TOIROS! The bullfight season is

TOIROS!

The bullfight season is upon us, and I am itching for some hot evenings with linguiça, cerveja and toiros! The season will start with a mano-a-mano in Madera, between Joseph Correia (of California, who took his alternativa in Madera last year) and Vitor Ribeiro of Portugal. Personally, I expect Joe to outperform Ribeiro, but you never know. If any of you, dear readers, would care to come to this season opener, please let me know. We may have to take multiple cars, but if you go to only one bullfight this summer, this is a good one.

Another option for the "only one bullfight in the year" category is Pico dos Padres. There is one in particular that I am looking forward to, with Correia, Eddie Costa and Cesar Castañeda from Tijuana, a matador I particularly admire, even though I have seen him fail miserably (but that is the way it goes in bullfighting). There is a lot of nastiness directed towards Castañeda, as can be expected towards a Mexican matador from Baja California (oh the horror - not from Spain, not even from Ciudad de Mexico!) and given his former career as a television actor. However, he understands bulls, is graceful, demonstrates good form, and is willing to work a bull even in a small, remote bullring in California, constrained by loopy laws, and surrounded by drunken Portuguese farmers who do not care about matadores. Furthermore, he is bravely sharing the cartel with two popular local horsemen, so basically he is facing a crowd that will be heading out of their seats to get beer, dance, eat, and talk while he is risking his neck to give a decent performance. I have seen Castañeda on both sides of the border, and have enjoyed him on many occasions. He did, however, have a bad year, and was miserable in Pico dos Padres a couple of years ago, but hopefully that is all past. My biggest worry is that he will give up on the California audience and just walk through the paces, like the no good Gonsalves (I am drawing a blank on the man's first name).

Don't get me wrong. Cesar Castañeda is no Joselito, but his is a valid torero, and should add considerably to the Pico dos Padres cartel. Also, the little ring in the hills is probably the most enjoyable bullring in the state. You will definitely need a guide if you have not been there yet, so let me know if you are interested. My goal is to go to every one of the corridas this temporada, but I know that it will not happen, as I will probably miss Laton and Tulare and Artesia and all the other ones that are really far away.