I lived in Spain for three years, from 1981 to 1984. My son was born there. It’s a lovely country, and there is plenty to see without ever going to a bullfight. A town where we lived, Chipiona, holds a festival every year called “La Virgen de la Regla.” It’s an interesting festival, based on a farmer’s finding a doll representing the Virgin Mary in a field. He paraded the doll around town and a serious drought ended. The doll lives in the Chipiona church except for festival time. Another town nearby is where sherry was created. Sherry is an English mispronunciation of the town’s name, Jerez. In Toledo, Spain, master swordsmiths have been making some of the finest swords in the world for centuries, longer (I think) than the Japanese swordsmiths.
There is a lot more to Spanish culture than bullfighting.
Excellent post. I as you love Spain. I am a gringo that speaks Spanish from bingeing raised on the the Mexican border and my Mexican wife.
When we travel in Spain we with rare exception do no go to the tourists areas with the exception of Madrid and their museums which are most magnificent.
We stay where the Spanish tourists stay and it is great. Wife and I speak Spanish to them and just become a Spanish speaking tourist. They do ask where I learned to speak Spanish and I explain from living in Venezuela and growing up on the border with Mexico and my wonderful Mexican wife.
I love my visits to Spain as a non standard tourist. I love going to the small villages and towns and eating in the cafes and street side vendors where no person speaks English. I must admit my very white gringo face speaking good Spanish at first surprising them. My wife’s brown Mexican face surprises them not in the least.
I like Spain a lot.
Agreed!
Spain is a lovely country with much more to see than bullfights.