July 1, 2004
Toiros!
Friday, July 2nd is a 7 bull corrida in Thornton, one of the little delta towns. It is an all local cartel, with Joe Correia, Eddie Costa, Sario Cabral and his brother, whose name escapes me. The forcados will be from Artesia. Other than the proximity to the train tracks, the Thornton bullring is fantastic. The bullfight starts at 8pm. If you are in Northern California, I recommend making the trip. I will be leaving Oakland with a group at 5pm. I hope we get there in time for the first bull, as traffic was a nightmare tonight already. We will be meeting a fellow St. Blogger, so look for us around the food and beer area before or during intermission. I am six feet, have a red beard, a really beat up leather bomber jacket, and will probably be in some tropical shirt. Or you can ask the trumpet player (I think David Costa is going to be playing for the Presidencia - he knows me). Or, if you want to go, email me and I will tell you exactly what I will wear and where I will try to sit.
Posted by erik at July 1, 2004 11:17 PM | TrackBackMarc,
Thornton is near Walnut Grove in the Delta. From Oakland we will take E80 to 4 (I think, it is the one that runs the commuter corridor through all those CoCoCo towns along the straits) over the Antioch bridge. Then at Rio Vista we take the road to I-5, then get off at the Thornton exit (Walnut Grove Rd. I think) and go east. You run right into the Portuguese Hall, Our Lady of Fatima Church, and the Sao Joao bullring. Traffic will be ugly tonight, though.
A lot of toddlers go to the bullfights. They are bloodless (use velcro), but quite colorful and a lot of fun. We took Amalia a few weeks ago. She is 2 1/2, and had a great time. She keeps wanting to play bullfight, when she isn't busy stabbing my apricots with little plastic bulls. I think that the forcados (bull wrestlers) should really appeal to a five year old. The two Cabral boys are quite young, so a five year old should find that pretty cool, too.
Admission is $20 for adults (over 12, I think). Free for the little ones. Linguica and pregos (pork sandwiches) usually run $3, and beer and wine runs at $2. Some of the festas serve polvo (octopus stew) for $8 or peixa (fish, fried or grilled) for $8-$10.
I will probably be wearing a short sleeved blue pseudo-batik shirt and a horridly stained (goose fat incident carrying a plate of duck confit to a party)leather jacket. I will be with a few people. Before the billfight (God willing) and at intermission, I will be out in the food/beer area.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at July 2, 2004 9:53 AMEric,
What is the best way to get to Thornton?
What are the prices to get in?
Do you think my 5 yr. old can handle it?
Sounds like fun, I'm considering the drive if I can get out of town without being stuffed in traffic.
Marc
I'll see you there, hombre!
Posted by: Jeff Culbreath at July 1, 2004 11:37 PM