Yay... I'm back!
So there's no way I can catch up on everything I've missed writing about, but I'm going to return to my normal posting again... now that I made this thing private!
The event that sticks out in my mind the most at the moment is the Bull Fight that I was taken to yesterday! Now, let me just make a disclaimer... I know some of my friends are vegetarians and animal lovers and to you I apologize before I even start... however I definitely wanted to go for the experience. And, it was the experience that I loved. The stadium was FULL, the energy was amazing, all the vendors of every type of food and snack were out and about... let the chaos begin! We arrived early even though it was right on time, so we got a PRIME seat, chairs under an awning and not far from one of the food and beer tents. Even though later we would be offered to move to the spot for people who had been invited guests due to me being a gringa and all! It was pretty hilarious sitting there with my Peruvian friends and being approached and told that the tourists could sit in the special place across the stadium... I politely refused and we enjoyed having a good laugh that it's SO obvious that I'm a foreigner.
After eating fried chicken, potatoes, and a type of corn (much to my pleasure as opposed to some of the other options, like pig's head... seriously?! yes.), the stadium was filling up and the fights were on. The first three started off slowly the bulls didn't really go after each other and it was pretty tame... the boys were disappointed, but they assured me that the fights would get more intense. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but about an hour or so later I learned that these fights are all in good fun until someone gets hurt. Personally I hated seeing the bulls get hurt, but I didn't freak out until one of the bulls broke through the fence and into a herd of spectators and cars! Mind you this was after two of the bulls were being lead from the ring when they broke loose and ran into the street! Yikes! Even then, I held it together and it turned out everyone was ok... we think. It was the championship fight, between Van Dam and Jackie Chan (not kidding) where things got crazy. It was a "good" fight and Van Dam was small but strong and won by a long shot. After the fight it was somewhat like after a stockcar race... all the family, trainers etc were out in the middle of the ring to accept the HUGE trophy, give a speech, take pictures, and then parade around with the prize bull for the crowd to spray beer and cheer them on... it was during these festivities, that all the sudden Van Dam got stunned or freaked out or something and turned and charged. All I remember is seeing everyone, kids etc, screaming and sprinting away from the bull... everyone in the stands standing and gasping... seeing a elderly man down on the ground... Luis screaming "someone help him!"... and me thinking "no, this can't be happening... I can't see someone get killed... no, no, no..." After turning to my friends cause I couldn't watch and turning back to the ring, I saw this man stand up, put his sombrero back on top of his head and smile and wave to the crowd while everyone who was helping him was checking him over for injuries. WHAT?!
I was SO freaked out I kept shaking and saying..."what just happened?" SO crazy and I'm SO happy that he was ok. This crazy old man acted like it was nothing!
So that's all I have time to recount tonight, but I'm sure it's enough for you to think about! :)
Sorry if I offended anyone! I'll write more soon.
Love from Arequipa!
Kate
so glad the guy was okay.
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