On the Pampas

 The day on the pampas with the gauchos on the farm was a most delightful day. It was simply great fun!

Once at the ranch we were treated to a peek at how the meat is barbecued. This was followed by empanadas that Carolina said were the best in Argentina. Though I haven’t tried all of the empanadas in the country, they were delicious. 

And then off to the horses. Saddle up or climb up into a wagon. After my last horseback riding attempt, I was not going to repeat that experience. So up into the carriage I went.

We traveled down the dusty roads getting glimpses of the pampas, some with cattle which would soon be our lunch and some fields filled with horses. Lovely green fields of grass filled with what seemed very contented animals.

After such a morning of exhausting activities and a trip to the bathrooms, we were ready for lunch. And what a lunch, course after course of meats. We shared the trip to the ranch with a group of friendly and talkative people. The couple who went to IU in Bloomington, Anna whose birthday it was, Neil her husband the photographer, Sharon and Nick from London, and Claudia and family from Puerto Rico. Neil and Anna split their time between their family in New York and their family in Chile. Sharon and Nick have traveled to more places than anyone we know. Name a place, they’ve been there. It was a very convivial group led by the intrepid guide Carolina.

  Time for a nap after lunch? No way—time for a dance! 

The gauchos train their horses using the most gentle methods, no violence at all. We were treated to a demonstration of how it’s done and the results of those methods.

And just like the gaucho and his horse, once on the bus, most of us were ready for a nap!

Señor Schulz~

After a cup of coffee in our room, our Uber was waiting outside our door. He took us to a 20 person bus a few miles away where we met the rest of our group. The bus was comfortable and air-conditioned which was welcome in the heat. The group came from many parts of the globe and we all got along well.

After an hour and a half bus ride we stopped in a small town.Guess what we toured? A vineyard? The market that provides food & entertainment to the town? A strip club? Nope, if you guessed church—yep! I’ve set foot in so many churches in our previous trips that God told me personally — “Take a break Dennis and don’t push your luck. I’ve seen about enough of you. It ain’t gonna do you any good.” I feel I’ve received my dispensation. 🤭

Cindy covered the ranch and its activities. It was well worth the trip to see it. The food? First class all the way and the Argentine wine? Equally top notch. After a few hours of eating, drinking, and dancing we boarded the bus for our return to Buenos Aries. As I drifted off to sleep, my last thoughts were of me and God arguing outside a church. It became heated and after wrestling around in the dirt for a few minutes, we dusted ourselves off, shook hands, and decided we would battle again on another day. We were both too tired today. We’d work on this another day.🤼‍♂️