One of our Student Ambassadors - Kayla, shares her experiences partaking in the carnaval atmosphere and watching the bull runs for the first time at Ciudad Rodrigo.
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I recently had the opportunity to experience the Carnival del Toro in Ciudad Rodrigo! It was by far one of the most interesting things I have ever seen or been involved in. Immediately, I fell in love with the streets and the little bars and cafes that lined them. They were built with barred entrances just big enough for a person to slide through and too small for the bulls that would later be charging down the path at tons of crazy daredevils. My friends and I had a front row seat to the bull run. Hanging on to the gates that closed in the streets of the run, we were right in the action. Mid run we had to leap off of the gate and into the crowd because a confused and angry toro decided to ram the gate right where we were hanging. It was a rushh!
Later in the evening they then preform the traditional bull fight or bull killing. As they take each of the four bulls involved into the arena and fight them off with knives and swards, the crowd cheers for each blow to the bull. In the end each bull dies and is used for food for the city. I have mixed feelings about the fight but it is part of their culture and tradition. This was an experience I will never forget!
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