Amazing Sangria at La Trucha...I'm going to miss it
Monica and I at the bullfight
El Picador on his horse stabbing the bull
El Matador coaxing the bull for the crowd's applause
The girls at El Rastro flea market
Cows in Navacerrada!
Beautiful view of the country-side
Simone and I on Saturday's hike
The girls at Retiro
My intercambio and I
It has been a crazy second to last weekend in Madrid. The fact that I am leaving in a little over a week is getting harder and harder for me to accept and I want to do as much as I can in the little time I have left. The past few days consisted of the bar scene with my friends, a hike a few hours outside of the city, perfect weather, the celebrations of Dos de Mayo, great Spanish food (yes you heard me correctly), and my first and probably last bullfight.
Saturday morning I woke up early to take a train with other Syracuse students to Navacerrada, a beautiful town and countryside outside of Madrid that many Madrilenos head to on the weekends to escape the crowded city. We were led on an all day hike through the mountains and back down through the town. It was pretty exhausting to be outside all day but wow...I haven't had fresh air like that in so long! The sights were breath-taking and I am so glad I got to see a more rural area outside of Madrid before I leave.
Sunday was my most busy day with the El Rastro flea market one last time to buy my souvenirs of Madrid, a delicious meal at a restaurant right by Plaza Santa Ana called La Trucha, and a bullfight at Las Ventas. Throughout this entire semester, I have learned a great deal about bullfighting from my Hemingway class. I have been preparing myself for the requirement of going to a top-notch bullfight at the end of the semester and reading Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon," which has been proclaimed as the best book of bullfighting written in English to this day. I have also prepared myself to have an open mind when going to the fight. My teacher has told us over and over again that no one comes in with a neutral view or leaves with one, but I have tried my hardest to see both sides of the issue.
The topic of bullfighting is obviously very controversial in Spain. There are some that find it to be an act of pointless torture, while others find it to be a beautiful tradition, along with flamenco dancing, that makes Spain what it is today. If you know my relationship with my dog, or the fact that I can barely eat chicken, let alone any other type of meat or fish, then you probably know what side I lean towards. I was able to stay through half of the fight, which means I saw three bulls killed by two different matadors. The experience is something I would never take back, because being able to see the crowd's reactions and witnessing all of the rules, standards, and movements that I have learned about bullfighting in class are priceless. Especially after reading "Death in the Afternoon" I was truly curious about what goes on in the ring. I am sure that bullfighting will never end in Spain. To me it would be like eliminating the Red Sox. What would the people of Boston stand for? What would they feel represents their culture best?
This week is going to be filled with studying for finals and preparing to attempt fitting all of my things in two suitcases...which really means shipping boxes home. Oops! Shopping brings such joy and such complication to my life at the same time.
Adios!
Emily
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