Giants and fighter bulls.

[abejaruco]

Pure Spanish "Toro bravo".



"At this point they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that are on that plain.
"Fortune," said Don Quixote to his squire, as soon as he had seen them, "is arranging matters for us better than we could have hoped. Look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or more monstrous giants rise up, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our fortunes. For this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."

"What giants?" said Sancho Panza.

"Those you see there," answered his master, "with the long arms, and some have them nearly two leagues (1) long."

"Look, your worship,'' said Sancho. "What we see there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the vanes that turned by the wind make the millstone go."

"It is easy to see," replied Don Quixote, "that you are not used to this business of adventures. Those are giants, and if you are afraid, away with you out of here and betake yourself to prayer, while I engage them in fierce and unequal combat."

So saying, he gave the spur to his steed Rocinante, heedless of the cries his squire Sancho sent after him, warning him that most certainly they were windmills and not giants he was going to attack. He, however, was so positive they were giants that he neither heard the cries of Sancho, nor perceived, near as he was, what they were.

"Fly not, cowards and vile beings," he shouted, "for a single knight attacks you."

A slight breeze at this moment sprang up, and the great vanes began to move.

"Though ye flourish more arms than the giant Briareus, (2) ye have to reckon with me!" exclaimed Don Quixote, when he saw this.

So saying, he commended himself with all his heart to his lady Dulcinea, imploring her to support him in such a peril."

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/don_quixote.html

[Kathyp]

"tilting at windmills"   :-D

i used to ride cutting horses.  don't know if you have the same there, but it's a sport made from the ranch work of rounding up cattle for branding, etc.  i always hated it when i rode out and found out that my herd was texas longhorns.  i could picture one of them getting cranky and putting those horns through my leg or my horse!

your picture reminded me of that.

[Understudy]

From Don Quixote:
The sun, too, shines into cesspools, and is not polluted.


That is a great photo.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[abejaruco]

don't know if you have the same there, but it's a sport made from the ranch work of rounding up cattle for branding, etc

I have been in "herraderos" parties, like a mini-rodeo. Wine and cuttle, dangerous combination. :-D

Horses and bulls are active in Spain, and for long time.


http://es.msnusers.com/rejoneo/shoebox.msnw

[organicgrl37]

your photos are really nice. for me I would rather see windmills then the pollution spewing factories of Cleveland, Ohio any old day.

[ZuniBee]

abejaruco

Wine and cuttle, dangerous combination.

Especially the wine from the pueblo's. I have had some that knocks you off your feet!

My wife is going to Spain on Tuesday for two weeks. Sure wish I could go with her.