La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
It’s been a bit of a draining day here today. It began with me thinking I had an appointment with my nephrologist tomorrow, what I thought was the 14th. Fortunately I have alerts on my calendar and learned the appointment was today. No big problem. I made it with time to spare. I returned home and brought the laundry to the roof, and then realized I didn’t have my keys.
The roof door was open, so that wasn’t a problem. But San Geraldo was having a needed siesta and I didn’t want to disturb him to let me back in the house. So I sat on the steps in the hall for 40 minutes and then finally phoned him (I had my mobile in my pocket). I’ll share the rest tomorrow. I don’t want to talk about it now.
Some time back, when we dined at the restaurant where we had such a bad experience (click here), I noticed the walls were adorned with photos of a famous bullfighter. He looked like a bullfighter I had seen in sculptures in Sevilla and thought it odd that a restaurant here would devote so much wall space to him. It turns out it was another “great” bullfighter, this one from Córdoba. Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánces, known as MANOLETE (born 4 July 1917). He was one of the “greatest” bullfighters in history and his likeness (some more “like” than others) can be found in sculptures and art all over town. He died at an event when killing his fifth bull of the day when he was gored in the thigh and didn’t recover. He may have been given a transfusion with the wrong kind of blood. Adrian Brody and Penelope Cruz starred in a 2008 film “Manolete” about the bullfighter and his affair with actress Lupe Sino. I’ve never seen it.
JUAN BELMONTE, THE BULLFIGHTER from Seville, was born in 1892 with “slightly deformed” legs and couldn’t run or jump. So he planted his feet firmly on the ground and forced the bull to go around him (or, perhaps, hoped the bull would go around him). It didn’t always work and he was frequently gored, many times seriously. I learned about him the first time we crossed the river from Seville center to the neighborhood of Triana, and saw a statue of a bullfighter with a hole in his torso. I thought jokingly, “Poor guy, that must be where a bull got him.” I was right. In 1927 during a bullfight in Barcelona, Belmonte was gored through the chest and pinned against a wall. He survived that and didn’t die until 1962 while in retirement.
Hoy ha sido un día un poco agotador. Empezó pensando que tenía cita con el nefrólogo mañana, que creía que era el día 14. Por suerte, tengo alertas en mi calendario y supe que era hoy. No fue un problema. Llegué con tiempo de sobra. Regresé a casa y llevé la ropa a la azotea, y entonces me di cuenta de que no tenía mis llaves.
La puerta de la azotea estaba abierta, así que no fue un problema. Pero San Geraldo estaba echando una siesta que necesitaba y no quería molestarlo para que me dejara entrar de nuevo. Así que me senté en los escaleras del pasillo durante 40 minutos y finalmente lo llamé (yo tenía el móvil en el bolsillo). Les contaré el resto mañana. No quiero hablar de eso ahora.
Hace un tiempo, cuando cenamos en el restaurante donde tuvimos tan mala experiencia (haz clic aquí), me di cuenta de que las paredes estaban adornadas con fotos de un torero famoso. Se parecía a un torero que había visto en esculturas en Sevilla y me pareció extraño que un restaurante de aquí le dedicara tanto espacio en la pared. Resulta que era otro “gran” torero, este de Córdoba. Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánces, conocido como MANOLETE (nacido el 4 de julio de 1917). Fue uno de los “más grandes” toreros de la historia y su imagen (algunas más “parecidas” que otras) se puede encontrar en esculturas y arte por toda la ciudad. Murió en un evento al matar a su quinto toro del día cuando recibió una cornada en el muslo y no se recuperó. Es posible que le hayan hecho una transfusión con el tipo de sangre equivocado. Adrián Brody y Penélope Cruz protagonizaron la película de 2008, “Manolete”, sobre el torero y su romance con la actriz Lupe Sino. Nunca la he visto.
JUAN BELMONTE, EL TORRERO sevillano, nació en 1892 con las piernas “ligeramente deformadas” y no podía correr ni saltar. Así que se plantaba firmemente en el suelo y obligaba al toro a rodearlo (o, supongo, esperaba que lo hiciera). No siempre funcionaba y recibía cornadas con frecuencia, muchas de ellas graves. Supe de él la primera vez que cruzamos el río desde el centro de Sevilla hasta el barrio de Triana y vi una estatua de un torero con un agujero en el torso. Pensé en broma: “Pobrecito, ahí debe haberle dado un toro”. Y tenía razón. En 1927, durante una corrida de toros en Barcelona, Belmonte recibió una cornada en el pecho y quedó inmovilizado contra un muro. Sobrevivió y no murió hasta 1962, ya retirado.
