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Published: April 2nd 2011
How we made Estancia happen - December 26, 2010 I knew if we didn't get to Estancia, Maria would cry....so we did. It took a while, but we finally made it happen. (Just as a note here: our estancia tour on the 24th got cancelled, then we were told there was an opening on the 26th, but by the time we got back with the tour operator, it was too late and Maria was on the verge of a temper-tantrum if we didn't get to one while we were in Argentina). Alas, we found one via the Internet and phone while in El Chalten.
The estancia wasn't until 6pm, so we figured we had plenty of time. We took a two hour hike (as if the 11 hours from the day before wasn't enough) and then went to lunch. We had lunch at a great restaurant and had pizza, pasta, and bread. Food coma ensued, but we still had a 3 hour drive in front of us. I drove as fast as I could squizing our Ford Fiesta to its absolute maximum of about 150km per hour. Midway, I got pulled over. Not for speeding though, but because
it was time for a nap. I do have the 20 minute siesta down to a science and in about 4 seconds, I was out. We napped for about twenty minutes and finished the two hour drive to El Calafate. From there, it was a circus trying to find an open gas station (there are only two in the city), figuring out the long waiting line once we found one, and then finding the tourist agency to give us directions to the estancia. Alas, somehow we managed to do everything!
We were late to the Estancia, but only by 20 minutes. The Estancia was well worth it. We got a tour, saw a sheep being sheered, a horse race, and had an excellent dinner. Maria loved the shearling process. What was interesting is that while the sheep would be very nervous and jumpy at the beginning, the moment it was placed on its butt, it calmed down and remained calm throughout what seemed to be an uncomfortable process of shearling. (I wish Maria was the same way!) At the end everyone was allowed to touch the sheep wool that was taken out. Maria was among the first ones and
she was later telling me that you could really feel the oiliness of the wool that protects the sheep in cold days.
Dinner was very welcomed as we were starving! With a group of French people (apparently, Estancias are most popular with French according to our guide), we were sharing a huge table and were served wonderful lamb, pork, and sausages grilled to perfection on a framed grill over the fire. In fact, a mixed place of different meats and sausages is called Parrillada and it is probably the most famous in Argentina. With meat and red wine, the conversation was flowing easily and we jumped from politics and family questions.
The last night in El Calafate we spent in a nice hotel standing on top of a hill. I can't tell how windy it was! We barely were able to open the doors of the car and Maria was literally afraid our car would be blown off the hill by the wind.
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