Yesterday we spent the day at La Rural in Palermo.
I had never been in one place with so many Argentinians, tens of thousands of them, and I never saw a foreigner. I also don't think I ever was in one place with so many
beautiful animals!
Most people were carrying mate equipment, or sitting on bales of hay enjoying their yerbe mate. There were electric hot water dispensers strategically located all over the huge fairgrounds to keep the mate flowing.
The gauchos taking a mate break.
The judges huddled in the middle of the field, making their decisions. I liked this lady on a palomino, but she didn't win.
We had lunch in a beautiful parrilla restaurant in the middle of the grounds, El Quincho. But I have to say it was just a little weird to be eating all that meat with the animals watching us from their pens! Of course these animals were the top of the breeding stock, and will never be bifes de chorizo, but still... Anyway, I was wearing my leather jacket. How to compromise all of the conflicts?
Other choices when the hunger bug strikes? -- plenty, but most of them included animal protein. We selected a formal restaurant, and there were two or three, but there were many options available in "fast food stands": choripan (Argentine hotdog), pizza, hamburgers, sweets.
Besides all of the gorgeous farm animals, also on display were the latest gigantic, incredible and splendid farm machines, vehicles, and equipment. There were pavilions from the provinces showing off their wines, cheeses, sausages, and handcrafts, often with an artisan demonstrating her skill. And of course there was live music and folklore. All in all quite a spectacular way to spend the day with the wife and kids and mother-in-law. Try not to miss it--it goes for another week.
This is the same venue where we danced in the Finals of the Campeonato Metropolitano 2006, but this year they moved the event to the Salon Sur. This is also the same location as the Opera Pampa, which I highly recommend.
2 comments:
I went to La Rural in the late '70s, decades before I even knew the word Tango. I loved it. Especially when they were showing off the wool on their sheep, and spread the dingy gray, lanolin-soaked surface to reveal coconut-white wool underneath.
Wow!! very interesting blog, i also want to see like la rural place, you are lucky, i like animal's pictures..love this blog:) interesting blog...
Post a Comment