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Horseback Riding in Beautiful Cordoba

Horseback Riding in Beautiful Cordoba

At 9 am I went to La Loma to pick Pat and his family for a different day out: Horseback riding in the rolling highlands of Cordoba. They were very relaxed here. Let me tell you Pat and his family had decided to take 2 months off to travel around Argentina.


December 17, 2017

Their stop before La Loma had been Salta for fishing. Pat is an absolutely passionate fisherman, so he had been there enjoying what he loves doing most. Jane, Isla, and Josephine, his family were with them. Since we started our way to Dos Lunas, the ranch where we would be horseback riding, they loved every minute of the trip. They liked the scenery, the valleys, and the geography of the area. This family loves everything outdoor, so they were thrilled with the experience. They’re originally from an area in the States with absolutely beautiful mountains, so I tried to tell them before not to imagine that our mountains were going to be as gorgeous as theirs. But still, they loved the combination of the local flora and geography.

We arrived at Dos Lunas and Malu, our hostess for that day, welcomed us and gave us a tour of the place. It’s not big, but it is an iconic representation of the typical Argentine estancia and that is very important. The decoration is on point, classic but typical. We loved it. First, Ruben, the horseback riding guide came dressed in our gaucho’s typical clothes and introduced himself. The Gauchos are the typical rural workers, skilled in riding horses and using them for whatever task they might be needed on a ranch. He wanted to take us on a short ride to gain confidence, feel comfortable with the saddle, the horse, the terrain. For example, it was Pat’s first time riding a horse, let me remind you HE IS the fly fishing man- THE MAN! His wife Jane had ridden horses before but long ago, and the little girls weren’t used to riding either.

So back to the story, Ruben gave us a short ride around in the beautiful day we had. It was cloudy, foggy and almost rainy, but let me tell you that summer in Cordoba can get really hot, so this drizzle was bliss. It wouldn’t have been the same to be under the sun during a scorching hot day. We returned to the lodge after this short ride and they were already waiting for us for lunch. For starters, we had a salad, and then our typical “bife de chorizo”, what would literally translate as “sausage stake”, but it’s just a bit less than 500 gr of meat grilled to perfection with mashed potatoes and for desert, tiramisu. A very typical Argentine lunch. They’ve loved our cuisine so far.

Pat told us an anecdote about this famous “sausage stake”. He was trying to use his Spanish all the time, and he was doing very well indeed, and he told us this had been recurrently happening to him: He would sit at a restaurant and order “chorizo”, a sausage, and somehow, they always brought him “sausage stake”, not a proper sausage. We told him that in Argentina, nobody orders a sausage as a meal since sausage is part of the asado, a larger meal made of different meat cuts. So that was the reason why probably nobody understood why a person would order the only sausage.

We stayed there talking about cultural differences, such as traditions and school systems. It was a great cultural exchange. Pat likes Argentina very much and had already been in Buenos Aires but it was the first time for his family and for him exploring the depth of the country. They couldn’t enjoy the pool that day, but following Argentine traditions and habits, they had a short, after lunch siesta.

Later that day, Pat and his youngest daughter went for a walk, and I went horseback riding with Jane, and one of the little girls. The ride this time was longer, along with a deep valley with an amazing view of the scenery. Malu, the hostess, Ruben, the guide and his daughter, and all their dogs were part of the ride, too. In Argentina, it’s a very typical sight to see a gaucho riding his horse and behind, the loyal dog following them. This family loved animals so they enjoyed their company.

Dos Lunas, the horseback riding ranch, is a wonderful place. The hospitality is amazing and the views, too. At about 5 pm, we returned to the lodge where it was “tea time”. Again, more typical food and talking and after that, we started the way back to La Loma Lodge.

I personally had a great time, but the best for me was to hear what Pat told me. He had been traveling around Argentina for a month, but still, this had been one of the most beautiful days he had spent with his family.

When Pat got back to the lodge that day, he had his “Chorizo” waiting for him at dinner, and this time, it was a real one, not a sausage stake.

Pat and family, thanks a lot for your visit!

 

You should be the next one!

 

 

Silvia Martin

 

Hostess and Tour Manager

 

 

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