Bullfighting in Madrid

I will never ever forget this sight. A strap was cut into the head of the bull so the rope could be secured to its horn and it could be dragged back by the horses. A trail of blood can clearly be seen on the ground. ARGH! The crowd was still cheering at this point in time...

A man cutting a line into the bull head so as to tie the rope to the bull. There are splatters of blood beneath the bull.

The man on the horses trying to force the spike deeper into the flesh. This is the second bull.

I think they were trying to make the other goats attack the bull but to no avail. In the end, the goats were guided back to where it came from. The bull went after, probably because it just wouldnt die, much to the dismay of the crowd... which was jeering.

Enlarge this picture. There are so many piercings... The flesh is actually torn from the skin.

The bull charging at the horse.The man trying to agitate the bull.

The huge bull fighting ring can house 25000 people! We got really really good seats for only 15 euros!

Candies galore outside the ring!

Went to the bullfighting ring today in Madrid. A lot of thoughts went through my mind today. The sport is interesting... BUT cruel. Really really cruel. What really set me thinking was the reaction of those spectators around me when the "fight" (more accurately, the torture) was happening. They were whistling and cheering. Whenever the spike pierce the bull, they will erupt with applause and cheers. I was disgusted. The first bull went in. He was a tough one. He wouldn't die. No matter how many spikes went through, he was still standing strong. Ultimately he was brought back to where it came from and hopefully, it will be spared from a worse fate. The thing is that, when it was sent back, the crowd was jeering. It was a very bloodthirsty crowd. I wonder... how can we be so cruel? Ironic that I am the one asking this question because I paid money to watch the fight. When there's demand, there's supply. So I was part of the reason why the sport still exists. I know I wouldnt watch it again. But I am curious... how many of the bloodthirsty people in the crowd screaming for death and blood will frequent the fight again (and again and again and again).

A second bull was introduced. This one was panicking from the start. It was already berserk when it came out. I wondered why they did to it before they released it into the ring. This one ws pretty quick. It was pierced not one spike at a time but two spikes at once, in quick succession. The last few times... It was pierced at a lethal spot and after the last spike, it just collapsed. It died. It's so so so fragile. Life is so fragile. I didnt realize that till today. And human race can be so cruel. It was a really interesting experience. If there is one day I would pick to be the most unforgettable day after almost a month of europetrip, I would say today is it. I am glad I watched it. Yet, somehow I wished I havent. If any of you are gonna watch a bullfight, go for it! BUT... dont enjoy it too much. If you find that you enjoy the bullfight, you should seek psychology help...