Colombia tourism article recommends taking in a cockfight.

Baffling article in Colombia Reports' travel section. I mean, reading about "putting cocks on tables" and "cock managers" is kinda funny, but using cockfighting as a way to lure tourists, and the breathless way they talk about it, seems cluelessly cruel. Article also includes pictures, but nothing graphic.

The good thing about cockfighting is that you get to see everything that happens behind the scenes. Just stand by the bar at the Club Gallistico San Miguel, and you will see men setting their cocks on plastic tables, that would otherwise be used for food and drinks.

Like stylists, the cock managers will skillfully clip the feathers on their bird´s neck to allow for greater mobility. They´ll sharpen it´s claws with a knife, and wrap its toes in sports tape. They´ll attach sharp razors on the bird´s legs, that will enable the cock to strike a fatal blow on its opponent. And the more superstitious managers may even douse a strange potion over their cock -- the bird of course -- hoping that this bit of magic will ensure victory.

Later in the article..

You may call this cruelty against animals. But it seems that cock fighting aficionados prefer to see their sport in a more enlightened form.

"We´re helping the process of natural selection" said Mr Gutierrez, an owner of thirty fighting cocks who kindly introduced me to the rules of the sport. "When two cocks meet in real life" he added with a shrug, "they will always try to kill each other over mating rights".

It may be too much Darwinism for some to bear, but Cockfighting is a legal sport in Colombia and there are hundreds of rings dispersed across big cities and small towns across the country. Bogota boasts 11 cock venues, with fights taking place every day except Tuesday.