Ole

Last night was the bull fight! Let me preface the actual ceremony by first mentioning that I got all the way there and realized I had brought my ticket for the cathedral instead of for the bull fight. Yep, it was muy triste. Well, I couldn´t miss the event of a lifetime! I was the one that wanted to go, so I had to buy a new ticket and was very lucky to get one in the same section as the rest of our group. Once you go in the doors to the corrida de toros you can´t jump sections. 56 Euros later (70 bucks) I was right in the thick of it. Holy bull, what a thrill. Going to a bull fight is absolutely the experience of a lifetime. I had done some research and so I knew what would happen but I guess it didn´t really hit me that I was actually going to see a guy kill such a beautiful animal right in front of me until the first harpon thing. There are three bull fighters. They each take turns killing bulls (6 total). The stadium is crazy, people shouting OLE and waving white hankerchiefs and throwing flowers and hats. Especially for El Fandi. He is a local boy and one of the best of the best. He would get on his knees and work the bull so tired with his cape that he could lean back and put his face right in front of the bulls horns. Lots of blood though. I was surprised at how depressed I was that the bulls had to die. It was depressing to watch the bull start with such spirit and, as he was injured, be reduced to the point where he could charge and fight no more. I am for the bulls. I kept hoping one of them would succeed and gore a matador. The entire event has such drama. The matadors move with perfect grace and bravado. They are definately actors and really know how to play up their moves. They get so close to the bull that their outfits are covered in blood by the end. The costumes of everyone are so elaborate. We saw a little of everything in our night. The Banderillas on horses stabbed one bull in the wrong place when he was weakening the bull for the fighter. He ended up piercing an artiery on the bull and the way we knew was when, later, the bull tripped over his horns and did a full front flip from the force of his charge. They had to get a fresh bull to show humility and to preserve the honor of the fighter. It was spectacular and emtional. I am glad I didn´t miss a second even though I had to buy my ticket twice.
Spain is difficult. There is no down time from the spanish. All of my classes are in straight spanish. It is frustrating to learn spanish grammar in spanish... I can´t even understand it in English. Sometime I feel my ear developing leaps and bounds, but I get tired and can´t recognize anything. We hardly sleep, that´s probably part of the problema. Perhaps this weekend. Thursday and Friday there is no school, thank heavens, because there is a HUGE fiesta in Granada. A few of us want to travel north. We will see. It will be nice to get away. We have to keep a schedule with our host mom and I feel like I am tip toeing around her house. I am too used to my freedom. Anyway, she is good to us, very persistent with conversing (en espanol). After dinner (which is at 9:30 or 10 pm) I am thinking "please, just let me go to sleep."
It is an adventure for sure. Maybe along the way I´ll learn some Spanish whether I want too or not! At least there is flamenco everywhere. Did I mention the flemenco club next to El Alhambra? One night we crammed into a tiny cave bar and got an authentic taste of the music and dancing... it´s awesome. Jumping off castles into the ocean, hitting bars until the wee hours of the morning, surving 6 straight hours of Spanish classes that are completely in spanish and actually understanding some of it... I feel like I´m 27 going on 18 again. It´s bound to catch up with me sometime. It´s only been a week and already I´ve been in the tombs of Isbella and Ferdinand (sent off Columbus), spent the night on a bus travelling across Andaluscia to Cadiz (pics of Cadiz below), shared the honeymoon suite of a hostel with someone I just met, and seen a parade. Crazy.

p.s. I can´t take a normal shower. I have to turn it on and off quickly as I wash myself and my hair. It´s cold and I don´t smell well.