The Hobsons are holidaying in Madrid part II

Here we are with the last installment of the Hobson family holiday tales. After our shopping trip in Xanadu we went to La Vaguada (another shopping centre in Madrid) where my mother bought even more clothes for Adam. She has decided that she has to spend money to save money !? (things that she wouldn't buy in England 'cos they are too expensive she has bought here like a Lacoste shirt for Ads) After our trip to La Vaguada we spent the evening in true Spanish style til 3am on a terraza in a park down the road from our flat.

Sunday was a day of rest and we spent most of the time lazing around. In the evening we went to Ventas to see a bullfight. I have never really wanted to go as I think that it is cruel but my parents were intrigued so I got out my shawl and black fan and we parked out bottoms on some 1€ leather cushions in the ring to watch the thing that many Spaniards class as an 'art form'. Mmm?

After the first 'faena' my mother wanted to throw up, I felt rather disturbed and my brother was looking through Jaime's binoculars in an attempt to get a closer look at the bloodshed. Many foreigners, having seen what all the fuss was about, got up and left after the first bull had been slain. However after a while we got used to the barbaric nature of the corrida and decided to stick it out 'til the end. I was also intrigued to see the female bullfighter, Mari Paz Vega, as that isn't something that is often seen in Ventas. When it was over my dad said 'well, it was interesting'. I suppose that is one way of describing it.

The best part, according to my brother, was when the bull knocked the horse over and the 'picador' who was on the horse got his legs trapped beneath it. He got rushed off the the 'hospital' in the ring. Adam cheered and clapped. I hid.

According to 'experts' (Jaime and strange, angry Spanish man shouting obscenities) the bulls were shit and the fights were mediocre. I wouldn't know and nor do I care. I won't be returning to Ventas to see another bullfight, once in a lifetime is plenty.