Ports Visit Continued

After being in Ramirez the weekend, we went back to Buenos Aires for a few more days.  While there we took in the usual tourist attractions, and also visited an estancia where they got a little taste of Argentine country life, folk music and dancing and the gaucho culture.  It was very interesting!

The touristy part of La Boca, the old Italian quarter where the immigrants arrived at the turn of last century.  They all lived together in these corrugated iron shacks, and painted them with the leftover paint from the shipyards.  Also known as the birthplace of the tango...

A dancer spotted Danielle staring fascinated at them, so he beckoned her over and she very shyly went and attempted the tango!!

Happy with her purchase

Lincoln clutching his under his arm while he decides what he's going to eat

Recoleta cemetery with the cats...and a few worn-out tourists.  One "big engine" spotted!!

The washing machine in the airbnb broke down in mid-cycle, so Linc's helping out by jumping up and down on the clothes in the bathtub to get excess water out!  Danielle examine her dream weaver gifted to her by Priscilla Skvor.

No words needed...

Going to visit Gladys Goodridge for lunch, waiting at the train station.

Training to and from Gladys'.  Link came and sat on my lap for a reason...he had heard that I had chewing gum, and was MOST interested to try it out.  Sat and begged, convincing me to give it to him while Mum wasn't looking... who could resist??

Visiting the Skvor family, Gustavo and Elizabeth and two of their kids, Priscilla and Kevin.

At the estancia "Don Silvano"

Lincoln examining a small snake (Danielle stepped well away)

Danielle thrilled to be having her first horse-ride EVER!!

On the wagon

Lunch was a huge asado, with live entertainment.  Lincoln found his own entertainment with corks.

Love these action shots of Lincoln drinking Coke!

Instant "mate" addicts

The best bit was the gaucho skills display

Every gaucho has a troop of horses - one for each day of the week.  The leader wears a bell around her neck.

Off they go

They showed us how they hunt ostriches with metal balls on a string, and also a traditional game where they place a small ring on the end of each pole that hangs down on that blue frame.  They then gallop up on their horses and each one tries to spear the ring with a pole they carry in their hands.  Quite a feat of precision and concentration doing all that aboard a galloping horse!  The cowboy then presents the ring to a girl that he chooses, if she is single, she has to give the cowboy a kiss.  If she has a boyfriend of a husband, the boyfriend has to kiss the horse!

Next up, we crossed over to Uruguay to meet up with Nadine at Colonia del Sacramento.  Watch this space!!