Ole!

The entire crowd was full of anticipation just waiting to find out where we decided to spend our fall vacation. Here is a BIG (and very attractive) hint:



Viva Espan-ya!



As an undergraduate student I had the opportunity to participate in the Education Abroad Program to Madrid, Spain. This was the first time I had left the US (that Saturday night in Tijuana doesn't count...). Well, since then I have a very special affinity to Spain, and I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit again with two queridas amigas.





During that year I lived in Spain I never attended a bullfight. I am a student of literature so I have read a great deal about authors' particular interest in the sport. I also know that many African American authors see a relationship between certain aspects of Spanish culture (the bullfight, flamenco, and duende) and African American approaches to expressive art. I studied Spanish dance/ballet (sevillanas, flamenco) and after seeing an actual bullfight yesterday, alot of those things made more sense to me (even Picasso's paintings of the corrida/bullfight).

There is no way to deny the brutality of the sport (I have not posted the more graphic pictures). We also saw a bullfighter be tossed and gouged (twice) by the bull. It is no joke, the fighters really do look into death as they meet a bull in the ring. The pageantry of the event was extraordinary, and the way the bullfighters move... well, we needed a drink after....