• Manolete de Córdoba.
• Manolete de Córdoba.
• Manolete de Córdoba. Los escultores tendían a adularlo aplanándole las orejas, reduciendo su nariz, y enderezando su rostro.
Belmonte, Sevilla
• Belmonte de Sevilla. Su perfil está en la parte superior de la página, por eso los confundí.
• Belmonte de Sevilla. Vista desde Triana hacia la Giralda (el antiguo minarete).
At first glance at the top pic, I thought “why is that person wearing Micky Mouse ears?” 😂
Matadors are such a cult in Spain, it’s just such a shame nobody bothers about the poor bulls… Their whole getup is rather homoerotic, however!
Love that pc through the hole in Belmonte, framing la Giralda so perfectly.
Jx
Jon:
I think it may even be to the point that the majority of Spaniards don’t approve of bullfighting. But it’s a hard-fought battle.
Hemingway wrote about bull fighting in Spain with relish. I can never understand, like Jon above, how Spaniards find this acceptable. Is it really a ‘sport’? I love Spain, all apart from this barbaric act.
And don’t get me started on ‘The running of the bulls in Pamplona’ !
Karen:
I agree. I’m ashamed to say I don’t have much pity for the people who get gored.
Karen:
I think most Spaniards no longer find it acceptable. Many places have changed from killing bulls to equine shows and exhibitions. It’s a slow battle against “traditionalists.”
Have I ever told you I ADORE a handsome well suited matador?
Mistress Borghese:
I hate what they do to bulls, but they can be so hot!
Never a very fair fight for the bull. If it were, “bullfighter” would never have been such a sought-after machismo profession.
Debra:
I hate it.
I wouldn’t mind if the bull had helpers to stick those little dart things into the fighter. Just sayin. Similarly I think bears have the right to bear arms in hunting season. And deer should have their own hides in the trees, to jump down on the hunter. Boud.
Boud:
I love your ideas.
Manolete looks a little like Adrien Brody, upon whom I have a wee unexplainable crush, but Belmonte is far more handsome, though perhaps less smart since he just stood in the way of the bull????
I’d get gored once and I’m out; heck, I get scratched once and I’m out.
Bob:
Yes, it was good casting and I agree with you about Adrian Brody. Yeah, I would never even get in.
In our travel in Spain, we visited Seville and know of the statues you mention. Dangerous job that, I know a lot of people do not understand the sport, only see the cruelty of it. It is the culture and certainly is set in a context we do not quite catch in non-Latin cultures.
larrymuffin:
Most Spaniards do not approve of bullfighting and change is coming however slowly.
I’ve always put bullfighting in the same negative category with bear baiting, cock fighting, fox hunting, and dog fighting. But… I’m okay with some hunting and trapping. I guess I can be hypocritical.
Kelly:
Yeah, I’m a hypocrite, too. I don’t approve of any of it, but I’m a carnivore.
Could never get my head around the whole bull-fighting thing.
Jim:
My sister went to a bullfight in Madrid in 1970 having no idea what she was about to see. She quickly left crying.
Hugs. Olivia
Olivia:
Thanks for the hugs! Hugs back.
Looks like his arm is in a sling. Is that just part of the costume? Anyway, it’s hard for me to feel sorry for a matador who is gored. They were asking for it!
Kirk:
I couldn’t figure out the arm position. And I have the same thoughts you do.
Lets mount swords on the bulls horns, and razors on their ankles. The bull should have a at least a 50/50 chance. Oh, then no man would do this, then maybe it is unfair to start with. You can have culture and tradition, without cruelty.
David,
I agree.
“gored through the chest and pinned against a wall”… makes me wonder if he considered becoming a dental hygienist at that point.
Wickedhamster,
But instead he kept at it for another 30+ years.
Belmonte of Seville almost has what I would think of as Mayan features.
I suppose bull fighting is all part of the macho thing. I mean- of course it is. Do you ever wonder if men feel the need to prove themselves in bloodsports and in war and glorify these things because unlike women, they cannot create life so taking life is the next best thing? Every women who gives birth, even now, and especially in days past, risks her life. Funny how that aspect of childbirth never gets glorified.
Ms. Moon
P.S. You are a most thoughtful person.
Ms. Moon,
I agree about his features. There are women bullfighters, as well. Go figure.