I’ve never been a huge fan of one of the island’s main entertainments; nearly every village hosts several street bullfights each year. According to my friend from Taxi Amigo Hildeberto, they’ve been hosting street bullfights on Terceira since 1622. That’s nearly 500 years of tradition, so who am I to not embrace a time-honored tradition? As usual, we had a wonderful time, there is some suspense and action, punctuated by some lulls to grab a beer and bifanas, catch up on neighborhood or international politics, and enjoy the scenery. This bullfight is along the street bordering the ocean, outside the community center and a grand old church.
Street “bullfights” are kind of a misnomer, the bulls are not “fought” but rather taunted by brave souls who demonstrate their agility by running and jumping out of the bull’s way. Spectators line the streets and are kept safe by sitting on high walls or behind them. Each bull, before it is let out of the wooden crate they are delivered in, has a rope placed around it’s neck and six guys hang on to the rope to keep the bull in check and to “guide” him along so everyone along the street gets to see the show. Then the bulls are led back into their crates, the bulls return to their mountain home to graze and do what bulls do, while everyone walks home and discusses which bulls had more temper, which person did the best job of evading upset bulls (or didn’t, but usually no ambulances are called) and what everyone was wearing, how fast the kids are growing, and the latest futebol scores.
I try to embrace everything when I move around. I volksmarched in Germany, sat around the fire and ate almonds in Tunisa, sunned on beaches in Spain, danced in “A”-town” outside Kunsan, and made booze runs to “wet” counties to stock party barges in Arkansas. Some things are naturally enjoyable, some things are an acquired taste, some things are just necessary to make the warden happy. I may never “sign up” for something, but I always find some friends, some comfort, and some new joys when I try to broaden my horizons. Variety is the spice of life:)