http://alisonslife-in-the-slow-lane.blogspot.com/ Life in the Slow Lane: SPORT? CULTURE?...I DON'T THINK SO...

Thursday 9 August 2012

SPORT? CULTURE?...I DON'T THINK SO...

The summer Fiestas in the villages around us are well under way...our own village's one was at the end of June. Being such a small village, our Fiestas are pretty 'tame'....lots of music, children's activities, dancing, religious parades and some fireworks...three or four days and it's over.



This week it has been the turn of the biggest village in the Valley. Being a bigger village, it has a longer Fiesta, with more activities. I had been over there doing a bit of shopping this morning, and heard music coming from the village square, so went round to see what was happening.



The Square was entirely surrounded by metal bars (like a huge cage) and covered in sand... and there had been seating set up....


When I went to investigate further I discovered this poor, young bull being 'baited' by the 'brave' young lads from the village..it was so hot, and the poor animal just wanted to be left alone


so they kicked at it....


....ran at it, and waved things at it, just to get it moving.



The bars were wide enough  lads from the village to squeeze in and out of, but not for the bull to get through..the crowd was loving it....but me?...I just thought it sad and horrible.

This isn't 'sport'...'SPORT' is what is happening in London just now....this is just having fun at some poor animal's expense. Admittedly, it could be dangerous (there were lots of Ambulances and Police in attendance) and I'm sure those involved had huge adrenalin rushes, BUT it wasn't 'sport'. It left me with a really bad taste in my mouth, and I didn't stop for long. I know it's part of the Spanish 'culture', but it's a part I neither understand or enjoy.

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx









19 comments:

  1. I agree with you, I have never understood it either! Poor bull :(

    Take care, Estelle xx

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  2. I agree too - just plain cruel!

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  3. I never understood the draw for bull fighting either. A "sport" that ends up with a dead animal for the purposes of show rather than to feed a family? Makes me sick to my stomach. It's inhumane and I don't get it.

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  4. I don'r 'get it' either....I'm quite surprised that in this day and age it's still allowed to happen.

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  5. I completely agree with you. Looks like there's enough fun activities without tormenting a helpless animal.

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  6. Oh honey! I am so sorry!!! I agree!

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  7. Oh, that would break my heart. Poor thing.

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  8. I just don't get it! There is noway that is sport!

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  9. I agree with you, I don't get the bull fighting thing at all. When The LOML went to spain with a friend for the football (birthday present) they decided to go watch a fight as it was the done think to do. They didn't last long. I am not sure what they expected it to be like. Some cultural things should just be left in the past ... cultures evolve and grow ... perhaps Spain needs to realise this. I am thankful they don't do it in your little village.

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  10. Simply horrible. Give me the Olympics any day! x

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  11. oh that's not nice Alison! Give me the Olympics any day too.

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  12. Yuk - I clicked through from my dashboard where only the first photo was showing and I was envious that there are such fun celebrations to attend ... then I read on ... and you are 1000% right about the (un-)sporting nature of it. No longer envious ;o)
    A thought provoking post though TFS

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  13. No, it's not for me either

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  14. So sad. Not sure why people have to do things like that??? ~ Blessings, Tracey

    http://gracescraps.blogspot.com/

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  15. It doesn't sound like sport at all. I often think the same thing about hunting - I don't see the sport in putting out bait & then waiting in a stand for a poor deer to come out & eat so you can shoot it. How is that hunting?

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  16. What an interesting post today - it's something I don't ever think about. We once saw a more formal running of the bulls up a street in a Spanish town (outside of Madrid) with the bulls ending up in pens at the center of town, and it was really exciting. We didn't stick around long enough to see the bullfights which were planned for later in the week. Not sure we could have stood that either.
    Rinda

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  17. It sounds absolutely disgusting, and I don't blame you for leaving ASAP. And how awful it would have been if someone had been hurt?

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  18. I agree - revolting - but cultures are hard to break - here the Zulus cut cows throats while they are running around to slaughter them - with our governments blessing of course!!

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