Horse riding

We were picked up after breakfast at 0900 for our half day of horse riding. It was about an hour to get to the farm house by car.

Driving around old Salta’s square blocks was a bit scary. The roads were about the same size at intersections which didn’t give any hint of priority. With no Stop or Give Way signs, traffic was kinda first-come, first served or whoever was more aggressive.

We had a second breakfast of bread and jam when we arrived at the permanent tent/gazebo attached to Enrique’s home before we mounted our horses around 1030.

There were five guests and Sergio the gaucho. I was on Cossack the horse. We went around the countryside for about 3h. It wasn’t exactly stunning (just scrubland and some bare tobacco farms, possibly post-harvesst). But it was relaxing and interesting being on a horse (not my first time but I don’t get to do it often).

The horses go at the pace they want to, and they don’t response to the supposed queues to go faster (eg. Tsk tsk tsk or slight kick with the heels in their belly). They sometimes break out into a faster pace when they want to or jostle for various positions amongst themselves.

Close to the end, we had a long level stretch where we were allowed to gallop back and forth once each. It was fun and the pressure on the backside was different – less on the perineum and more on the backside.

We finished up back at the farmhouse around 1330 where a BBQ was being prepared. We had elected the no-lunch option for AR$700 rather than the inclusive version at $1000. So after an offer of red wine which I declined, we were dropped off back at the hostal around 1430.

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Feeling reasonably hungry by then, we went to a square for a snack-lunch of a dozen empanadas and a large beer (around 970 ml a bottle). It was nice to have a mix of beef, ham and cheese and not so nice cheese-only.

We tried not to overeat as we wanted to have a parilla tonight since it would be our last night together in Argentina; Kim had changed his flight to go home 3 days earlier to attend to some matters.

After a rest at 2000, we walked across San Martin park to La Fiamma again for a parilla of chorizo, blood sausage, quarter chicken and steak (translated as skirt steak). I tried swapping the blood sausage for a second chorizo but it wasn’t possible. I had explained that we didn’t like blood sausage so they left it out completely; I wouldn’t have mind trying it though. Again, we had a large salad to go with the meat fest.

The sausage and chicken were beautiful but the steak reminded us that we’re not steak people. The meal wasn’t as heavy as we had expected an we were pleased with that. Often, we get indigestion after heavy steak meals.After that, it was time to pack for our morning departure.