Hobnobbing

Several times over the weekend we felt as if we were in a movie scene.  Why?  Let me recount some of the adventures we've had!

Saturday night, we were invited José's home to have an early dinner with his family.  José is our Precision contact here in Argentina and he's been of great help!  I say early dinner, because nobody eats the evening meal until around ten or eleven o'clock!  We ate around 8:30.

We left the hotel a little after seven, and following José's dropped pins on the satellite map (roads around here don't show up on the mapping software) we headed out of town.  Very soon after leaving the city limits, we realized why José's truck always looks like he just went mudding.  The roads were dirt, mud, and ruts lined on either side with corn and soybean fields.  After several miles, we turned onto another dirt road and saw a group of horseback riders up ahead.  We slowed down to pass them, but the mounted kids turned their horses and challenged us to a race, their blonde curls streaming behind them.  They laughed and smiled and waved, and it didn't take us too long to figure out they must be José's kids!

 Our mounted friends putting on a horse show for us!

We turned the corner and entered the drive of what looked like a plantation nestled in English countryside.  Old trees, tall groomed hedges, and a carpet green grass surrounded stately stone buildings. 

 Part of hhe main house.

I would have loved to wander around snapping pictures, but we arrived a dusk and our gracious hosts served us hors d'eouvres right after the horse show the kids put on for us.  

As we gathered around for the main course, Justin "blessed the table" after which they were all exclaiming, "Good blessing!".  I think they were expecting something  a little more generic.  The cook laid out the feast for us--steak, sausages, and grilled pork all steaming and perfectly seasoned.  The best meat I think I have ever had!

 So delicious!

We had a wonderful evening with the family!  Sunday afternoon we met them again, this time for lunch.  They took us, once again, outside of town on dirt roads.  We pulled into, once again, a scene strait from Great Britain: manicured fields of green grass, tall trees, and old stone buildings.  A sign read, Venado Tuerto Polo Club.  That's right, they are members at the local country club where there is a golf course, tennis courts, and two giant polo fields.  Turns out, our friend José actually plays polo, and the horses on his estate are bred for playing polo.  

 A picture of us outside the polo club.

Emma, José, Margarita, Toni, Cármen, Vanessa (José's wife), Isabel, Jonathan and I.

 Isabel and I waiting to be seated for lunch.

 Justin and lil' Toni, who is a riot of a two-year-old!

 Toni and Emma

All afternoon we sat at a table outside in the shade of a huge tree and enjoyed being waited on hand and foot.  The kids came and went from the table between eating and playing.  We sat and talked about everything from the rules and strategy of polo to José's sister-in-law's father's remote lodge in Patagonia.  

 "Saca la lengua!" ("Stick out your tongue!")

We stuck around after lunch because we wanted to see some polo!  This club used to be the biggest and most prominent polo club in Argentina.  In fact, the two teams who won the olympics trained here.  However, polo didn't last long as an international sport because nobody can beat Argentina.  Ever, apparently.  

 Snapshot of the polo players.

I can't imagine the expense and amount of set up in this sport!  Each player uses 6 horses each game!  These were only amateurs, but it was still really impressive!

The table where we ate lunch.

We felt like we were hobnobbing with the high class, though there wasn't any of the snobbiness we attribute to the high class in the States.  It was a wonderful, relaxing afternoon of sipping espresso and sharing good conversation.

We do work, too.  Just so everyone is aware.  The first two installations are almost done and those combines begin harvesting tomorrow.  

One of the greatest experiences of the weekend, was finding a local church where those familiar Spanish hymns and praise songs were sung!  What a blessing!  Love to all!