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Published: February 14th 2009
400 year old Spanish Mission
At sunset on the drive home from the bullfight(double click on pictures to enlarge)
Our visit to the Rio Grande Valley has been rich in the Mexican and Spanish heritage of the people. Our trip to Mexico gave us a better understanding of the Border Patrol. That is because Tom was detained for 1-1/2 hours! He had a nuclear stress test 4 days before and apparently was still HOT! I could have told the Feds that. Yes, he set off the nuclear radiation monitors. So after the isotope was identified and reported to Wash DC (no exaggeration) he was given clearance to re-enter the U.S. Do we think the illegals and terrorists are crossing at border patrol? Since Tom only went to Mexico to humor me, I have some patching-up to do.
We topped off our stay by going to a Texas Bullfight. Texas law only allows "Bloodless bullfights." A fighting bull only fights one fight. He has never seen a human on foot before entering the ring. The bulls cannot be killed in Texas. Instead, paper flowers are taped to the back of the bulls and the matador must remove the flower. The event includes a prayer to Saint Victoria. After a mesmerizing hypnotizing of the
Randy,Mary,Tom & Karen
At the bullfight in 40 mile/hr winds bull with a red or pink "flag" that has a sword buried in it, the matador asks the judge for permission to "finish the bull." If the bull has fought bravely the people ask for it to be spared. Ceremonial ears and tails are bestowed on the matador based on his execution of the bullfight. One bull was "spared" and allowed to retire as a "seed bull." One matador-in-training was almost gored by a bull. Quite a frightening exhibition. We are a long way from home. Ole'!
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