Estancia Day

We are tourists. We know we are tourists. That's why we signed on for a tourist visit to an estancia, La Cinacina. A friend recommended La Cinacina as a place where visitors enjoy an afternoon of tourist-oriented gaucho culture at a reasonable price. And that's exactly what we experienced.

La Cinacina is in San Antonio de Areco, a small town that is about a 90-minute bus ride from Buenos Aires (the trip took us by Estadio Monumental, home of River Plate soccer team, a team that it seems most Argentinians love or hate, but that's another story).

At the ranch, we were greeted with wine and empanadas, then had the opportunity for a brief horseback ride. No, no photos of us on horses. Then it was back to the ranch house for more food, including sausages, beef, and pork, salads, potatoes, and more wine. Our Venezuelan table-mate shared with the dog, who has seen tourists before.

Dinner was followed by a show of music and dance from around Argentina.

The host of the show then ran a list of the countries represented at our visit: Argentina, United States, Venezuela, Uruguay, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Germany, Italy, Canada, and a few more.

Then we saw the gaucho show where expert horsemen demonstrated gaucho skills, such as riding down the track at full speed and putting a pencil-sized stick through a small ring hanging from a rope. The story is that if the gaucho captures the ring, he can give it to the woman of his choice; if she accepts the ring, she gives him a kiss but if she rejects the ring, she kisses the horse.

We finished the day with quince pastries and mate, an herbal tea that Argentinians seem to love. The pastries were great but mate may be an acquired taste.

All in all, a good day to be a tourist.