Spain - Madrid
We went to see a bull fight at Plaza de Torros. I had been to a bull fight once before in Mexico City, but had forgotten how bloody it was! Though I still thought the American woman crying hysterically was being melodramatic.
These are the people that first come out to the ring, stabbing the bull enough to make it mad and weak.
Then the matador, with the smaller red cape, makes an entrance and finishes the bull off. Here is a video clip of the matador finale (WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES OF SLOW AND VIOLENT ANIMAL DEATH. Really not for the squeamish.):
Borrowing the words of Hemingway (that we read not from the original story, but from our guidebook): ¨The bull fight is not a sport in the Anglo-Saxon sense of the word, that is, it is not an equal contest or an attempt at an equal contest between a bull and a man. Rather, it is a tragedy; the death of the bull, which is played, more or less well, by the bull and the man involved and in which there is danger for the man but certain death for the bull.¨
The rule at a corrida is that you can´t leave in the middle of a bull fight. I didn`t know and got yelled at by some angry Spaniards.
Retiro Park (Madrid´s Central Park):
Gran Via:
Plaza Mayor. We are doing a lot of coffee drinking at cafes:
The palace and cathedral:
Lunch: I ordered this tapas thinking it was potato casserole. It tasted more like very chewy fish. When I was done, I asked the waitress what type of fish it was - nope, it´s bull intestines:
The Spaniards party late! This is a picture taken from our first hotel room at 6am - you can see the drunk and loud people still hanging out:
We moved hotels the next day. The new hotel has a funny owner - he knocked on our door at 1pm and asked ¨are you gonna see Spain or sleep all day?¨ We had jet lag! (And being on the road for 4 months, we tend to sleep a lot.)
14 comments:
it's like 곱창gopchang, right?
mmmm~
kkk
Hey! Glad to see you made it to europe without a hitch. If you make it to Lisbon, Portugal, check out Olivier's for a splurge meal (not really that expensive, but still). They will give you a 9 course authentic Portugese meal. It is amazing--but...be careful of the fois gras. It's tempting to eat it all but then there will be no room for everything else! (I'm speaking from experience).
Annie
Jeeheon, you two have to go to Botin. It's one of my favorite restaurants in Madrid. They have excellent roast pork and fabulous sangria! -Sue-
Well, thanks for the tips, but we don´t actually go to restaurants per se
What Bill means is that he refuses to spend more than $7 per person per meal. In Europe, that means we are starving all the time. I may try the recommended restaurants when he`s taking a nap.
Nana - definitely gopchang! My yuk-gae-jang had gopchang too!
Drink more beer -- at places that give you basic tapas with your beer.
Ah, now the weightloss makes sense! You guys are living on coffee and cigarettes! Just kidding. I'm sure you two will enjoy some good meals. After all, Bill is a hedonist at heart. Have some sangria for me!
Kathy
what is your skype id?
jamon and wine!! that is what i love about spain!
if you guys are into arts, madrid has some wonderful museums..
Seolwon
Michael - I don´t think Bill needs any incentive to drink more beer...
Kathy - we ARE drinking tons of coffee! Absolutely addicted to coffee now.
Nana - ghoney77
Seolwon - we went to couple museums. I discovered that very modern abstract art scares Bill.
- Jeeheon
Bill left the speedo in the hotel room in Brazil, right?
When will you be eating fried Pigs ears? Let us know how they tase
Donnie - he still has the speedo. I think he´s going to use it as underwear when the boxers run out...
Secret Commentor - will do! They also sell pig ears in Korea so I´ve had them before. Very chewy.
Bill - don't forget that you can turn your boxers inside-out for a few more wears.
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