The Bull Fight

A bit of a controversial topic for this post.

I am a firm believer in the saying never judge a book by it's cover and so when I was given the opportunity to go and watch a bull fight a Murcia's Plaza de Toros I wasn't about to pass it up. Before yesterday I never really had a particularly strong opinion on one of Spain's most honoured traditions unlike a lot of people I know, so it didn't bother me about going although as it drew closer I became more weary of the idea.

Normally Plaza de Toros houses one of Murcia's popular clubs, Musik but once in a blue moon it is used for its original purpose. Crowds of people waited patiently for tickets and as I looked around I realised it wasn't just the older generation attending but, children no older that 5 were also there eagerly anticipating the fight. Of course not everyone was thrilled at the idea of the slaughtering of bulls as the row of protesters proved. The presence of the police made me wonder if there was going to be an unexpected riot and made me a little nervous to say the least. Although bull fights are a tradition in Spain and other Mediterranean and South American countries there are people in said countries who believe it is inhumane and fight for the rights of the animals which are forced to take part.

We took our seats in the rafters of the bull ring sitting on little more than slats of wood with people sitting shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee. The first fight had already started when we sat down and so we immediately turned our attention to the toreador and the bull. The first occurred with the toreador riding a horse which added to the spectacle and danger of the fight. The bull charged and the horse dodged with expert precision. The toreador took barbed sticks (banderillas) and thrusted them between the bull's shoulder blades as he charged. This went on for about 10 minutes with some very strong attacks from the bull to try and push the toreador off his horse. Eventually the bull slowed in his attacks and the toreador dismounted and came face to face with the bull. This was the moment. A hush fell over the crowd but I am still uncertain if it was as a mark or respect or if the roar of the crowd made the bull wild and endangered the toreador. Before I could decide if I was going to watch or not it was over, the bull was on the floor and the crowd was going crazy waving white handkerchiefs as a sign of appreciation.

There were 6 more bulls and 6 more toreadors to go who were all on foot and each fight occurred in a similar format. Each toreador would try and outdo the last with more daring moves, one even put his head on the head of the bull. The more courageous they were the more the audience responded and the louder the live band played. If the audience liked the toreador they waved their handkerchiefs up to the mayor's box and he would decide if the toreador could claim a trophy ear from the bull and a tail was awarded for an exceptional performance.

The entire situation was completely surreal and I couldn't exactly get my head around it. Although I had head it was a brutal act I couldn't stop watching it. It was almost hypnotic and as if the toreadors were dancing with the bulls rather than attacking them maliciously. I have struggled not to call each fight a 'show' but if you watch, it nearly is. The men in the ring play to the crowd and provide this huge bravado that keeps the audience entertained, making them cheer louder each time the bull is struck.It is easy to forget that it is actually happening and the animal is feeling pain.  Only when you see the bull limping and gushing blood from it's back at the end of the fight does reality hit you that it is all real and that indeed the creature is going to die in the space of a minute. The final moments of the fight are the ones that stick with you. The silence of the crowd, the blood on the sand and the connection you can see between the bull and the fighter right until the very end.

Although I can't say I would go to a bull fight again I am glad that I have experienced one of the most controversial traditions in Spanish history. I can see how it is popular amongst many people but also see the points of view of activists but I wouldn't have known if I hadn't gone. I would also like to add that the money from the evening went towards a Spanish cancer charity.

What are your views on Bull Fighting? Have you ever seen one or would you like to? Pin It

Valentine's Day

If for some obscure reason you have forgot, today was the big Valentine's Day, dreaded by boyfriends and singletons everywhere. Whether you sat and wallowed in self pity or rolled around in the thousands of bouquets of roses you received I hope you enjoyed your day.

As much as I love Valentine's Day and being showered with various food and plant products (who doesn't?) isn't just a day for loved up couples any more but a chance for friends to share their love too. I was surprise to see how many of my friends were posting photos on each others walls, sending tweets and the traditional card too. SO, if you have been lying in bed wondering if you will forever be alone, I would like to make a suggestion. Get up, call your friends, go to he nearest Sainsbury's open until midnight and celebrate your friendships! You have about half an hour left....and then the early hours of the morning.

