Doma Vaquera

 My husband really would like to see a bull fight but that isn't allowed.  For one thing, they are held on Sundays.  For another, they are violent and the spectators tend to indulge in alcoholic refreshments.  Generally not considered missionary appropriate.  However... in the last few years, bull fighting has fallen in popularity even here in Spain.  The Spaniards have found other uses for the bull rings.  Fuengirola sent an email on an event to be held in the Plaza de Toros, so Saturday we went to the bull ring. We weren't sure what it would be as the words in the name weren't in the dictionary at least in this usage.  Turns out it was a horsemanship show/demonstration.  I LOVED it.  Lots of the skills that were displayed we had seen at the Royal riding school in Jerez, but here we were closer and photos were allowed!!!  I may have had to cull photos for an hour to get the number down to just a hundred or so.  Here are some of the best.  Certain of you will be subjected to the short videos I took, but since I don't know how to put them on this blog, the majority of you will be spared.

Behold the inside of a bull ring!
I rather thought it was a competition to start, but it was simply a demonstration.  The shrubs formed the limits of the show ground.  It was elegant and lovely.  The signals to the horse are almost never seen by the audience.  It seems as though the horse just decides to do them on his own.  There was music along with each performance and a running commentary from the stand.  I couldn't understand  much.  The specialized vocabulary is my excuse.

The horse moves at a controlled trot most of the time, changing leads, crossing feet, moving in diagonal lines, sometimes in tight circles and sometimes marching in place.

It was beautiful.  The second rider did similar moves but using this long pole as part of the performance.

Sometimes the rider carried the pole, sometimes he dragged it on the ground.

Here he laid it on his shoulder and the horse trotted in a circle without dislodging the pole.

Here the horse moves in a tight circle with the end of the pole stationary.

Here the horse jumps moving his head under the pole to change directions in the circle.

See his forefeet off the ground?  I was so impressed!



This lady oozed elegance!!!

Notice, only one foot is touching the ground at this moment.

The feet just seem to float between steps.

I kept wishing to see the horse just get to run a little.  The next horse did just that.  There were only short bursts of gallop followed by stopping short, but there was no hauling on the reins like we do in western riding.  The horse just seemed to sit on his haunches and stop.  The power in the hind quarters of this breed of horse is what makes them able to perform like this.  That power also made them valued as war horses and there was a time when the 'pure Spanish breed' almost died out.

See how he is crossing his front legs?  It looks so cool.

After his performance he was joined by his son, I believe they said he is 6 years old.



He was able to do demonstrate many of the same skills.  Notice the stirrup.  About half of the riders used this type of stirrup.

Each rider seemed to have a particular trick they did best.  This horse would turn in a circle with his hind legs in one place and the front stepping around.  Then he did just the opposite, keeping the front in place and moving the back legs in a full circle.

I think this was the prettiest looking horse partly because of his style and smoothness of movement and partly because his coat looked like burnished silver.

He was so focused!

He was also very good at the sudden stop and he loved marching in time to the music. 

Can you tell that somebody never really out grew her adolescent horse loving stage?

I loved the color of this horse too. 

Very good at moving backwards and quick stops.

Somehow this horse looks like a Barbie horse to me.  All the amazing skills of the other horses but just the reins and quirt to signal changes.  This was an excitable, nervous seeming horse.

Just what we were waiting for! 

 I know I should let you go, but Look at Her!  Side Saddle!!!

A perfect 'Spanish Step'!

The Finale

Wonderful!

As we left we got a closer look at the performers.

The black is a Tall horse!



 

 

Thank you for your patience.  Love you all!

Blessed

Forgive me for neglecting you who read our blog.   When I get busy on a Sunday, I just don't get back to the blog like I should.  I think it is mind set more than anything.  Anyway here is the 'catch up'.  We have a member in Malaga that wants to learn to play the piano.  I have started teaching her which is kind of challenging because I am not only teaching in Spanish, I am using a whole set of new vocabulary.  Luckily, we got her a basic piano book and it has all the names I need.  Whew!  She invited us to visit her at her work so we  had dinner at Mata Hambre where she is a waitress.  It was yummy!



Our salad!

Cheese fritters with molasses (miel de Frigilliana)

A man was selling biznagas and she bought us one.  The flowers were drying up a day later (not unreasonable as they can't get any water) but even dry it smells lovely.

We took a missionary with us to get her teeth checked and got our teeth cleaned.  Rod fell in love with this Maserati.  It was in a very rich neighborhood if you couldn't guess.

We met this living statue during a trip down town. 

Our friends from the Fuengirola branch are back and their son missed 'his Castillos' so we went for a visit.  A few days later Sister Toolson called and told us that he had asked to talk to the Castillo's mom to see if we could come play again.  Love them!

Getting ready for her mission! I'm holding sister.

We had our last Zone Conference in Malaga. This is especially significant because departing missionaries are asked to bear their testimony before they leave.  We got asked to bear ours.  There were water works, just in case you had any doubts. This saying good bye is hard!!!!!

We also helped by transporting the 60 pizzas we ate for lunch. 

This sister missionary came back a week after going home so she could travel with her family.  We met up at their hotel for a hug or two and to meet her family. 

 Then this last week we traveled to Cartagena.  We had to have our last softball game and wanted to see this northern city.

This is the town hall.  There is a museum with their roman amphitheater just behind us but it was closed.

These lovely clouds turned to rain later in the night.

This group was performing during our supper.

 

It is a walled city.  The wall was started in 17 something

Another view of the wall with the invisible man standing there to the left.  Another street performer.

This is the 'sport port'

There were sculptures everywhere.....  Thinking about home?

I thought this play area in a shopping mall was inspired.

This building now holds a museum but there is still a university here.

I kept wondering whose this boat was.... couldn't read the name.

Okay, his photo looks better than mine...

A quote from Cervantes about Cartagena.

 



We had our softball game in spite of rain.  It was lots of fun!

The white leg contest!

Hot dogs and potato salad.  Hey!  They like it!

We had dinner at a restaurant on the wharf that evening.  Then decided to go into town for an ice cream.  That was when it started to pour!!! we got soaked but had lots of fun.

 

The next day was zone conference for the three zones in this northern area.

This brother always makes paella for 80 nor so missionaries.  pretty impressive and delicious too 

This is about 1/3 of the mission.  They are even more impressive in person.

Then there were farewell photos!

This Elder's family didn't want him to leave for his mission and cut up his passport trying to prevent it.  We have kind of adopted him.  What's one more?

We had a wonderful couple of weeks and pray that yours have been likewise.  We have thoroughly enjoyed conference.  What a blessing to hear from our inspired leaders.  Was ever a people so blessed as we?