Don't give me any Bull...

WARNING: THIS POST IS GRAPHIC. IT'S GOT SOME HUMOR AS USUAL, BUT YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH...

So I witnessed my first bullfight. I've been bullheaded before but I've never gotten to see a fight. I'll try to describe my experience as accurately as possible. We arrived to the bullring later in the afternoon (tumble weed passes, eagle screams, a whip cracks somewhere) when the sun was on its way down. We got the good seats (you've gotta be kidding me I'm in college, I aint got no dinero) up pretty far but still where we could see pretty good. We came with a huge group from our program, as it was a cultural activity for us. There are a few different phases of a bullfight starting with a picador. Picador's ride in on horses (the horses are actually blindfolded so they aren't frightened by the massive bulls) with long spears that have sharp tips on the top. (Mom quit reading now, you won't like it). The picadors take the long spear and stab the bull behind the neck two or three times, to get the show on the road. After that there are a few men that wave capotes (or capes) around to get the bulls attention and it's blood moving. After a while, then comes out the banderillas. Banderillas have spears on the end and hang on the side of the bull after they are stabbed into them. It's really artistic and dangerous for the banderillas to be put into the bull because they have to have the bull charge, jump out of the way and stab the bull properly. After that, the main attraction the matador comes out and gives his show. The matador does not immediately kill the bull but waves him on multiple times. Each bullfight was around 30 minutes or so, so the matador takes his time. After a while of ballerina like movements the matador gets his special sword. It's curved on the end so the matador when he lunges at the bull is able to curve it in properly. The matador gives the bull a nod runs after it and jumps, thrusting the sword in between its shoulder blades. If the matador is good, it should only take him one time. Unfortunately for us we were watching amateurs and it took them multiple times to get it right, which is very unprofessional and cruel. Afterwards they get two men with capes on either side of the bull, rotating waving flags, to get the bulls head moving right to left and getting the sword to do the most damage. The bull will fall eventually and a man will come out with a small knife (I liked to call it their prison shank) and stab the bull right behind the skull to kill it quickly. A professional should stab it and immediately it should be killed. Once again they sucked, honestly. It took multiple stabs and the Spaniards in the crowd were getting really hacked. We watched 5 bullfights and each one had its ups and downs. After the bull dies, they bring in decorated horses to drag it out of the stadium, to sell to local meat vendors to sell that night. Barbeque beef anyone?

I'll post a few pics: They could be graphic for some...