Fortaleza

Oh, this is gonna be fun!!!!!

(Does nobody know how to use the search facility???)

jdr

That`s what I was hinting. ;-))

Dick Dasterdly

There is certainly a very strong downward trend in its popularity.
According to a survey 78% of Spaniards said they had no interest in bull fighting at all.That figure rose to 83%for ppl.in late teens and early twenties.
Only 7% said they were very interested.
It reflects the trends I have seen throughout the country with many deserted bullrings virtually everywhere.
Some of the Spanish themselves have even organised demos.against it.
It is banned in places like Argentina,Cuba and even the Canaries Isles.
There are a few very large city venues where it continues on special occasions in modern arenas, but these are also used as venues for other activities such as pop concerts etc. maybe to help subsidise it.
One report says bull-fighting is in serious crisis and receiving heavy Govt.financial support to survive at all.
It also mentions a bull-fighting subsidy of 200+ euros per bull per year from the EU.which I find quite surprising, in view of the fact that the vast majority of Europe is strongly against it.
So it appears that every single EU taxpayer is paying at least something to help it continue.
I wonder how many are aware of that fact?

marisol

maybe, these courageous fullfighters when see a mouse jump on a chair

littlelambfound

Errr...as you've all pointed out, it's not a fair fight. The bull gets nothing but what's coming to it, and the matador the same. Almost certain death to the former, and applause for the latter.
Two other points.
1. Some time ago, when they were still broadcasting fights on the telly, I had some friends visit from the UK. They were all ardently anti bullfighting. But they couldn't stop watching! Human nature to the fore.
2. I once has a Spanish girl friend who was a ballet dancer. We offed to Budapest, with her studying to become a ballet teacher. Up until that point I had never seen an actual ballet, but assumed it was some sort of pansyfied shite. But after helping with her studies, seeing lots of very good quality performances and understanding the history attached to it, I became a fan.

marisol

yes, you are right. Sometimes its better not to know what we all are paying with taxes. The other day i read in the newspaper that we all are paying a triplex house in front of the beach and the maintenance to the killer of Sandra Palo, the downs syndrome girl that was raped, run over and burned for being rehabilitated. He just spent two years, i think, into a reformatory. So, its better, at least for me, not to know this

marisol

yes, i agree with you in that many times, when you dont like something it can be due to you dont know enough about it. Something similar happens to me the first time i heard opera. I always said that i didnt like but once, while hearing luciano Pavarotti, it gives me goose pimples. But, i dont like to understand about bullfighting and about a lot of things that seem cruel to me

littlelambfound

Ahhhh....marisol we are almost in agreement (with what I'm unsure!) but it is, never-the-less, a step forwards.

As you can appreciate the great themes of Opera (treachery, love, murder, etc) here are some pointers for you if/when you next go to the first/next bullfight.
1. Pretend slight ignorance and ask those around you what's going on....you'll get a wonderful and complete education from those of the opposite opinion....but without mention of cruelty.
2. Drink the spectacle with all your senses and feel your emotions. And don't hold back expressing them.
3. When purchasing tickets, always choose "sombre"
4. Rinse and repeat a few times.

One of the reasons I moved to Spain, was that here, the action in itself is not as important as the sentiment behind it. Feelings. In the UK on a Saturday night, the drunks like to fight. Here, they just sing, laugh, sleep or cry! (Or drive!!).

digdug

i must say i'm not a fan of bullfighting, although i'd never attempt to take the history of it away from the spanish nation. i think, as has been mentioned earlier, it's slowly dying out anyway.
i hate the unfairness when a bull seems to be getting 'on top' of the matador, and they send in the cavalry to tire it.
but on the flip side, i love the bull runs, i think its hilarious to see the drunks think they can outsmart an enraged bull, until they slip.... and the one in denia (the bous a la mar) is a spectacle i have seen 3 times and still have not grown tired of.
DD

marisol

No, thanks for your advices, really, but im not going to go NEVER to see a full fighting. My grand father was a fanatic of it, he lived in Salamanca in where there was a great bullfighting culture, but i never ever went and i will never ever go to see it.
And again agree with you in that in Spain almost everybody let our feelings move us (i dont know if its well written)

Fred James

There is only one sure thing about a discussion on bullfighting - those that approve of it will never be persuaded to change their mind by those that disapprove - and vice versa.

It makes for an interesting discussion but please let's not let it get into a slanging match.

As far as popularity waning in Spain, near us in Motril, Granada province, a new very large high tech bullring was opened two years ago - no shortage of "aficianados" here!

littlelambfound

Actually, for such an emotive subject....there has been no slanging. though I like a good slanging as much as the next person, I guess we'll have to settle for respect.

marisol

you seem to be a spaniard

Dick Dasterdly

[QUOTE=Fred James;772368
As far as popularity waning in Spain, near us in Motril, Granada province, a new very large high tech bullring was opened two years ago - no shortage of "aficianados" here![/QUOTE]


One swallow doesnt make a summer and for every live ring there are probably a hundred dead.

I doubt if your nearby ring could be paid for from sale of seat tickets alone,maybe partly from your taxes,local and national govt subsidies, EU funds and maybe even the odd pop concert.

If it was still as popular as many moons ago, it would most likely be able to pay its own way.

Also, as in most things, there are a few fat cats who know how to screw the system from every direction for their own personal benefit.

Lenox

'Bull-fighting' and 'bull-fighter' are rather inaccurate translations of what in fact is happening. He's a torero or a matador.