A LOAD OF BULL

Hola,

A busy week with very mixed weather which is changing for the better today.
Dogs are strictly forbidden on the beach at Conil:

 

but goats, of course, are welcome.
The bull run at Vejer was immensely popular, particularly with the young men of the town displaying their machismo. It is a very local, boozy celebration, thousand attend but is certainly not to everyone's taste.

There are brightly coloured bands parading before the bull is released.

It is very much like the Pamplona run but without the international element. Lunch can then be taken in a very pretty village square:

before the afternoon bull is released about 4pm.

It is in truth a rather unedifying spectacle, undoubtedly dangerous (we saw a couple of lads charged and flicked upside down) but lacking the tradition, colour, drama and showmanship of a professional bullfight. It is essentially tormenting dumb animals until they are exhausted and an opportunity for equally dumb young men to show off. The 2 bulls are killed during the week and eaten at a local town festival the next weekend.
Whilst I could not condone the practice, with youth unemployment in Spain running at over 55%, it may be a way for the government to reduce the numbers!
Next week a report on Cadiz and Conil withg a few sunny pictures.
Adios
J&P