There are two bull fights associated with Ambato's Carnavale. We have tickets for Sunday afternoon.
We catch a taxi to Plaza del Torro (the bull fight ring). The light rain that started at the end of the parade continues. I threw a bottle of water and a cheap poncho into my rain jacket pocket before leaving Roka Plaza hotel. We agreed that I would not try to carry the infamous black cloth bag that seems to go everywhere with me in Ecuador, nor my iPhone. William has our camera tucked under his jacket and a cheap poncho in one of his pockets. On the way into Plaza del Torro William and I stop to buy an umbrella and an extra poncho.
Evelyn and Burt are in front of us as we go through security into Plaza del Toro, both carrying digital SLR camera's, Burt's with a noticeably long lens. The security guard stops us - and describes in Spanish that professional camera's are not allowed. After we try to argue for a while one of the head men arrives. He explains (in Spanish) that they cannot allow the professional camera's into the facility, smaller camera's are allowed. This is to protect the professional photographers of the event. However, he has a solution. He will keep the three camera's in the security office, then we can go to our seats. We begrudgingly follow him and leave our camera's behind having received a receipt. Luckily both Evelyn and Burt carry smaller format camera's and they are still able to photograph the event. We laugh wondering if we will be filing insurance claims for lost/stolen camera's.
Plaza del Toro is a round structure with concrete bleachers. Our seats are in the front row across from the chute where the bulls enter the ring. The rain slows down and stops right about the time of the opening ceremony. After the crowd sings the national anthem of Ecuador we are ready for the first of seven fights, which is the only one where the toreador is on horseback. There is still the opportunity to scream olé as supporting toreadors attract the bull with their capes. 25 minutes later we learn first hand that in Ecuador the bulls are killed; in some other countries the animals are injured but then removed from the ring (supposedly to go out to pasture).
We catch a taxi to Plaza del Torro (the bull fight ring). The light rain that started at the end of the parade continues. I threw a bottle of water and a cheap poncho into my rain jacket pocket before leaving Roka Plaza hotel. We agreed that I would not try to carry the infamous black cloth bag that seems to go everywhere with me in Ecuador, nor my iPhone. William has our camera tucked under his jacket and a cheap poncho in one of his pockets. On the way into Plaza del Torro William and I stop to buy an umbrella and an extra poncho.
Evelyn and Burt are in front of us as we go through security into Plaza del Toro, both carrying digital SLR camera's, Burt's with a noticeably long lens. The security guard stops us - and describes in Spanish that professional camera's are not allowed. After we try to argue for a while one of the head men arrives. He explains (in Spanish) that they cannot allow the professional camera's into the facility, smaller camera's are allowed. This is to protect the professional photographers of the event. However, he has a solution. He will keep the three camera's in the security office, then we can go to our seats. We begrudgingly follow him and leave our camera's behind having received a receipt. Luckily both Evelyn and Burt carry smaller format camera's and they are still able to photograph the event. We laugh wondering if we will be filing insurance claims for lost/stolen camera's.
Plaza del Toro is a round structure with concrete bleachers. Our seats are in the front row across from the chute where the bulls enter the ring. The rain slows down and stops right about the time of the opening ceremony. After the crowd sings the national anthem of Ecuador we are ready for the first of seven fights, which is the only one where the toreador is on horseback. There is still the opportunity to scream olé as supporting toreadors attract the bull with their capes. 25 minutes later we learn first hand that in Ecuador the bulls are killed; in some other countries the animals are injured but then removed from the ring (supposedly to go out to pasture).
There are four headline matador's who go against the bulls. Manuel Escribano of Ecuador becomes a favorite. He is extremely confident, taking what I initially think are outrageous risks such as kneeling in front of charging bulls and turning his back to the bull. He is featured in two fights. In the first one he wins, with the bull falling over then being killed. In the second fight he manages to tame the bull. The crowd repeatedly shouts "Toro, Toro" and waves their handkerchiefs. The presiding judge agrees with the crowd and spares the bull's life.
Another bull of the seven is spared his life. The bull is very strong and full of life. The headline toreador (with the supporting bull fighters) fails to fatally injured him within the allotted time. The judge declares him to be spared. The crowd laughs and enjoys the scene as it takes four bullfighters and other staff 20 minutes to convince the bull to leave the ring go back into the chute, including a failed attempt to lasso him.
Another bull of the seven is spared his life. The bull is very strong and full of life. The headline toreador (with the supporting bull fighters) fails to fatally injured him within the allotted time. The judge declares him to be spared. The crowd laughs and enjoys the scene as it takes four bullfighters and other staff 20 minutes to convince the bull to leave the ring go back into the chute, including a failed attempt to lasso him.
There is a pageantry to the bull fight. The confidence of some toreador's is remarkable. There is also a standard process which injures the bull and wears the majority of them down into a state of exhaustion, confusion and bleeding from multiple injuries. It is interesting to have seen the bullfights once and the toreadors in their outfits are quite appealing :-). However, I won't be running back to see another anytime soon.
Oh yes - the three camera's are waiting for us at the security office after the last fight. In fact, several security guards are pointing us to the office as we exited the stands. It probably helped that we were the only four gringo's in the crowd.
After the event we go to dinner at Hotel Ambato. It turns out that most of the bullfight crowd is staying at the hotel and there is a banquet tonight. Some of the toreadors come into the restaurant to chat. Manuel Escribano passes by our table and Evelyn reaches out to congratulate him and they shake hands smiling.
After the event we go to dinner at Hotel Ambato. It turns out that most of the bullfight crowd is staying at the hotel and there is a banquet tonight. Some of the toreadors come into the restaurant to chat. Manuel Escribano passes by our table and Evelyn reaches out to congratulate him and they shake hands smiling.
RSS Feed