2 Day 4 (8th July) - Pamplona Bull Fight

It's the 4th day! Time to see ngau ngau fight!

But, it was not nice to watch the show. It was too violent. Day 4 was mainly leisure on our own and we had to meet in the evening for bull fight show.

Since there were no programs in the morning, Mum and I woke up when the sun ray hit our butt. The first thing in our mind after woke up was "SHIT, WE DON'T KNOW SPANISH! HOW TO SURVIVE?!!". Kekeke.... We called our tour mates ( mother and daughter from Houston) and shouted, "SOS, we need translators! ".

The kind ladies agreed to help and we decided to roam around the city hall before we had our brunch. We did some shopping. I got a lot of discounts in the market because most of the shoppers are Chinese. Kekeke... Although they gave me discount like 3 euros, it will be around RM15 if we convert to Malaysia currency. Keke!

keke... nY bought this for myself... 20 euros. Mummy nagged me whole day!!!

The most interesting part in this trip was to order food! It was because all the menus were written in Spanish even that place is a tourist spot. Sometimes, the ladies from Houston also couldn't understand the menus. Spanish also very bad one.. They do not want to communicate with the tourists in English. Perhaps, they are very proud with their own language?

It was very difficult to get a seat during the lunch time. All the places were occupied by the home-sapiens in red and white. The waiters and captains in the restaurants also quite rude. They would look at you with TL face and very 'ng-gam-yuen' when they cleaned the tables.

Hungry faces... Cute mummy and Diane were waiting for the seat

Well, these were our brunch on day 4:

Pork Chop with coleslaw, fried cheesy potatoes, french fries and pepper (17 Euros = RM85!!!)

Duck chop with coleslaw, fried chessy potatoes, pepper and french fries ( 17 Euros )

Desserts time ~

2 euros each

Bull fight (Corridas de toros)

The second part of the day... Bull fight (630pm local time) at plaza de toros. Mummy insisted to stay in the hotel room no matter how hard nY pursuaded her. She knew the 'process' and she didn't want to see it.

Bull ring (plaza de toros)

In traditional corrida, there are three matadors (toréadors), each fights two out of a total of six ngau ngaus ( which run at the bull run in the morning), each of which is at least four years old and weighs up to about 600 kg.

Each matador has six assistants — two picadores("lancers") mounted on horseback, three banderilleros ("flagmen"), and a mozo de espada ("sword servant"). They comprise a cuadrilla (team of bullfighters).

In the first stage, the tercio de varas, the behavior of the ngau ngau is observed by the matador, when the ngau ngau is released from the corral. Innocent ngau ngau normally will run around the ring and charges the matadors with red cape.

Next, two picadores enter the arena, each armed with a lance or varas. The picadores are mounted on large heavily padded and blindfolded ma jai(horses). The ngau ngau is triggered to attack the horse which is protected by its padding. ( IT IS SO UNFAIR!!! Ngau is not protected) The way the bull charges the horse provides further clues to the matador on which side the bull is favoring. The picador stabs a mound of muscle on the bull's neck leading to the animal's first loss of blood. This loss of blood further weakens the bull and makes him ready for the next stage. (I HATE THIS!!! bloody scene)

See! Picador yang jahat

In the third stage, the tercio de banderillas, the three banderilleros ( keh-leh-fer) each attempt to plant two colored flags (banderillas, decorated with color paper to represent the colors of the place where the bull is breeded) on the bull's flanks. This KNS action weakens and spurs the bull into making more ferocious charges.

Can you see the banderillas? :( Ngau ngau was bleeding...

In the final stage, the tercio de muerte ("death third"), the matador re-enters the ring alone with a small red cape aka muleta in one hand and a sword in the other. The Faena ("work") is the entire performance with the muleta.

The faena ends with a final series of passes in which the matador with a muleta attempts to manoeuvre the bull into a position to stab it between the shoulder blades and through the aorta or heart. The entire part of the bullfight with the muleta is called el tercio de muerte ("third of death").

Matador was going to kill the ngau ngau! X(

The bull's body is dragged out by a set of galloping mules.If the presidente is impressed by the performance of the bull, he orders a tour around the ring to honour (HONOUR??? :( seems like punishment to me) the animal.

WTF!!! Ngau ngau was dying and yet they dragged the ngau ngau around the bull ring ... WTF!!!

nY cried when the matador killed the first ngau ngau. Once the ngau ngau was dragged out of the ring, tears rolled down my cheek. The cold-blooded Spanish cheered joyfully and started to enjoy their food ( beef sandwich) and drank Sangria. I could not swallow the sandwich at all. DISGUSTING! Some of my US tour mates left the show and headed back to the hotel. I stayed but was 'immuned' watching the slaughter of the next few ngau ngaus. Heart was so painful when I saw the ngau ngau struggled for life... I hate the matadors!!! Sin sin!!! WTF WTF!!!

All the no-mercy-killers were staying in the same hotel as me! Hmmm.... Don't know should say lucky or unlucky...


Video of bull fight on July 8

I'll return for the Pamplona ngau ngau run but NOT FOR THE NGAU NGAU FIGHT!!!

IT IS SO UNFAIR!!! 6 ( matador and gang) versus 1 ngau jai ! The ngau jai sure die one la... not fight! Should say bully ...

Hmmm ... blog until very geram already! nY should have a cold shower now...

Stay tune for the ngau ngau run! nY 's favourite part of the whole trip!

~end of day 4~