This morning I woke up..... no sore throat and a clear nose. Wow I must have dodged a bullet there. Then I got up. As it has it, gravity worked it's magic, and my nose became a tap. Spoke to soon!!!
I got up and made my way to breakfast. Today we were heading to an el rancho in Pampas country. This is a working horse ranch and there was a promise to ride a horse. Now I love the idea of riding horses, however they just scare me. They are just so big and nippy!! So at breakfast I noticed the big display of apples.... Perfect I'm going to bribe my horse. I picked out a nice green one and shined it up, all ready for my horse.
We were picked up by the bus, and made a 1.5 hr trip out of the city. At about the hour mark we stopped for a quick toilet break, and there was a really nice leather shop at the stop as well. This is where I found my handbag. It matched the purse that I had bought yesterday...... Sold!!! Don't ask me how this is going to fit into my luggage, but it will fit!!! Even if I have to dump clothes the handbag will make it home!!
We arrived at the ranch, and were greeted by the head gaucho. He was an older plumpish man, dressed in his loose fitting pants, knee high boots, his wooly brown vest and his cowboy hat. From behind, his belt was bedazzled by coins sown into it, and a silver knife encased in a beautifully engraved case tucked firmly into his belt. A kiss for each of us as we stepped off the bus!!!
So first stop, horse riding. I wasn't going to feed my horse first, no, he had to do a good job first. So off we go. One of the gauchos pointed at me... Come..... and in his hands was a set of reins that were connected to a very very big horse. Oh no that horse is far to big.... then he pointed at a much smaller horse. Phew, I'll take that one. I was helped up on to the horse, no problems, and shown how to control the horse. Pretty easy. The gaucho then hit my horses bum and he started to move. He went through the first gate, and headed straight for a fence. I didn't think he was going to stop, so I pulled back on the reins. Now my horse took offence to this and promptly turned round to give me a nip on my legs. After that I just let it do what ever it wanted. He put his head through the fence and started eating the grass. I was not going to do anything to stop him.
Eventually everyone was up on horses, and the guide came through on his horse. The horses are fairly well trained... they just follow the leader.... walking all the way. My horse was up near the front, as the gate was right near where he was eating grass. As soon as the guide made his way to the gate leading out to where we were going to ride, my horse pulled his head out of the fence and started to follow the leader. As another horse walked by my horse tried to bite it on the rump.... The gaucho saw the drama unfold and told him off, and from that point on my horse just dropped back. I ended up at the back of the pack. I must admit I was happy when my 5 min ride was over. I jumped off my horse, and promptly decided that pony club was not for me. I grabbed the apple that my horse wouldn't be getting, and popped it straight back in my bag.
We then walked over to the wagon ride. This was an old western wagon, that was pulled along by 2 horses. The driver of this wagon.... The head gaucho. He took us on a 10min wagon ride around his property. It was a very bumpy wagon ride, but it was a good one at that.
We then made our way to the big barn for lunch and I was lucky enough to have a front row seat. First came the salads. There were quite a few different types of delicious salads. Then the BBQ meat started coming, and coming and coming. It was so interesting as we were actually served by the gauchos. Even the head gaucho who owned the ranch (our wagon diver) went around serving up meat to everyone. One of the gauchos kept looking at me and smiling. Then out of no where he appeared at my side and asked me my name and where I was from. He was really sweet. All the girls gave me a hard time, and I think I was all shades of red and crying from embarrassment. Then all afternoon, he would come up to me and ask if I would like some chicken or meat.... I was so full, so most of the time I refused explaining that I was too full. He just smiled and then walk away. He would only ask me, and then leave the table, which meant none of the other girls got their meat until another gaucho came along offering it. Some of the other girls were hanging for chicken....They all kept saying.... Michelle please say yes and give it to us.
We finished lunch, and then the entertainment started. There were 2 guys, one playing guitar and another guy singing and playing accordion. Gees he was good. His voice could have melted butter!!! We just sat there mesmerised by him. Occasionally a couple would come out and dance the tango... A more folk type of tango though. Still stunningly beautiful to watch.
Then it came to opening up the dance floor to couples. A few couples made their way to the dance floor and started dancing away.... Then out of nowhere the head gaucho appeared and asked for my hand. So up I got and danced with the head gaucho. What an experience. The entire time he sang in my ear.... He was so wonderful!!
After the dancing had finished, we were then shown to the arena. Well, it was really just a stretch of dirt, with a whole heap of wooden seats for everyone to sit on, separated by a wooden fence.
We all took our seats, and watched the gauchos demonstrate the control that they have over their horses. The gaucho, on a horse, would have another horse on a lead riding along side. This companion horse had a bell around its neck, and it was followed by at least another 10 horses not on leads. Depending on what the lead horse did, the other horses would follow. It was pretty amazing to watch. However, there always has to be one horse, and there was one today. This rebel horse essentially refused to follow his comrades, and in fact at one stage whilst all the horses were facing us, he turned his back so that all we could see was his rump. As the horses took off in one direction, he starts walking in the opposite direction, until he made his way down to the shade. We were killing ourselves.
Then the gauchos all started playing a game. There was a wooden frame that had 3 rings hanging off 3 leather straps suspended from it. The gauchos would then ride their horses at top notch speeds towards this frame, and would try and thread one of the rings onto a long nail that they held in their hands. The gauchos were very good at this game. Everytime they would be lucky enough to thread a ring, they would pick a girl out from the audience, present her with the ring, and in return ask her for a kiss on his cheek. Jan, one of the glamazon's, was lucky enough to be presented with a ring from one of the gauchos. All I can say is it must be the blonde hair!!
After the games and the fun was over, it was time to say goodbye to the ranch and head back to the big smoke. We made the 1.5hr trip back to town.
After a quick coffee in the lobby bar, it was time for me to return to my room and work out how I could fit my new purchases into my luggage. It was roll out day tomorrow, which means packing my bags tonight. Somehow I have to work out how the hell all my stuff can fit in. So I set about stuffing my new handbag with valuables, and then placing it in another bag, which was then placed in my carry on bag. My carry on satchel resembled one of those nesting dolls, essentially it was a purse, inside a bag, inside a plastic bag, inside my satchel!!! It all fit!! Yay!!!