As for me, I am currently dressed as a glittery jam pot, drinking sangria and about to host a Carnival Fiesta.
                                                 
                                                    Happy Valentine's Day to you all. Pin It

Carnival 2013

This weekend all over Europe people donned their best fancy dress outfits and took to the streets to take part in Carnival. It is like a huge party with a parade, music and about a thousand other things going on all at once. I went to Aguilas which is about an hour and a half away from Murcia to take part in my first Carnival. As it was a pretty last minute decision I didn't have time to utilise my incredible fancy dress skills so I just stuck with some face paint instead.

We arrived at about 5 o'clock in the sea side town and so began 12 hours of drinking, eating and dancing...

Bright colours and sangria were the order of the day but if you are planning to go to a carnival, just remember it is February, it's going to get cold quickly. Take some layers! When we were too cold we sheltered in the bars and clubs which were packed full of flappers and sailors (and children).

Carnival is pretty much an excuse to talk to complete strangers and become best friends within five minutes. And then run away when you get bored or things get weird. It's incredible amounts of fun. In one night I managed to claim I was Princess Peach to a Mario, have a dodgems battle with some 10 year olds and bond with a Spanish girl over how to order a hamburger.

From what I have gathered most carnivals have the same format of a parade, fair ground rides and lots of people but the bigger ones are probably way more crazy! It was an amazing night and I am so glad I was able to go in the end. However, walking home in a bright pink wig at 9 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday, being stared at by Spanish pensioners was probably one of the only low points and it didn't matter by that point. If you get the opportunity to go to a carnival, where ever it is, go! It has been the best night of this year so far and it is going to take a lot to beat it. Pin It

Notes of a Wanderer

Leave the house without a map in a city you have never visited. Does it matter if you get lost and walk around the back streets for an hour? Depending on the time of day not really. Explore everywhere. 

Don't be afraid of meeting new people, it is part of the experience. 

Use whatever means possible to make yourself understood. Even if it means miming a lightbulb to the lady in the supermarket.

Become a local don't just follow the tourists. If there is a bar or restaurant jam packed with natives on a Tuesday night there is bound to be a reason. It is probably a good sign if there appears to be no order to proceedings and everything seems to be a bit crazy.

The people who stare at you on the street are curious, not rude. When they start to shout at you then there is probably a problem. 

Appreciate what is happening in the place you are in. It doesn't matter if things are falling apart elsewhere.

Take pictures. Not of buildings and famous monuments but of the funny moments and the people you shared everything with.

Don't buy eggs that are already hard boiled. Unless of course you want eggs that are already hard boiled. Look at what you are buying properly otherwise your hungover self will hate you later.

Wear comfortable shoes. No one likes the grumpy person with blisters.

Don't climb out of your bedroom window to take pictures. At least put shorts on rather than a skirt, it might be easier.

I think that is about everything I learnt this week. I will probably think of other things. Maybe. 

A room with a view

 

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Arrivederci Bergamo! Hola Murcia!

After three months of living in Italy my time has drawn to a close. It makes me a little sad to that I will no longer wake up and walk out of my front door to be greeted by the mountains or that I won't be nearly run over by a Vespa before I have made it to class. As much as I have complained about Bergamo to my friends, family and anybody else who is unfortunate enough to listen, it will always have a small corner in my heart.

The night before I left we sat reminiscing about everything that had happened to us in this crazy land. It took a good hour and a half before we confirmed we wouldn't change a thing.  The weekly aperitivo on a Thursday night was responsible for most of our stories but there were also other treasured moments. The trip to the mountain lodge sealed our friendship and was the beginning of some of our best adventures. Running around the streets of Bergamo in sheets on Halloween pretending to be ghost and trying to scare people in cars was also a highlight. Rome was so incredible that it has its own post! There are so many moments that I keep remembering for various reasons which all made my time in Bergamo amazing. Thank you to Whitney, Ellie and Sarah Jane for providing some brilliant entertainment and also moral support when Bergamo wasn't being so great (quite a lot).

