Bull Fight (Sort of)

So first off, an apology to anyone who has been waiting on pins and needles for my next post. However after sufficient nagging from legions of friends (okay one friend) and christie, I have finally decided to update my blog.

So this post is about a bullfight, because well, we're in Spain, and that's what they do here . Now seeing as how the one friend who asked about me about updating my blog also happens to be a hardcore vegan, I can imagine how this could seem like a really cruel trick. But don't worry vegan friends, animal activists, and squeamish people alike, this was not a 'real' bullfight. It was actually a bullfight for the toreros in training, and so these kids (probably between 12 and 18) were armed with fake swords, and only young bulls (still not something I would want to be out there teasing). However, since we don't want to offend any folks out there, from now on I will refer to this as the epic post about the Spanish Bull Tease.

Now, I know what you're wondering, how exactly did Alejo find out about Alicante's Bull Tease. Well, it's an interesting story: You see, along with my host family, I live with a 16 year old German exchange student who attends a local high school. One of my German's close friends is an Alicantina named Alejandra (sweeeeeet name) and she happens to be a bull fighter in training. So long story short, she was going to be part of this Bull Tease*, invited my German, who invited me, and next thing I knew, I was spending my Sunday afternoon in Alicante's bullfighting ring watching kids with more guts than I'll ever have poke bulls.

Here are a few of the pictures I took, some of my favorites so far. I knew I was onto something when Christie told me I had good lighting (always the Photo Journalist) so umm... enjoy my lighting.

*I should also just throw it out there that Alejandra ended up being injured and didn't take part that Sunday, hence the lack of photos of her in action.

Here's a pretty good shot of the whole ring

This is one of the kids...probably 13 years old...and a personal favorite

Although he eventually caught his rhythm, he spent a good deal of the beginning chasing the bull

In action

it's like he borrowed something from my brother's wardrobe and decided to tease a bull

Okay, this girl was a hoss

Okay if there was an award for swagger, this kid would be all over it...my favorite pose of the day...it's the same one I do when I get on the dance floor here in Spain...birds of a feather.

I absolutely love this photo...yes, I have ostentatiously set it as my desktop background.