Man vs. Bull

 

So I thought I might ramble about bullfighting.

I know, I know. I can almost hear the disbelieving groans and cries of “cliché!” from the back of the room. But first let me justify myself. I mean, it’s a theme with a dose of old-fashioned gawping at the misfortune of others, a dash of gore and a cultural-political twist. Still not convinced? Well…recently, this happened to a matador:

Juan José Padilla after being on the wrong end of a horn

 

Ewwww! Got your attention there, right? I don’t want to go into graphic details about what happened to him. Let’s just say that horn met cheek met eye. I’d rather not taint the pages of my blog with the worst photos of the incident, but I’ll leave the link for those of you with strong stomachs.

I can’t help it, but I have a morbid fascination with bullfighting. It’s a cruel activity which I cannot agree with, especially when there are equally entertaining alternatives in which the bull is neither injured nor killed, and which maintain the much vaunted “art” of the tradition. I have extremely limited sympathy for injured matadors. If you put yourself in a ring with an angry bull and poke it with a sword, then what do you expect?

But I just can’t help it. Like the desperate hispanophile I am, I guiltily search for the worst “cornadas” on youtube, google stories of Spain’s deadliest bull and woke up early to watch the Pamplona bull run live on TV.

As I’m now living in Catalonia, this kind of thing has to stop if I truly want to blend in. After voting to ban the sport in the region, any good wannabe catalan has to be proud to live in an area where watching bulls die slowly for fun is illegal. Maybe I am a little proud. But is my fascination with bullfighting likely to die down any time soon? No creo…

Related articles

• Last bullfights in Spain’s Catalonia before ban (sfgate.com)
• End of a Bloody Era: Both Outrage and Celebration Mark Catalonia’s Last Bullfight (newsfeed.time.com)
• Bull Gets Revenge on Bullfighter (futuretwit.com)

Unusual things to do in Barcelona no.1: Parrots and cake

After a Sunday afternoon well spent here in BCN, here’s how you can repeat the experience.

Step 1. Find yourself a companion with an affection for both exotic birds and cake.

Step 2. Take the metro to Jaume I, or find your way in Bicing. From there it should be easy to find yourself in Plaça de l’Angel.

Step 3. It’s time to get some cake. On the corner of the Plaça is one of Barcelona’s most well-known cake, pastry and sweet shops. Stock up.

 

Step 4. Wind your way through the Barri Gotic towards the Plaça Reial. It’s a short walk if you go directly, but I would suggest zigzagging through the side streets for a more interesting route.

Step 5. So you’ve arrived in the Plaça! Take a seat on one of the chairs around the square, or perch on the edge of the fountain in the middle. Look up at the palm trees, and watch the parrots flying in between, while you enjoy a well earned munch of your cake.

But don’t parrots only live in more exotic climes? Not any more. Pet parrots were set free by their owners, who took happily to life on the mediterranean coast and the lack of natural predators. So they multiplied just to add a bit more sparkle to your Barcelona visit, you lucky thing.

Bienvenid@s!

So lets start with a ramble on one of my favourite topics.

This stunning creature:

Spanish women only get better with age...

As you may or may not have heard, one of Spain’s most colourful characters got married just a few days ago. The 85 year old Duquese de Alba has so many titles that some claim the Queen of England would have to bow down to her, and she was shown dancing flamenco to celebrate her marriage to a man 25 years her junior. Yes, that’s right, 25 years younger than her, and also her third husband. Could he be after her titles, I hear you ask? Well the Duquesa’s children certainly seem to think so, obliging her to give them their inheritance in advance. A not inconsiderable inheritance either, as the Duquesa owns so much land she could walk the length of Spain (perhaps unlikely at her age, but still) without stepping off her territory.

Here’s a video of the lady in action:

If you ask me, she seems to be having a pretty good time for an 85 year old. Here in Spain she makes frequent appearances in ‘Heat’ style magazines, and I have to say I’ve become enough of a fan to actually want to buy this t-shirt:

The latest fashion in Seville

Which apparently the creators will retract if it displeases her. Read more about the fabulous duchess apreciation clothing here.