The question is am I fluent in Italian now? Is the ERASMUS experience working? At first I thought I knew about as much, if not less Italian than when I first arrived. Other than asking for two bus tickets or a caffe latte I didn't really feel like I was talking an awful lot of Italian. However, since arriving in Murcia I have actually had a nearly fully functional conversation with my Italian housemate. I say fully functional as I am now beginning to confuse my Italian and Spanish together (again). Nevertheless, it does prove that I must have taken in and understood a lot more than I actually realised. So, if you are contemplating an ERASMUS semester or two then it is more worthwhile than it first appears. Even when you feel downhearted and stare blankly at people for at least 15 minutes until you understand what they have said, you are probably better than you think.

Murcia is a completely different place to Bergamo and after reading Martha's stories of the city I am hoping there will be a lot more to tell. But for now, I need to start figuring out what everyone is saying all over again.  

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The Leather Satchel Co.

Firstly...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Now that is done on to the main event. About six months ago I discovered The Leather Satchel Co. after reading a post on Fashion Is My Drug. It is a British company who hand-craft satchels, made to order with any combination of colours, sizes and letters that you could possibly want. The result is a beautiful bag fit for any of your daily (or nightly) needs. 

My amazing mum took my hints and ordered a custom made one for me straight from the workshop.

Wrapped in brown paper and twine

You can have your initials embossed on the bag but I have also seen designs with favourite quotations underneath the flap.

A mark of quality

My satchel is 14 inches (which is big enough to fit A4 paper and books) in British Racing Green with extra width. If you don't want a custom made one then you can find them on Amazon or Asos for about £90 but it really does depend on the style of the bag. A satchel this well made will last a lifetime if it is looked after and it has literally made my day receiving such such a gorgeous gift! 

I hope all of you are having a marvellous Christmas and that Santa Claus brought you everything you asked for! 

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When in Rome...

Last weekend we took a small trip to the capital in order to add a little variation and excitement to our lives. Two full days and an afternoon was just about enough time to have a whistle stop tour of the city and learn a few things on the way.

We had booked into an all female hostel named Coconuts, which was perfect for us as we weren't planning to spend an awful lot of time there. We dressed to go out for dinner before joining a pub crawl with one of Whitney's old school friends. When eating out, I would suggest you research where you would like to go beforehand otherwise you will get stung with high prices for mediocre food...not ideal.

We met up with the boys before jumping on the tube to join the pub crawl organised by Colosseum Events which started at the Colosseum Metro station and continued through three different bars. It was pouring with rain and we had no idea where we were going but it is safe to say it was one of the most entertaining nights I have ever had. So many people from around the world getting together for one massive party for one night is possibly on of the most surreal feelings you can ever have. The bar crawl costs 20 euros and includes and open bar for an hour and a half, pizza, entrance into all the bars and clubs and a t-shirt to remember your night.

My second lesson came when we were returning to our room at 6AM. If you are in a hostel and you are planning to go out for the night, don't share a room with one or two other strangers! They won't appreciate your 'I'm trying to be quiet but I am actually being unbelievably loud because I am drunk' behaviour.

On Sunday morning, in various states of conciousness, we grabbed some breakfast/lunch at a snack bar near the station before heading off to explore Roma. We saw everything from The Forum to The Vatican City and each attraction had its own unique beauty.

In the evening after our 'tour guides' had left we went on the search for some dinner. After spending two months eating only Italian food we decided it would be amazing to have a change. We caught the metro and headed to the Hard Rock Cafe for big American burgers and onion rings. Book before you go unless you want an hour wait however, if you don't mind you can always use your time wisely having cocktails in one of the bars across the road while you wait.

It was such a fun evening and eventually we were the last in there just listening to the music and talking about the events of the night before.

On our final day we decided to keep it nice and relaxed especially after all the walking from the day before. We dropped our bags in the Termini bag drop office which cost about 5 euros each and then took the metro back to the Vatican to see the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. There was so much to see and I would have loved to have had about 3 days just in there taking everything in! Normally in Italy for students and people under 26 they have discounts for galleries and museums which is always great.

We headed over to the Spanish Steps and wondered around before stumbling upon The Pantheon which can only be described as epic!

Unfortunately by that point we had run out of time and we were in desperate need  of going to the airport. We climbed into a taxi and said goodbye to Rome and for the next week we were all in a Rome coma, wishing we could go back!

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