Blogging About Critters Since 2007

Monday, September 3, 2007

Photo Blogging: Bullfighting in the Azores


This is a picture I took of bullfighting in the Azores. Unlike the type in the ring, they release a bull in a village street (Santo Antonio on the island of Sao Jorge in this case), and 5 or 6 guys hold the bull with a rope. Then any intrepid (or crazy) person will try to get as close as possible to show how brave they are. Even though the bull is at the end of a rope, it's a long one, and people do get hit by the bull. Everyone else is standing around as close as they dare. Think of a very controlled form of the running of the bulls.

I was behind a low wall when this picture was taken. Usually when the bull heads towards the crowd, they scatter like a school of fish on the approach of a shark (and those bulls can leap over low walls). I don't like bullfighting, but if you are in the crowd when the bull comes running, it's a pretty exciting group dynamic.

And if you find yourself in that situation just remember: you don't have to outrun the bull, you just have to outrun the guy standing next to you...

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