Torreada De Torros
When people think of Spain, many think of the controversial tradition known as “torreada de torros” (or in English, “Bullfighting”). The concept of bullfighting is very controversial. After witnessing my first bull fight, I can see why. If you are a bullfighting fan, you know that there are two sides of the stadium, the sunny one and the shady one. The randomly selected seats were unfortunately on the sunny side, yet from that side I was able to see where the bull is caged and where he exits from. Before the bullfight began the “Matadores” were introduced to the audience. I was very surprised at how young these men were, the youngest being 18 years old, which is 2 years younger then me. The Matadores were introduced to the audience with horses, these horses are blindfolded, which is also another controversy. Yet, somehow the horses walk these perfectly straight lines with another Matador in its back. They strategically introduce the six matadores to the audience, from the newest member, to the more experienced member. The best matador of the bunch performs in the end. The bullfight was over after two hours, and during that time six of my friends left, while only three stayed including me. The bulls are as old as five years old, and these bulls are killed slowly and violently in front of the audience. It is hard to watch, and I can understand why people are against the act, but it is a part of the culture that I was prepared to witness. Coming from a family that has owned bulls, rode bulls, and raised with bulls. I was surprised to see that all six of the bulls that were killed in front of me were too young, too malnourished and just plain weak.
Flamenco Nights
Another tradition know to Spain is Flamenco. The rhythm, the sound, the emotions, it’s all an art combined in one that portrays a culture in a beautiful way. The history of flamenco is a history of Spain, a tradition that will continue to be known, and the birthplace of flamenco is where I am sitting in while writing this blog, Sevilla. Tickets to attend flamenco shows aren’t as modernized, as tickets sold for bullfights. In a way, I enjoyed waiting a long line outside the building to witness this show, these shows take place in a medium sized room that holds about one hundred seats, and those who get there early enough, like us, gets the option to choose the best seats in the house. We were lucky enough to get front row seats that gave us a closer look at the incredible footwork done by the performers. There were three performers, one guy, two girls, all middle aged and older. They are so fit, so rhythmical, and in great shape. Their bodies flow with the movement of the music sung by the three artists in the back, two who are singers, and one who plays the guitar. The performers carefully flow with the music played while holding small instruments like an abanico, they look so prideful and spirited to perform for a crowd of tourists.