Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Buenos Aires, Argentina - January 15 to 18, 2008

We arrived in Buenos Aires in a summer heat wave - 94 degrees upon landing at Ezeiza International Airport. However, overnight there was huge thunderstorm that ran through the city, knocking over trees and downing power lines throughout the province. I slept through it all but many were awakened, even in the fancy and comfortable Alvear Palace Hotel.
The restaurant at the Alvear Place Hotel in Buenos Aires is listed as one of the best in all of South America.

BA (as the city is affectionately called) is very cosmopolitan with shaded streets and well dressed people. It feels like a mix between Beverly Hills and New York City.

And there are many outdoor cafes where people read the newspaper, kiss affectionately, or argue politics over a cup of strong coffee.

However, I chose to spend Wednesday out in the Pampa's, or countryside where we visited an estancia (ranch).

The gauchos came riding out with colorful flags and put on quite a show of horsemanship for us.

Here, two gauchos are riding at full speed with a very small wooden spool or needle. At full gallop, they try to pin the rod through a small ring. Many attempts were made and twice they got the ring!

A guachiño

1 comment:

  1. Uncle Wayne:
    lovely pictures, insightful words. Makes me excited to think of all the unexplored corners of this contient. Same you're not happening upon our neck of these large woods.

    ReplyDelete

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