Dale

[John Topping]

Saludos Dale,
Greetings once again from your homeland - New Zealand.  It must be a Kiwi
thing, but John and I will be taking in a bull-fight while we are in Spain.
I want to have an experience based opinion on this subject however
controversial and offensive this seems to other members of this group.  I
have read several books over the past few weeks to help me try to understand
the art of bull-fighting - (Matadors, The Last Serious Thing, The Sun Also
Rises etc).  What I have learned from these books is that bull-fighting is
about courage, theatre and being in the presence of death.  It has existed
in Spanish culture for as long as the Camino has existed and is not, by all
accounts considered a sport, but a spectacle that is covered in the arts
section of the newspaper.  I don't expect to enjoy it, but to me it is an
inherent part of the Spanish people, even though some Spaniards now consider
it barbaric.  Bullfighting appears to be experiencing a new-found popularity
though with many young people becoming aficionados of the corridas.
There are rituals of all kinds that exist - I guess some are more socially
acceptable than others.  The best site I have visited is the Las Ventas
site - it is a large bull fighting ring in Madrid.  We should be back in
Madrid towards the end of the Festival of San Isidro when many corridas
occur and will go to one there.
Best Wishes,
Marion.




----- Original Message -----
From: Dale M. <mrsmarieaBLUEWIN.CH>
To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2002 8:42 PM
Subject: Bull Fighting


> Dear All,
>
> This is a little off Camino business - more in the line of total Spanish
> cultural experience.  I was wondering if anybody had any information
> about attending a bull-fight.  I have searched the Net but have found
> little info. in English apart from travel agencies advertising holiday
> excursions.  What I'm really after is a rough idea of the bull-fighting
> season - I've heard it doesn't really begin until after Easter Sunday but
> that info. could be outdated.
>
> Please, could anyone help me with this?  Has anyone attended a
> bull-fight?   I would like to attend a fight during my pilgrimage (leaving
> in two week's time).   Is it part of the local culture along the Camino
> (Route Frances) or should I wait and head to southern Spain when the
> opportunity arises?
>
> Thanks for any advice anyone can offer.
>
> Regards,
>
> Dale M.
>