The 14th of July —as every year— marked the last day of los Sanfermines, bringing a great festivity for the spectators to watch.
The encierros (running of the bulls) as well as the corridas (bullfighting) have always triggered an internal debate within me —not to mention the heated debates of the fervent flocks of supporters and of opposers. Though it is either an amusing or a disturbing sight for those who watch, in a sense, I think it’s a custom that honors and celebrates the bull’s courage, life, and death in a more dignifying manner than that of the slaughterhouse.
Coincidentally with this event, I was concurrently listening to Herb Alpert’s “The Lonely Bull”, and I am —like he is— captivated by these festivities. The power and courage of the bull, as well as the atmosphere within the crowd, really gets to you, and it is better described by Herb’s words on his CD:
”...I was inspired to find a way to musically express the feelings I felt while watching and listening to the wild responses of the crowd in the stands … The bullfight was gory, beautiful and sometimes troublesome to watch, but the energy in the stands was overwhelmingly exciting.” —Herb Alpert
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