a lot of stuff to injure and tire-out the bull before the torero goes in for the kill. First the bull runs out and the teammate guys have bright pink capes that they taunt the bull with to make it run around a lot. Then a guy on a horse comes out with a spear and spears the bull in the back (this part is the worst because the bull then charges the horse and sometimes knocks the horse over and hurts it. To make things worse the horse is completely blindfolded). Then the teammate guys come out with this pointy stake things that are colorful and run towards the bull and stab the stakes into it before the bull get's them, then they run away. Then out comes the torero. At this point the bull is already pretty hurt and now the torero just taunts him with a red cape and sometimes grazes him with a sword. After a little while the torero gets a new sword meant to finish the bull off. He points the sword at him and then if he hits him in just the right place the bull dies instantly. If he messes up he has to take the first sword out and try again.

So overall it was pretty gruesome. Oh yeah, and if a bull breaks a foot during the fight they replace it because it isn't fun to watch a bull that can't run fast. So yesterday 8 bulls died instead of 6 because 2 were injured.

My favorite bullfighter was Eduardo Gallo (for obvious reasons! haha) and he is in the video above. I missed him fully killing the bull though because my camera died. Ugh.

Best part of the booklet they give you when you enter the bull ring: they show you a picture of the bulls all happy on a farm before they bring them here to get killed. Lovely.

Entrance into the bull ring
Announcing the bull that's entering the ring

When one of the horses fell down. It was really sad. Note the man's giant spear hahaDragging the dead bull out of the ring