When it comes to Bull fights, the Spanish are divided into two groups. The ones who love them and the ones who hate them. You don't find much in between. The bull itself is very important as an icon to Spain.

You see bull fights as much on TV in Spain as you see soccer in Germany or rugby in New Zealand. To the Spanish, bull fighting is an art. They see the artistic way of the matador, who dances around the bull in the arena almost like in a ballet. Us, we see a group of sadists tiring out and torturing a bull in an uneven fight till the cowardly matador comes in last, when the bull is already half dead. We simply cannot relate to this culture.

I believe the main problem is that bull fighting is such an old tradition. Spanish people are very traditional in every sense of the word and don't change easily. Bull fights are so much part of their lives that even the ones who hate them choose to ignore it rather than try to eliminate it.

Quite a big problem also are tourist who watch a live bull fight only as cultural experience, thinking their purchase of the ticket is not much contribution. The truth is, that in every bull fight arena there are hundreds of tourists thinking the same thing.

There are quite a few other interesting shows evolving around the bull. There is a show, where a group of men work as a team and try to stick as many rings as they can directly onto the bull's horns. In another one they make artistic jumps over the bull. In both cases the bull goes unharmed and they are exciting to watch and very artistic. In my opinion it is not necessary to hurt the bull at all, when you have equally or even more intriguing alternatives where the artists really come dangerously close to the bull.

(watch this space for names of events)

Another very fascinating event is the 'running of the bulls'. Every town has its own event similar to the famous one in Pamplona. Once you have been there to watch it, you can begin to understand the fascination about the bull. A group of not fully grown bulls runs down the streets of the town towards the plaza. On the way there everyone who wants can run with the bulls or 'fight' with them. It is easy to see the power of a charging bull and the excitement around is very catching. People often get injured in this event, which is naturally part of the game.

PHOTOS: running of the bulls in Escalona, Spain

Bull fights seem to be a men's power play. I have never seen a woman even running with the bulls. I think it makes the men feel more masculine by putting themselves in 'danger'. Spilling the bull's blood probably touches the age old hunting instinct in them.

As far as I am concerned, that proves we haven't evolved much since the cavemen. A modern sophisticated and educated person should be above that killing instinct. They sometimes have debates on television, where people justify these actions by saying that a charged up bull doesn't feel pain. The bull (at the very least) feels something else: fear for his life. That's why he is charged up. That argument would mean I can hurt other people as long as I make sure they have enough adrenaline in their blood when I do it. I believe we do not have the right to hurt or even kill another being just for enjoyment, no matter how we try to justify it. What puts us human beings above the bull?

If you ask me it'a aload of bull!