Picador and the bull
by mht_in_la
Before matador enters the ring, two picadors on horse use lance (pica) to injure the bull, and cut open the bull's shoulder. This is to irritate the bull and make its fight against the matador more exciting. And it opens up a small cut between the bull's shoulder blades for matador to enter the sword during the final stroke for the kill. Also it makes the bull bleed and weaken gradually towards the end. Picadors are least respected in the ring because they sit high up on horseback without showing courage.
More "Mexi" than "Cali"
by mht_in_la
With population of about 1 million, Mexicali is the capital of the State of Baja California, Mexico. Unlike most Mexican border cities such as Tijuana or Nogalis, Mexicali dwarfs its US counterpart, Calexico, and gives an authentic Mexican feel. When I walked around Calexico on the US side, I found Spanish is more popular than English. When visiting Mexicali, I felt like walking in a real Mexican city, instead of a US tourist resort.
Meantime, Mexicali's economy relies less on tourism and more on agriculture and other industries. Besides the government buildings, Mexicali is Mexico's agricultural center in the Imperial Valley, depending heavily on the rich delta of Colorado River.