Airport Huelga and a Travel Day

Friday morning saw yet another early wake up as it was time to leave Spain and head back to Thun in time for our 7:30 p.m. U-19 practice.

I boarded the Madrid Metro and easily navigated the two line changes that led to Madrid's Barajas Airport. Check-in and security went smoothly as I then waited for my flight back to Barcelona.

 A Spanish Delight 

This package of paella was on sale at one of the airport's souvenir stands. I resisted buying it.

I wonder whatever happened to the packaged paella that Laurie and her dad used to pass back and forth?

The flight was smooth and we landed at Barcelona's El Prat de Llobregat Airport in plenty of time to collect my luggage and transfer to my flight back to Bern.

It turns out that the Barcelona Airport has two terminals. The flight from Madrid landed at Terminal 1 but my flight to Bern flew out of Terminal 2.

Not a big problem as the airport runs an efficient and free shuttle bus service between the two terminals. As it turns out, the distance between these these two terminals would make a nice one day stage on the Camino de Santiago, thank goodness for the shuttle in this heat.

Now Terminal 1 was clean, neat and peaceful . . .

First clue that Terminal 2 would be different

As I entered Terminal 2, I found this

HUELGA!!! 

It seems that the cleaning workers of Terminal 2 only were holding a one day work stoppage/demonstration. They had shredded 1000s of newspapers and littered them all over the Terminal. Some were taking trash out of the trash bins and spreading those on the floor as well.

This is Barcelona afterall, a hotbed of leftist activity for at least the last century.

Huelga Leaders 

Pots and pans make lots of noise as do . . .

Whistles . . . 

and Horns

Or just bring yourself in support

As for me, I sat down to observe their tactics as I opened my backpack to get out a snack as my check-in counter would not open for another hour.

After taking it all in, I decided to fall in line with these down trodden workers. In full support of the Huelga, I took the wrappers from my Migros meat stick and nutrition bar and cavalierly tossed both of them on the ground! I risked having the Guardia Civil arrest me for littering but I did not care . . .

WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!!! 

The Huelga in Action!

Papers Everywhere 

Even this horse supported the Huelga 

The noise was deafening,

but the airport still operated smoothly 

Once through the security gates is was quiet and clean again but I did need an aspirin for my new, noise induced, headache.

Sky Works Air got me back to Bern's small, peaceful airport in no time, no work stoppages there.

I had plenty of time to catch the train and bus rides back to Helvetica in time for the U-19 practice.

New flowers on the wooden bridge

You leave for a few days and Urban Renewal projects go wild!

U-19 QB Nico Leibundgut ready to throw

Great protection, from left to right, is being provided by Left Tackle Lorenz Bütkofer, Left Guard Sascha Müller and Center Daniel Joost. We had a good workout as the 5-0 Tiger U-19 team prepared for Sunday's game with the 0-6 Neuchatel Knights.

The Senior team had a BYE this Sunday thus providing me the weeks travel opportunities.

After practice, we adjourned to the Morris restaurant for a late meal and more than a few libations. We had a great time and suddenly realized it was 12:30 a.m. We were still going strong but I was reminded that I was being picked up at 6:30 a.m. by Rudy Bohren for a new adventure, the Oberaargauische Schwingfeste! 

Rudy would be one of 184 participants in this all day event that would be my first exposure to the unique sport of Swiss wrestling officially called Schwingen.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES . . .

La Fiesta Brava

WARNING: The pictures on this post may not be for the squeemish.

So Thursday night I went to the Corrida de Toros, a.k.a., a bullfight. As a young boy I had gone to several bullfights in both bull rings in Tijuana, Mexico because my father and grandfather both loved La Fiesta Brava.

I fully realize that this post can be a center of controversy with animal rights readers and I respect your right to your opinion.

I just have a different opinion is all. There is something about the Dylan Thomasesque fight to the end, and yes, I'm aware that the picadors and banderilleros make for a blood sport. Still, it is a 560+ kg/1,250 lbs. mature, bred to be aggressive fighting machine against an 80 kg/175 lbs. human being.   

La Fiesta Brava 

 It was an easy Metro ride to Las Ventas

Plaza de Toros de Madrid

Las Ventas

First Bull at 7:00 p.m.

Matadors do die in the arena

Tonight's Lineup in the Feria de San Isidro

This Feria is Madrid's biggest lasting two weeks to kickoff the 2012 bullfighting season.

Our headliner tonight was Sebastián Castella, born in Beziers, France 29 years ago. He was confirmed as a full fledged matador in 2004.

Our second rated matador was Daniel Luque a 23 year old Spaniard from Sevilla who was confirmed in 2008.

Finally, we had a 27 year old Mexican bullfighter who was being confirmed tonight. His name is Diego Silvetti.

Each man would fight two bulls tonight.

Old guys waiting for the gates to open 

Everyone was jockeying for a spot in the shade as it was still quite hot in the Sun.

