See that animal on top of this page? The bull is some sort of international symbol for Spain, as a result of the numerous bullfights that are still being held in this country every year.
Just like the famous flamenco dance though, the bullfights are especially a southern Spanish custom. Here in the north, bullfights are held only a few times a year, on special festive occasions.
Osborne, A famous wine brand that has a bull as its logo, has been placing over 90 bulls like the one above on hillsides throughout Spain since the year 1956. If you have ever been to Spain, I'm sure you must have seen one. They are quite photogenic.
I was a little insecure to put the Osborne bull on top of my blog though, because the animal also has a very negative meaning here in Spain.
The bull, or the horned one (el cornudo), is also the symbol for a person who is being cheated on by his or her partner. To put the horns on your partner (ponerle los cuernos a alguien) means cheating on your partner.
But just to make sure that there are no misunderstandings: that is not the reason why that bull is up here.
For me, this animal has always been thé symbol of Spain.
3 comments:
have you been to a bullfight? isn't that a pretty scary sport? or is that even considered as a sport?
I have been once, when I was about twelve years old and we were on holiday in Spain.
I wouldn't go again. There is nothing fun about it. It is quite cruel to see how they play around with the bull and slowly kill it. More and more people are starting to see it as a sadistic sport, even in Spain.
There are rumours now that the bulls are being drugged before they are sent into the ring.
But the great bullfighters are still national heros.
"But the great bullfighters are still national heros."-hmmm interesting. they get to be a hero for fighting a bull. but the i guess it's all part of the culture. happy weekend chris!
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