Bullfighting has been banned in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia, but travel south and you find that the tradition and support for bullfighting grows. Seville is no exception. And those involved in bullfighting, an event that finds its origins in the 18th century, recognize the battle they face. Nonetheless, they remain confident that the tradition will continue to thrive in the country’s thousands of bullrings. "In Andalusia, no. Short term, medium term and long term, no,” says bullfighting journalist Álvaro R. del Moral regarding the possible prohibition of bullfights in Southern Spain. “Here things are very clear.” If Del Moral’s prediction is to prove accurate, interest … [Read more...] about Bullfighting: Fighting for its future
seville
Bullfighting in the political ring
Rich in tradition and explicit in diversity, Spain is a country constantly suffering an identity crisis. Liberalism and democracy were born along with nationalism and separatism after Francisco Franco’s death in 1975. While Spain’s official language is Spanish, a handful of regional languages are spoken across the country. In the northeastern region of Catalonia, people speak Catalan. Citizens from the southern region of Andalusia speak Spanish. A citizen from Seville might not be able to read Avui (a Barcelona-based newspaper printed in Catalan), but when the Catalan government passed a law last summer to close the only remaining bullring in Barcelona in 2012, the bullfighting … [Read more...] about Bullfighting in the political ring
Córdoba
Andalusia has a handful of candidates for this list, not least Granada and Seville. But the former capital of the Islamic caliphate comes out on top for several reasons. The Mezquita is the obvious one: a massive, labyrinthine mosque that is beautiful despite having a Catholic cathedral dumped on top of it. In addition, central Córdoba has maintained its appeal despite the brutal urban development raging around it, and what’s better than a wander around the Jewish quarter after a plate of rabo de toro? … [Read more...] about Córdoba