Bull Fight in Barcelona

[gnial131]

Has anyone been to a bullfight in Barcelona? If so, do you have advice, etc...? I have heard it is rather bloody and not appropriate for children. I would love to hear your thoughts.

[jg2256]

I have been to a number of Bull fights in southern Spain when I lived there and once in Barcelona. There is a lot of pageantry and history involved in bullfighting and is really interesting and if you accept that the bulls will be killed and tormented then I would recommend it (I know that sounds heartless but it is what happens). Whether it is appropriate for kids would depend on the kids but I would think that most American kids would be pretty upset about the blood and the final result. Not sure if this helps but it really is a unique event that if you have an opportunity you may want to take it.

[Destin Mom]

Hi jg2256. We opted not to attend last summer because of the blood involved (traveling with young children). It was one of those things we wanted to do though...so much history and more to it than the obvious. It's a great cultural experience...not something we get here in Destin, FL. I suggest reading up on what to expect to see if it is something you would enjoy. Have a great trip...Barcelona is wonderful with children!

[RHefley228]

I saw several fights in Mexico nearly 40 years ago, and I suspect the procedure in Spain is the same. The first fight was done so well that you could actually begin to understand what Hemingway called the artistry of it. Then, however, it rapidly went downhill: a matador was gored, a horse was gored and badly injured and finally one hapless matador kept stabbing at the bull until the poor animal finally collapsed covered in blood with the sword stuck halfway into its neck; they finally killed it with a pistol shot while the crowd screamed abuse at the matador and threw garbage at him. It was pretty grisly, and I would think long and hard about exposing a child to any of it. There's a website http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000423 that you might want to take a look at.

[madra2112]

It's not going to be an issue - Four years ago, the city council in Barcelona banned bullfighting in the city, a move seen as an assertion of their Catalan rather than Spanish identity.

 

Details here http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3605225.stm

[coxswain]

Why would anyone want to watch this - last week a Bull wouldn't fight a matador so they drove a JCB Digger into it and the matador finished the bull off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[PersistenzaretiniKa]

It's not going to be an issue - Four years ago, the city council in Barcelona banned bullfighting in the city, a move seen as an assertion of their Catalan rather than Spanish identity.

 

Details here http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3605225.stm

 

ok about traditions, but what u call bullfight ( corrida) it's somethign that us italians don't understand and don't like. and we are, i think, the population that most are similar to spain and most appreciate spain and spanish people.

 

and about barcellona, is right: they don't feel like they are spanish and many of them don't like to speak spanish: i saw on european vision , in 2002 if i'm correct, a waiter that spook spanish to a child at a table and his mother told the waiter that the child didn't speak castillano. catalunia is like scotland in UK or alto adige and val d'aosta here in italy.

[gnial131]

I see that there was a vote to ban bull fighting, but it was not made into law according to the article quoted: The regional government must now approve the ban, the first of its kind in Spain, for it to become law.

 

Does anyone know if you can actually attend a bull fight in Barcelona now?

[madra2112]

Sorry, it looks as though I was a little premature. My AA guidebook said the "sport" (and I'm with Coxswain on this) was no longer practiced in Barcelona, and the arena was now an exhibition centre. I went on the net to find corroboration, and got the BBC article.

 

However, there is a second arena which is still, apparently, still used occasionally for bullfights, although I believe they are few and far between.

[den23]

Has anyone been to a bullfight in Barcelona? If so, do you have advice, etc...? I have heard it is rather bloody and not appropriate for children. I would love to hear your thoughts.

I am puzzled as to why anyone would be interested in seeing an animal tormented and tortured for the amusement of tourists.It has nothing to do with culture,it is a so called "sport" and money making exercise and anyone who goes or considers going to one of these spectacles should be ashamed.

[jg2256]

Den:

 

Good job of killing a thread. Although it has been a number of years since I attended a bullfight, I am not now nor have I ever been ashamed to attend a bullfight. Whether you like it or not it is part of the Spanish culture. How many Bullfights have you been to? I expect none. And if you do not wish to attend one that is your choice. It is not for everybody. Contrary to your comments bullfighting is a sport and good matadors in Spain are worshipped. Hard as it is to belive it takes incredible skill to be good. Tourism may have something to do with some bullfighting in tourist area but the majority of bullfights I attended were in non-tourist areas (welll maybe they could be called Spanish tourist areas) and were attended by locals so your theory is not based on fact.

 

Folks if you have never attended a bullfight and have an opportunity then I recommend you do so. If you do not wish to attend another then that is your choice. Read up on bullfighting a little before you go so you understand the history and the event itself. But whether you go or not do not feel ashamed!!!!!!!!!!!

[klauer]

Sorry, I put bull fighting and dog fighting in the same category -- I realize that they are both considered "sports" and part of some peoples' cultures, but I considering both to be cruel and inhumane.

[coxswain]

bullfighting is a sport

 

 

Yeah your right but you left out the blood before sport

 

 

blood sport noun - any sport that involves animals being killed or hurt to excite the people watching or taking part.

 

 

Sad !!

 

 

 

 

jj....