A Toro de Fuego is not actually a real bull that is set on fire... It's a bull made of metal which has been decorated with fireworks. A very brave individual dances around with the bull on his back while the fireworks go off in a continuous chain reaction.
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| Unfortunately I don't have a better picture - my phone isn't the best for photos - but here's the second bull being carried through the streets |
No one is really sure where the tradition comes from, though some sources online claim that it was used as a ruse in 3rd century warfare. At that time, the actual animal would have been used and its horns would have been covered in pitch or resin and set on fire before being sent towards the enemy. However, other historians claim that this is not true at all, and that the Toro is actually a result of wanting to combine traditional southern bull fighting with fireworks. And there is evidence that a bull was set on fire for entertainment at Louis XIV's wedding to Marie-Thérèse of Austria.
Whatever the origins, it was a very interesting spectacle. Aimy loved it - she kept telling me how pretty it was, and that she loved the fireworks.
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| As I said the photos aren't great, but you can see the man holding the bull in this one |
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| Again here you can see the guy underneath |
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| Not sure if this will work but the video shows some of what we saw that night |
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| Sparks |
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| There was a spinning wheel on the back that lit up about halfway through the show |
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| Fireworks! |
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| The whole bull ablaze |
The next evening was the traditional fireworks at the beach. The girls were both exhausted from the late night so they stayed at home and I went with one of my good friends. Though they were not in the same category as the Celebration of Light, the 14th of July fireworks were quite good. Again, sorry for the poor quality images.
It was a fun few days, but it was just the beginning...
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