Big Horns and Bucking Broncos

After not feeling so great Saturday, on Sunday I felt well enough to go to the bull fight or bull dance as some people call it because they don’t hurt the bull like they do in Spain. We got there almost exactly when it started so we had to sit on the edge with the scary thought of the bull coming and eating our feet. There was a trumpet and cymbals band that played during the fight, a different band that played guitar and charango and the guy that announced everything. The first bull that they let out was the one that they kept letting out the whole fight.

I really don’t think they fed him much and he was pretty fed up when they let him out of his pen into the ring. The ring was full of sand which was nice because the bull had other interests than eating like the bull fight up in Marcacocha. There the whole ring was grass and the bulls did not want to fight. The other big difference was that the bull fighters were in nice outfits with tight pants and pink, purple and black leather vests with cowboy boots. They all looked very dressed up compared to the guys in Marcacocha who were wearing t-shirts and jeans.

The bull ran around to get his energy out and then one of the guys in the fancy outfits came and shook is pink and yellow ‘attract a bull’ cloth. He pawed the ground for a minute (which is definitely my favorite part) and charged with his head down. The goal for the bull fighter or ‘torero’ was to impress the guy with the microphone and make him say how well he was doing. So he dodged and got down on one knee with the cloth up in the air. Everyone applauded and that’s how it went the first time, without anything too scary (that was fine with me). The second bull was the same but a little lazier.
 After the second bull they brought out the horses and lassoed the one they thought was the craziest. Then they took off the lasso and used it as a bucking bronco. A guy who had an outfit like a cowboy climbed on it and the horse tried to get him off. It was really funny to watch. He held on to its mane without a saddle and showed off by only using one hand.

Two more bulls came and the funniest thing happened. Most of the people in the ring were handing out beer, not fighting. They have to cross the ring to get to the others so I guess it is kind of a scary job. One of the guys ran to the other side and unluckily the bull saw him. He charged and the guy had to jump over the wood piece to avoid the bull sticking his horns into his leg. I was so scared!

They brought out the horses again and a different guy lassoed one so he could ride on it backwards with his face literally on the horses butt. It must have smelled so bad. He didn’t last very long and always ended up face down in the dirt laughing.

My stomach started acting up again so Mom and I went to the ‘Casa de Wow’ early. I wish I could have stayed!!!