Tango and Gauchos

January 9, 2016

Tango/Gaucho

Let me tell you, the tangos done last night at the Cafe de los Angelitos in no way resembled the one taught us by Miss Gollotz at cotillion in 1958! The show lasted nearly two hours-- a blur of feet and legs moving at warp speed. Good dinner. Lots of wine. Great fun. So glad we went.

The same can be said for our trip to the Pampas today. We spent the day at the Estancia Santa Susanna, a huge spread 80 kilometers west of Buenos Aires. The ranch is divided between farming (corn and soybeans), cattle and tourism. The tourism part involves dashing Gauchos, at least three dozen horses and two herding dogs. We looked around the ranch, some went horseback riding and then we all (300-400 people) had lunch of salads, barbecued sausage, beef, chicken and more beef ending with flan. After that, music, singing, dancing and then out to watch the Gauchos work the horses. Each of three men led one horse with a cow bell around its neck and a designated group of horses would follow here, there and everywhere, ending by hanging their heads over the hedge between us and them and posing. Then the dogs moved the horses around, stirring up huge clouds of dust, before the horses were turned out into a pasture so the Gauchos could ride their horses at break neck speed attempting to spear with a small stick a ring dangling from a crossbar. Every time one of them got a ring, he would ride over to the spectators, present it to a lady who in return gave the Gaucho a kiss. Sort of like knights jousting. Endlessly entertaining. The five horsemen took a bow still on horseback, then one by one rode over to a small ladder going over that aforementioned hedge and suddenly one of the ringed ladies would climb up that little ladder, the Gaucho would reach down, grab her and swing her up behind him on his horse and off they would gallop. All the women were swooning and all the men realized they had been outplayed by these romantic guys in puffy shirts and billowing pants tucked into scrunched boots. There. Was. No. Contest. And did I mention lots of wine and beer with lunch?

There was a large contingent of guests from the Zaandam at the estancia. They were just finishing sailing from Valparaiso to BA. I took an informal poll of several of them who all loved the trip. They had great weather all the way. Here's hoping we do, too.

I'm going to attempt to download some pictures and attach to this blog before we leave for the ship tomorrow. We don't sail until Monday at 5 pm so we have another day to explore Buenos Aires.

BA is called the little Paris. There are some older buildings that look exactly like those in Paris. It has wide boulevards with sidewalks for strolling and cafes for a meal or glass of wine or beer. People walk a lot and they walk fast, most of the women in sandals with platform soles of cork. We haven't seen anyone In a suit other than the doorman at this hotel who really isn't a people person.

I'm starting to collect characters from our fellow passengers who also came early to visit BA. There are the British sisters of a certain age, Sylvia and Veronica, who sport matching blonde page boys. Then there are the American sisters from Delaware, Daryl and Pat. Their luggage is in Miami but they are being good sports, albeit that is getting harder to carry off each day. Glenda and Pat are besties who met in Dallas 30 years ago. Both are now widowed. Glenda still lives in Dallas but Pat is a full-time RV-er ( and you better believe that was hard to explain to Sylvia and Veronica!) who divides her time between Jackson Hole, Quartzite, Arizona and Harump (sp), Nevada.
Can't top that so it's time to stop.