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Published: September 28th 2010
Uraguay Colonia Crossing the Rio de la Plata by ferry into Uraguay we enter the colonial city of Colonia del Sacramento, with its cobbled streets and coffee shops and bars. Near the bank the local security company are bringing or taking money there, but what makes me laugh is the 2 guards clamber out of the old VW Type 2 Camper with its mock split screen, obviously with thickened glass but looks as though the work has been done by Bodge-it & Scarper Ltd! We head to a nice restaurant for lunch then head to the lighthouse and piers then find a bar for a well earned drink, and watch the day end with a gorgeous sunset.
Montevideo A 3 hour bus journey takes us into Montevideo, the commercial and cultural hub of the country. Our hotel is interesting to say the least and to give you an idea I half expected Jack Nicholson to come around the corner on a tricycle grinning inanely whilst muttering ‘Here’s Jonnie!!’. A bizarre place which at some time in the (very distant) past must’ve been a fantastic place. A trip to Montevideo wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Puerto de
Marco (?) were we sat and watched our chosen steaks be cooked, which we then ate at the bar. It was sublime. I highly recommend anyone who visits Uraguay to visit this place.
Estancia From Montevideo we head onto Tacuarembo were we are met by Juan and his pickup. Another hour later and we reach his home, Panagea Ranch. This place is just rural heaven and a proper working farm were we’re all offered the opportunity to work with Juan on his farm or just relax.
This is real basics (well, there’s no internet, electricity fed by a genny for 3 hours in the evening) but for me its absolute heaven. Sun in the sky and no traffic or TV noise polluting the atmosphere and the chance to learn to ride a horse!!
The following day Juan teaches us how to saddle up a horse, Gaucho style. We are all given our horses for the day’s work and I get Thunder. Thunder is the biggest horse there and I’m not exactly a big chap…..and his eyes, his eyes seen fearful. I’m not surprised though, I’m sh*tting myself too!!! Anyways, we proceed to saddle up and Thunder
& I are trying to get acquainted, yet he won’t play ball. ‘You have to take control….show him who’s boss’ yells Juan. ‘Don’t forget, to stop pull the reigns’ he tells us ad nauseam.
After taking us through the do’s and don’ts of riding Guacho style we mount our steeds and prepare to trot off into the fields in search of his cows. 3 fields later and we see our targets scattered about this huge rocky field. Thunder & I are still learning about each other, a slight movement of my arm to the left or right encourages Thunder to change direction. A swift kick and he moves faster and a light tug on the reigns slows or stops him. ‘Wow….this beast is easy to ride. What the hell was I worrying about……..oh sh*t!! Woooah!!’ as Thunder gallops off up and over the hill. ‘Luke, use the force’ or rather ‘pull the reigns’ echos in my mind as I tug Thunders head back to stop him launching me over some ravine.
Slowly we all gather behind and beside the cattle and we usher them to their pen where today we’re injecting them against worms. Our job is to
help the cows through the small gates were they’re injected by Juan and released into the adjoining pen. This we do with considerable ease (ahem!) and then it’s back aboard our trusty steeds to take them back to their field.
That afternoon was much the same and upon our return a few of us headed out for a game of badminton, which Juan & I duly lost. Still, the loss was soon put to the back of my mind by the gorgeous dinner cooked for us by Suzanne, Juans wife followed by some beers, whiskey and a game of cards. A fitting end to a great day.
The following day was much the same except this time we herded sheep and I had a new horse to get to know. Colorado (I think that was his name) and I got on famously. He was younger, stronger, smaller and far more responsive than Thunder. I felt like Clint Eastwood on the OK Coral, except without the poncho. And, sheep are dumb, I mean, really dumb. I never realised it would be so easy herding sheep. Our job today was to juice and count the lambs. By juicing I mean
they were fed some concoction by mouth but I don’t know the correct term.
Anyway, we herded the sheep into the pen and then one by one grabbed a lamb, fed it, marked it then let it go. This was like childs play and the sheep and lambs were hilarious. After this we took them back to their field and returned for another gorgeous lunch. After our siesta we went back out to separate the calves from their mothers, again rounding them up on horseback.
The evening was spent in a team volleyball match, more drinking and cards etc.
I have to say, this has been one of the top 5 highlights of my 8 months of travel. Juan & Suzanne were fantastic hosts and I’d recommend anyone to go and stay there. Thank you Juan & Suzanne.
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