Tag: Madrid

Bullfighting in Madrid

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By P Chong                                         Wed. 13 Oct. 2010

It was Whitsun holiday in 1960 when a small group of us college students found ourselves touring through France, Spain & Portugal. We were fresh & young & eagerly looking forward to any new thrill & excitement to enrich our youthful experience. When in Madrid, the capital of Spain,we were attracted & drawn to their famous bullfight.

I remember it well & clear. It was a Sunday. Having obtained the tickets for the bullfight through an agent in the hotel, we made our way to the arena by way of jammed packed Metro, with standing room only & literarily squashed to the bones. However, we were willing to bear the discomfort for we really wanted to be part of this quintessential Spanish tradition at least once during our trip. We were told this was a special Sunday fight when the older matadors would be challenging a team of younger ones.

At the Plaza del Toros, the arena looks a lot like the Colosseum in Rome, and we were both struck by the make-up of the crowd jostling to get to the arena – old and young, men and women, rich and poor – the bullfight belongs to all, and is clearly as much a social event as a sporting spectacle.

The Spanish bullfight remains one of the most controversial forms of mass entertainment in the world. It is despised and revered in almost equal measure depending on whose opinion you seek. Yet this quintessential Spanish tradition is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and several Latin American countries, in which one or more bulls are ritually killed in a bullring as a public spectacle. It is often called a blood sport by its detractors but followers of the spectacle regard it as a fine art and not a sport as there are no elements of competition in the proceedings.

Supporters of bullfighting argue that it is a culturally important tradition and a fully developed art form on par with painting, dancing and music, while animal rights advocates hold that it is a blood sport resulting in the suffering of bulls and horses.

As it is in Spain today, this traditional spectacle is being endangered by the dwindling interest or a recent ban on the sport in Catalonia. ‘Bullfighting belongs to Spain and that will always be the case. The young are more interested in football & tennis.

It was to us an electrifying experience – a riot of colours, especially red and sound that set our senses on edge. Trumpets sounded, blood poured, crowd cheered & jeered . . . every move,. Every turn, every expression of the matador and their compatriots is designed to engaged the crowd. It is a blood sport and in many respects cruel . . . but seriously compelling & thrilling!

But what do you think?

 

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World’s Ten Amazing Subway Stations

On By Paul2 Comments

London's Familiar Underground Sign

By P Chong                      22 April 2010

London Underground, known commonly as The Tube, has the distinction of being the first such railway system in the world with its first section opening in 1863. It is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire & Buckinghamshire in the UK. In 1890 it became the first to operate electric trains.


The name “Underground” in London can be quite misleading as some 55% of its system is above ground. Nonetheless, it was an awe inspiring experience for me when using it as a fresh young man coming from an under-developed country in 1959 & 1960.

In my recall, I still remember Madrid Metro, as a system situated right in the centre and has train doors opening at both sides to improve passenger flows. This was a real bonus considering its congestion particularly on bull fight days.

Hong Kong MTR (Mass Transport Railway) is perhaps the most busy of the systems I have seen. Its quick, frequent & efficient and for most times it’s packed to capacity with only standing room.

The world of rapid underground travel, named invariably as Underground, Metro, MTR or MRT, is most fascinating. Herein below is a pictorial presentation of the World’s Most Amazing Ten Subway Stations:

The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel in Shanghai, China. The 647-m long tunnel is a surrealistic fantastic public transportation system with its walls featuring hi-tech geometrical optics of various colors. (Below)

The Komsomolskaya Metro Station in Moscow, Russia. The metro station has become one of the landmarks in Moscow partly because it is located at the city’s busiest public transportation hub the Komsomolskaya Square. The station opened on Jan. 30, 1952

(as below)


The Bockenheimer Warte Subway Station in Frankfurt, Germany. The entrance to the station looks like a train sinking underground after an explosion. The designer of the station said he was inspired by surrealistic artists.

The Subway Station in Bilbao, Spain. The subway station, designed by Norman Foster, is well known for its efficiency and unique design style.

The City Hall Subway Station in New York, United States. The station is a beautiful and functional one. It has been the most attractive subway station in New York since it was put into operation in 1945


The O’Hare Subway Station in Chicago, United States.

It was built in 1984


The Subway Station in Dubai, UAE. Combining traditional and modern architecture styles, the station looks like a shell.


The Subway Station in Stockholm, Sweden. The station is highlighted by its inside cave paintings.


The Subway Station in Pyongyang, DPRK


The U-Bahn Metro in Munich, Germany. It opened in 1972