Gates were opened at 6:00 p.m.

and I headed straight to the bar for . . .

A vino tinto

Smoking is not only allowed,

it's encouraged!

Bullfights and cigars go hand-in-hand it appeared as this tobacco shop inside the arena would attest.

Rent-a-Cushion

One is well worth the 2 Euros as opposed to sitting on that ancient, hard concrete.

A member of the arena's Hall of Fame 

My seat cushion was pretty

darn close to the action

My view of the arena when it first opened

Perfect circle

This man entered the arena about 40 minutes before the action started equipped solely with a standard chalk lining machine. With absolutely no other device he proceeded to lay a huge, perfect circle marking where the matadors should try to draw the bull into action.

It was absolutely a perfect circle!

Just to prove that it was not a fluke . . .

He did it again! Not only was it perfect again, it was perfectly concentric with the first circle.

This second line marks the outer area that the picadors must stay in while doing their necessary work.

Capes ready 

Chicas in the Sunny Side 

It was almost time to start but first we needed some pageantry.

I'm not sure of his function but I like

a good plume as well as the next guy 

"Hola Chicas!"

Picadors on parade

No one in the arena really likes these men nor the very necessary job that they perform.

At the end of the fight these will

haul the carcass to the butcher

Warming Up vs. Air

Our about to be confirmed Mexican matador

The evenings first bull 

The Mexican matador, Diego Silvetti, would take him on with a lot of flair and courage.

A fan of Silvetti's, standing in the white
shirt, was trying to lead cheers 

So let us go through a bullfight, in order, to explain the action.

First up is the beautiful cape work. The main purpose here is to observe the bull's particular quirks and, most importantly, how it uses its horns 

Feet be still

Hard charging but wide of the matador 

Follow the cape not the matador

That is a BIG bull 

Very close!!!

Part two of the fight is when the two picadors come out to do their necessary dirty work. They and their horses are heavily armored and padded. So heavily weighed down, if the picador gets knocked off his horse, he will be in real danger.

The picador uses his lance to puncture the bull's neck muscles causing it to have trouble lifting his head and thus making the kill easier for the matador. Of course, the blood loss will tire the bull as well.

The bull can only be lanced twice during this phase.

This picador drew the crowd's ire because

his lance was too far to the rear of the bull

Ride 'em cowboy!

Blood Sport it is

Phase 3 is the banderilleros with their barbed banderillas. A total of three pairs of these sticks are allowed with the goal again being to weaken the neck muscles and cause a bit more bleeding.

It is all about attitude

Careful 

Be agile 

Works for me 

Watch it! 

Ready for the final phases of the Corrida

Bull #2 of the day was of interest

It was judged quickly that he was not aggressive enough for the judges' tastes. So something that I had never seen before happened.

Call in the steers!?!?

They led this bull out of the arena alive and brought in one of the two spare bulls that were on hand.

The packed house was

happy with this decision 

Phase four is done with the use of the muleta. The goal now is to really tire the bull as we near the kill.

 Daniel Luque in the pink "Suit of Lights"

Nice work 

Passing by closely

Sabastián Castella in blue

OLE! 

Dangerous semi-blind, behind the back pass 

Diego Silvetti takes center stage

Walking with an attitude

A close pass

Leading the bull

 OLE!!!

Good footwork 

Toro taking aim

Don't get stepped on

Silvetti bravely turning his back to the bull 

That horn is AWFULLY close!

Silvetti has the bull under control

REALLY under control!!!

The final act is of course the kill, but before we go there, BREAKING NEWS:

Yet another bull was

spared for lack of aggression.

Wow, two in one day. Very strange doings indeed!

Diego Silvetti lining up the bull

He wants the bull's front hooves to be close together thus widening his shoulder blades to make it easier for the sword to penetrate through the heart and/or lungs.

Daniel Luque's turn

And finally, Sebastián Castella 

I thought that the newest matador, Diego Silvetti, showed the most flair and courage but he had troubles with his kills.

Sebastián Castella showed the most polish, especially on his second bull.

Daniel Luque was average at best today.

No awards were earned by any of the matadors today on any of the six bulls. 

Tribute to Dr. Alexander Fleming 

His invention of penicillan has saved the lives of several indebted matadors over the years.

As I left Las Ventas, I noticed a time/temperature sign on the street. It was 9:30 p.m. and still a very toasty 28ºC/82ºF outside. After the easy Metro ride back to Puerta del Sol, I was still thirsty so I headed for one of my favorite watering holes in Madrid located on Plaza Mayor . . .

The Torre del Oro Bar Andalú

The caña was cold and I've always liked their decor for some reason.

A final note, if you are looking for bull fight reults in a Madrid newspaper, they are not in the sports section. You will find the results in the Culture section of the local daily.

Sorry to some of my friends and blog readers, but, personally,  I had an enjoyable evening at Las Ventas.