To fight or not to Bullfight, that is the answer!

While in Sevilla, it would be an absolute waste if you came and went without so much as a glace towards the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza! A bullfight, or corrida de toros, is something of a particular acquired taste. Yesterday, while it being my second bullfight, and even having a definite call for cruelty, I enjoyed myself oh so much.

Most assume it's cruel because they fail to understand the fight from the Spaniard perspective, bullfighting is a sport. Much like someone going to watch a game of baseball and not understanding why one holds a bat a certain way, or why the players run the bases, we cannot comprehend the bullfight if we do not understand the movements that encompass this spectacle.

La Corrida is divided into to six rounds, with one bull in each round. After the beginning, where all participants are introduced and in a bit of ceremony, the keys are petitioned to open the doors of the bull's pen. Each of the six rounds has three parts, or tercios, the bull is released, hopefully running directly into the ring rather than meandering his way around, and the "fight" portion begins. The first tercio involves the torero using the fuchsia and yellow cape, or capote. A portion of this first part is dedicated to the picaderos, two men on horseback who use a spear or lance which they use to weaken the bull. Ah! it was so scary to see the bull charge the horsey, but luckily they wear protective gear!

The second part is called the suerte de banderillas in which the banderilleros have the challenge of sticking flags in the bulls back as he is charging them. There are three banderilleros, each required to stick two flags into the bull.

The final phase is the known as the suerte suprema, in which the torero makes use of what we are accustomed to seeing - a red cape, or muleta. After showing off his skills, passion and dominance of the bull he must face the bull down and kill it with his sword as it charges towards him. A quick kill is a sign of true skill while several attempts means the torero loses the praise of the crowd. If the torero does well he may be awarded the ear of the bull, which he may throw to the crowd. Ew!

What an experience I tell you... amazing to see such dedicated fans who know so much about this sport and the history behind it. I'm super impressed with this city.

What better way to see the fight than with a schmancy hat and a cold bev ??