It is our first full weekend here in Buenos Aires, and I am so excited to spend Day 7 at the Don Silvano Ranch! We started the day bright and early, and when we got to the ranch we had a welcome reception with the best beef empanadas I’ve had so far! We were then given some free time to explore the ranch. We were able to see sheep and horses, go on a carriage ride around the farm, and zipline! The ranch was so peaceful and I really enjoyed being able to be around the animals. In addition ton the sheep and horses, there were multiple species of chickens, peacocks, and other colorful birds. Most of all though, there were mosquitos. Everyone on the ranch said they had never seen this many, and although the bug spray thankfully worked at stopping them from biting, they swarmed us the whole day. 

For lunch, we had a delicious Argentine barbeque! We were given fresh chicken, pork, sausage, and steak, and after much debate, I also tried blood sausage. It honestly didn’t taste too bad, but I couldn’t get over the texture or the idea that I was eating cooked blood. During the show there was a live performance of traditional Argentine dance and music, as well as a song from each home country of the people on the tour. Some countries represented were Colombia, Peru, Mexico, the U.S, and China! For dessert, we were given flan and the best dulce de leche! 

We also learned about the history of the Gauchos, saw a house they used to live in, and saw a Gaucho show! Gaucho’s are cowboys who lived a nomadic lifestyle and traveled the countryside of Argentina. The significance of their history began in the 1800’s, when the cowboys helped the Argentinian troops battle Spain and England. After the war, Gauchos focused on hunting, trading, and working with farm animals, specifically cattle. As Argentina industrialized, Gaucho culture declined due to more people wanting to live more “civilized” lives. Now Guacho culture has become heavily commercialized due to things like Gaucho tours and shows. After learning about the history, we were able to see a Guacho show. Gauchos rode out on horses and raced and performed tricks like lassoing and grabbing rings while on riding.

 After the show, we had pastelitos, a treat with multi-layered, flakey dough and sugar on top. Afterwards, we had our 1.5 hour bus ride home. For dinner, I needed a break after the large lunch and had ravioli and tiramisu at a local Italian restaurant! Today was one of the best culture and food days of the entire trip! See you tomorrow for another exciting culture adventure!