From the Road

The Flaming Bull of Medinaceli

Spain still practices cruel archaic bull rituals.

Flaming Bull ©Aitor Garmendia Anima Naturalis / CAS International

November 15, 2025: On this Saturday evening, a bull is to be “set ablaze” once again in the Spanish town of Medinaceli. The “Toro Embolado” is considered a cultural tradition in many regions, critics view it as an horrendous animal cruelty. More here.

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“The world is big, and you’ll never arrive.”

Phillip Soupault

On the Road

From the cool, fresh of the Pacific Northwest of the USA, I’ve moved to the opposite: the arid, desert-like climate of southern Utah. t this time of year, in late autumn, it’s still relatively warm during the day, but the nights are cold. It’s raining tonight. I hope not too much, because recently, after a downpour, the horse paddock was flooded.

The town, New Harmony, has fewer than 300 inhabitants, but a relatively large building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church. How could it be otherwise? After all, Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, is home to the worldwide headquarters of the religious community.

A sign on Main Street welcomes visitors to “Historic New Harmony.” I still need to figure out what “historic” means, besides some of the houses. I see horses in paddocks and know that many residents own cattle. They graze on the expansive properties where you can hike, provided you heed the owners’ request: “Livestock grazing. Please close & latch the gate and stay on trail.” Right next to the house where I’m staying is the small post office. From the back porch, I can see Kolob Canyon, part of Zion National Park. The reddish rocks change color depending on the time of day and the weather. I look after two dogs, a horse, and a pony, and realize once again: I love remote country life. Am I on my way to becoming a cowgirl?