We have fallen head-over-heels in love with these bulls encountered on the hillsides of Spain. Originally an advertisement for Osborne brandy, these bulls are fourteen meters (forty-six feet) high and are strategically placed along the highways for maximum drama.

According to Wikipedia, the EU passed a law in 1994 outlawing the advertisement of alcohol on the highways, so all the bulls were to be removed. But they had become such an icon of Spain that there was a public outcry. They were allowed to remain if Osborne agreed to paint over any reference to their product, which they did. There are now ninety-one of these solid black bulls throughout the country. It’s thrilling to come around a bend in the highway and find one of these guys hovering above you, especially because they are so few and far between.

I’ve said it before: I am totally against bullfighting or torturing animals in any respect, which is all the more reason I love to see these “survivors.” They may represent the archaic sport of bullfighting to some, but to me they represent the majesty of a magnificent animal. And that’s no bull!