A Confused Nation Of Food Lovers .

I grew up on a farm in Ballymacoda , Co Cork where animals were always treated with respect and now as a trainee chef  it seems to have come full circle . Rare it in comfort , in natural surroundings , kill it humanly and celebrate the animals life by giving it justice on a plate .
It seems hard to believe that in this so called civilised age a most vicious & cruel spectacle of blood continues to flourish in Spain & certain other countries . Bullfighting is barbaric & should have been banned long ago . Its difficult to understand how crowds of people will pay & take pleasure in watching one lone creature , who has never done them any harm , getting hacked to death . How can anyone with an once of compassion , cheer & chant ole as a banderilla or lance is thrust into the animals pain racked body ? 

Behind The Scenes  :

The bull is normally not an aggressive animal & the reason he's angry & attempts to charge at the matador whilst in the bullring is mainly because he has been horrendously abused for the previous two days . In fact what spectators see is not a normal healthy bull , but a weakened half blinded & mentally destroyed version of itself . The bull has wet news papers stuffed in his ears , vaseline is rubbed into his eyes to blur his vision , cotton is stuffed up his nostrils to cut off his respiration & a needle is stuck into his genitals . Also a strong caustic solution is rubbed onto his legs which throws him off balance . This also keeps him from lying down on the ground . In addition to this strong laxatives are used to further incapacitate him . He is kept in a dark box for a couple of days before he faces the ring , the purpose of this is to disorient him . When he is let out of the box he runs desperately towards the light at the end of the tunnel . He thinks that at last his suffering is over & he is being set free , instead he runs into the bullring to face his killers & a jeering mob . 

The sequence of events begins when the bull faces the picadors , these are men on horse back , who's purpose is to exhaust the bull . They cut into his neck muscles with a pica . This a weapon of about 6 to 8 inches long & 2 inches thick . Once it is thrust into the bull it is twisted around & a large gaping wound appears.The bull then starts bleeding to death . 

After the picador has finished his sordid business , the assistant matadors then get to work with the banderillas ( sharp , harpoon like barbed instruments ) . These are plunged into the bulls body & he may also be taunted by capes . Up to six banderillas may be used . When the banderillas strike , the bull stops in his tracks & bellows madly   .

The kill should last 6 minutes & is done by the main matador . If he has any difficulties , the others immediately rush in to his aid & finish off the bull . The matador is supposed to sever the artery near the heart with one thrust of his sword , in fact this rarely happens . It oftens takes 2 to 3 minutes before the animal is released by death . By this time the bulls lungs will be punctured & he always vomits blood . Miraculously , he sometimes attempts to rise again only to be further mutilated . He finally gives up , goes to his knees & lies down . Even then he is allowed little dignity , his ears & tail are cut off & his broken , bleeding body is dragged around the ring by mules as the crowds jeer .

The bull isn't the only animal to suffer in the ring , hundreds of horses die agonising deaths as they are gored by the pain crazed bull . Horses have their ears stuffed with wet news paper so they don't get spooked & their vocal cords are cut to keep them silent in case they get hurt so as not to upset the spectators . Theses horses are generally working horses that have come to the end of their careers . Their reward for serving mankind faithfully is to end their days in the bullring . 

To say its part of their culture is a weak defence , this argument is also used to defend female circumcision . Once upon a time certain cultures believed in decapitating people in order to please their Gods , but that doesn't happen anymore . To say its part of their culture doesn't make it any more right . 

It makes me sad to think that a nation of food lovers could endorse such activities . I for one won't be holidaying in Spain anytime soon .