When I say "hero," think "mythological," even "demigod." Seven ears from four bulls in two afternoons, in Madrid, the most difficult bullring in the world. Two stunning afternoons in Madrid's Plaza Monumental de Las Ventas have raised José Tomas to bullfighting's firmament, alongside names like Juan Belmonte, Joselito or Manolete. You normally have to be dead to be included in this bullfighting echelon, and José Tomas nearly did that as well, ending his second afternoon in the infirmary, seriously gored but out of danger. It needs to be described in Spanish, for the English translation, tremendous, does not do justice to the original word - apoteósico. It is thirty-six years since a bullfighter was awarded four ears in one afternoon in Las Ventas, as Tomas achieved the other week, and on his second appearance Tomas impressed with his determination and fearlessness, being repeatedly tossed and gored. His injuries were all that prevented the ecstatic crowd from carrying him out of the ring on their shoulders - again.

Posted by : John Ross on Monday, June 16, 2008 - 09:40 AM 735 reads

One of Spain's most exuberant carnival celebrations, that of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, is about to get under way. Easter is earlier than usual this year (Carnival Tuesday falls on February 5th) and Carnaval Las Palmas needs longer than most, with its murgas (satirical choirs), comparsas and desfiles (parades), fancy dress parties and, especially, its Carnival Queen Galas, the competition to become the conventional Carnival Queen and its drag queen version. Carnival is the most pagan, irreverent of festivals, and the choice this year of Olympus and the Greek gods as the Carnival theme promises. Read more.

Posted by : John Ross on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 11:37 AM 1379 reads

As if it weren't enough that the high street of my Madrid barrio is ominously decked with so-far-unlit Christmas lights, I have received my first Xmas-related press release of the year, which tells how the Hotel Hyatt Regency La Manga is organizing a dozen parties for Christmas and New Year's Eve in different places throughout the exclusive La Manga Club resort (one of these flings costs a whopping 335 euros a head, I can have a very-nice-indeed weekend away with the wife for quite a bit less). Cost aside, I'm sure it will be a thoroughly jolly affair for party goers, but I am afraid I find the whole idea of contemplating Christmas in October so depressing that I can't muster the will to translate it and much less write it up properly - you can see the press release, in Spanish, here.

Posted by : John Ross on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 12:23 PM 890 reads

Pamplona's world-famous San Fermín fiestas and their encierros, bull runs, are just around the corner (July 6th-14th), so here is a reminder that San Fermín brings with it Spain's most entertaining annual protest. Now in its sixth year, the Running of the Nudes 2007 (July 5th, 1.00 p.m.) has become almost as traditional as the event it parodies and denounces. Last year it attracted over 1,000 protestors, "most wearing little more than a red scarf and horn," which is just dandy by me. More nudes news here.

Posted by : John Ross on Thursday, June 14, 2007 - 11:40 AM 2082 reads

This is not such a silly question as it may seem. A few years ago (2001, I think), I received a very irate e-mail from a young lady who accused me of having ruined her summer, which she had organized around the famous food fight in question. But she had turned up in Buñol, Valencia, to find that La Tomatina had been held the previous week! I had written (as the municipal website said and still says) that La Tomatina was held on the last Wednesday in August, but no, that year, it had been the fourth Wednesday in August. Fortunately, Amparo at Buñol's ayuntamiento, town council, has dispelled the doubt. "That year, it was moved forward a week, but the norm is for it to be on the last Wednesday in August." Read on.

Posted by : John Ross on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 11:05 AM 2886 reads