Friday, June 22, 2012

A New Beginning for the Bullfighting Stadium?

No bull here: Playing in the stadium's sand. 


Today, Bogotá's Institute of Sports and Recreation (the IDRD) put on a cultural/artistic festival in the Plaza de Toros, which, if Mayor Petro has his way, will host no more toros. Certainly, the mimes, dancing, art and sandboxes provided a very different atmosphere from the mauling and killing of animals.

Still, bullfighting and other activities aren't mutually exclusive. In normal years, the bullfighting season lasts only a month and a half, and it's a real pity that the handsome plaza sits empty for most of the rest of the year.

Mimes play tug-of-war.

An Afro-Colombian dance troupe did its thing. 



No protesters today. A bored line of riot police outside. 



Photographing a mime. 







The sign denounces mistreatment of animals. 



Writing notes on a wishing tree. Many of the messages called for an end to bullfighting. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

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