Off to the Estancia

Our last day aboard ship was spent in the Buenos Aires countryside visiting an estancia.  We wanted to see gauchos and visit a ranch.  La Mimosa was built in 1869 and is still owned by the same family.  The owner was there to greet us at the gates.  We couldn't go into the lovely old house, but several doors were open so we could see the rooms filled with antiques. 

The ranch dogs were always a part of every event, right down to coming on the dance floor.  We enjoyed a ring race, where gauchos ride hell-bent-for-leather standing in the stirrups to grab a tiny ring about 1" in diameter.  They then presented it a lady in exchange for a kiss.  Imagine my surprise when the gaucho appeared in front of me with a ring.

We had a barbeque lunch. traditional folk dancing (we all joined in) and rides in an old wagon.  There was every kind of fowl, cows, horses, yes, a real ranch.

The ring was hanging from this stand and the rider had to grab it with a short stick.