I'm a few days late with my weekly post due to being away on a 5 hour bus ride south of Buenos Aires to attend a three day Gaucho Rodeo out of internet connection (and out of cell phone/electricity except by a gas generator).....it was
amazing!....
Kinda like the county fair, but much more macho,,,,(you can see all the gauchos working with the horses way over the great hardwood fences in the distance)
There was horse competitions like an American Rodeo, but lots of time in between where guys were really struttin their individual stuff...The gear they all wore was "regulation"....hat (a special barrett or a felt sombrero), gaucho pants that are pleated at the top and buttoned at the bottom), a belt that is either a woven patterned wrap around strip or a wide leather belt with silver coins or decorations, leather riding boots or canvas casual pull ons, hundreds of neck tie variations, hundreds of special hat-holder-on bands (silver chain/horse hair, etc) and each guy had his own combination of variations of the basic ensemble ..(and fancy long knives stuck in the back of their belts for cutting off hunks of asado (or fighting after too many beers).
this young guy had a very fancy belt he was proud of....
The above photo was taken among the concession stands....a stand that did big business was one that had all sorts of plastic play guns and machine guns made in China...it was the big hit among the kids...note that each boy has a plastic gun....
And here is my token girlie photo....but she placed second in the barrel races!!!! I only saw one other woman competing.....
The pampas in Buenos Aries Providence are beautiful.....so flat, so green, millions of birds....and clumps of beautiful shade trees and border planted Poplars and Eucalyptus.... and I found out that every tree you see has been planted (no native trees in the Whole country of Argentina!!!!). Perhaps that is why they are much more respectful of trees and do not cut them down because they might "make a mess""....
OK your food shot for this week is Grand!!! The true Argentine Asado at the Rodeo....there is beef in the foreground, amazing strings of sausages grilling in the background, and spread eagled lamb cooking in the middle....so goood!
2 comments:
You folks do discover the "events". Where did you stay? Were you the only gringos? Or was it also a tourist event? We do miss the asada (Greece is making us into vegetarians!).
Great pictures! I'm glad you had fun in a real gaucho party.
Post a Comment