Bullfighting and burning sun

Right next to the sports center there is a round building - the bull fighting arena. Already a week before the big event the whole city was pinned with posters of a bull fight to take place on Sunday evening. So we decided to check it out as well. I've been warned by so many people that it is quite gross and not pleasant at all.

My interest with seeing a bullfight was just to get the experience. Afterall it is part of the culture in Spain. And I refused to believe that it is something so discusting that I'd leave after the first 10 minutes :)

Before the event I tried to read up on the history, meaning and customs associated with killing those poor animals at the arena in front of all those people. Apparently this is a huge sport around here in Southern Spain, top matadors earn as much as top football players. There is a long ritual that gets carried out throughout the process, each trumpet sound that comes has a meaning, each movement the matador or other toreros perform have a story. During each performance a certain set of actions are carried out, slightly differing of what matador de toros decides - he is the one who runs the show.

So on Sunday evening we set off to the bull fighting show. The place was suprisingly crowded, I'd guess about 30% were tourists checking out the big event. There were going to be six bull fights today performed by 3 matadores, each fighting 2 bulls throughout the evening.

Shortly, killing the bull is traced to ancient sacrifice ritual. Nowadays, death of the bull is dedicated usually to the president or to the crowd. Matador and his assistants wave colorful capes in front of the bull making it charge. At some point men with horses enter the arena, this is done to spike the bull to relieve the blood pressure so that the animal doesn't get a heart attack while racing around the place. It sounds really bad, but it really wasn't too horrible. Then the show continues with small spikes put to the bulls back and is ended with a final leathal sword hit killing the bull at about 15 minutes into the show. Now the crowd can petition the president to award the matador an ear of the bull by waving white hankerchiefs. If his performance was exceptional he will award two ears.



The show was good. Even us, first timers, could distinguish between a skillful matador and not so skillful one. Perforamnces were quite artistic and I'd even say graceful. It was a bit bloody and the killing was fierce but it was quick and clean. There were some American tourists behind us crying their eyes out even before the bull was let into the arena - they left after the first fight.

Now I know what the bull fight looks like :) I'm not sure I'd attend it a second time, but it was definitely worth it to see it once.

The sun and burning - for the second day in a row I have not seen any clouds. My nose is going to fall off soon (using one of the girls words) from all this sun exposure. During those 2 weeks we've been here there has been only one day with no sun at all and we have not seen any rain yet. It's been quite perfect weather so far.

Tonight we are all going out to dinner together as half of the people are leaving the training camp on Sunday - paella night is coming up!

Cultural day in Malaga

Day off for everyone. Well, ok, got 30 minutes of swimming in the morning and 30 minutes of running in the evening - but almost nothing compared to the other 6h training days :)

Took the opportunity to go and discover Malaga. Train took us there in 20 minutes, directly to the city center. First stop was the Cathedral - magnificent like they all are. By the time we got done with the religious part of the day full of culture we were starving. Tried to find a restaurant a bit further off the city center and failed :) Anyways, the food was good. I went for "Malaga style fried fish" - this was a plate full of 5 different kinds of seafood. It was delicious!

Next stop was Picasso museum - art section of the culture day. Picasso was born in Malaga, was here last time when he was 19 and never returned. He lived a long life, was born in 1881 and dies 1973. Produced hundreds of pieces of work. In this museum one can find 155 of his works. Exchibition was great, art of the master is wonderful. Strangest ways of portraying a face, a nude woman, a cat and fruits platter :)

Time for afternoon cake and hot chocolate, plus freshly squeezed orange juice (those are sooo very good here!). When walking in the park earlier on we could see a castle up further away - that was our next target: Alcazaba de Malaga. Group of magnificent buildings dating from the eleventh century, formed the palace-fortress of the Moslem rulers of the city. One finds many beautiful courtyards with fountains, alleways with running water finding its way down in the middle of the path, green corners in the middle of a endless stone walls and breathtaking views to the port and down to the city. Currently the orange trees are blooming, whole city smells so wonderful. Up in the Alcazaba bundled up with all sorts of other colorful plants it all felt like a quiet piece of paradise.

Back to Torremolinos in one of those convenient trains. Eating sweet mangos in my balcony, looking at the sea and listening to peaceful music. Life is soo good. Been here for a week already! Time flies!

Ice cream for breakfast

Days go by quickly here. Alarm goes off around 8am, quick breakfast and time for first practice. Few hours in town/behind the computer/in the sun, time for lunch and evening practice. At least once a day I try to find the time to go for a run or jump in the pool myself as well. Cooking takes its own time, plus preparing the workouts for the following day. Hour or two in the evening for e-mails or organizational tasks/meetings, evening information session at 9pm, few more hours behind the computer and falling to bed dead tired. Those are the days here :)

.. ice cream for breakfast is totally normal in those conditions right :) ?

Mi casa...

View from my house for the next 3 weeks:

Greetings from Torremolinos, Spain. Will stay around here for a while and keep company to 21CC Triatloniklubi triathletes :) Long practices are waiting for them, mostly biking but also general conditioning and running and swimming of course.
It was 22C here today, sun was out and all seems so beautiful. The hotel pool is so inviting and palm trees make me smile :D
Life is good!