Fiesta de los guachos

Yesterday was the first time in these travels that I experienced some real local colour. I had arrived in San Martin del los Andes on Thursday (my birthday !) which is in the Argentine lake district. I got a tip off that this weekend was when all the gauchos from the local estancias (and beyond) come into town for an annual shop and to have a general knees up including various competitions. This would be in Junin de los Andes (about an hour away) and so I set off on a bus arriving about 2 in the afternoon.

I spent a little while going around all the stalls in town selling everything from smart neckties, knives, hats, belts, ponchos, saddles, ...in fact anything that a gaucho may want.

Gauchos, in case you don't know, are the equivalent of american cowboys.... farm hands who work on the estancias or even polo teams! Anything that involves horses and probably cows. They are not indians and from what I can gather by tradition many of them came from Chile in search of work. Most of them look very weather beaten and much older than they are as a consequence of their constant life outdoors. It is a tough, rough life but apparently one that most of them choose and love. I am told that some of the gauchos in the north - in Corrientes - go barefoot:riding and walking.

As the bus drove into town it was clear that something was going on as there were bands of chaps riding horses through town, laughing and joking and dressed in their best clean shirts, smart hats or large berets, a thick leather belt with various decorations on it and a red sash and a knife stuck in the back of the belt.

Lots of battered old cars and 4x4s lined the main road. So, I followed the buss and found myself at an arena with the proceedings just starting: loads of guachos and their friends and families already in the stands, lots of icecream and chip stalls and a bar around the outside. A compere doing the most elaborate introductions of the events which started with the national anthem (I presumed as everyone stood up and sang along) followed by some other songs sung by a lady ... and then a great parade of people on horseback with banners from each of the estancias or settlements. It felt like the opening scene of an opera!!

I wandered slowly among the crowd trying to work out a good place to take up position for a good view of the arena..... it was delightful to see all ages dressed up.. little gauchos (boys of about 10 upwards and some girls), big gauchos with their small children in front of them on their horses, groups of young men, groups of old men greeting each other ...others on their mobile phones whilst leaning on their horses!

After speeches from all sorts of notables, the activities started. The first was a slalom race where the guys had to weave their horse through some sticks, turn and go back through again, gallop forward,turn, gallop back and return to the middle with a sudden stop (dust flying!) Great roars from the crowd when someone's horse was particularly nibble. I have no idea who one but it was certainly ages before it was announced.

Then there was a mass lassoing of some pretty fiercesome cattle. They were driven up to one end of the arena and the middle of the arena was filled with chaps arranging their lassoes around them in readiness .... lots of waiting and chatting and then the cows were driven forward, they all swung their lassoes everywhere and from what I can see the cattle won the day .... chaps, hats, dust and lassoes all over the place and I think only one cow trapped. It was hilarious. This was followed by letting young steers out of a corral one by one with two chaps at a time with lassoes trying to get them before they bolted. Again lots of posturing and then whoops the steer gets through in a flash ... if they did catch it between them one of them has to get on the steer and ride it for a little distance. So that is pretty hilarious too. More roars from the crowd!

Finally..... well for me because I had to catch the 7pm bus, there was bareback rodeo! They had to stay on for about a minute I think. Again pretty dramatic and action packed ... see photos. One chaps horse just reared straight up and fell backwards onto him .... intake of breath all around, much prodding of the guy and he eventually gets up and limps off. Miu Macho!!

It was a such a colourful and vibrant day ... a completely change

from hiking and m

ountain gazing. I completed the day by buying a delicious icecream before getting on the bus and was chatted up by a very handsome Argentine architect on the bus ..... a very satisfactory day!!!