To top off a pretty incredible day of forgetting about our worries and our strife (isn’t that a line from a song? BARE NECESSITIES, MOTHER NATURES RECIPES!), we decided to really attempt to gaucho it up and head into the local culture and go to a pulperia or a saloon. I thought they were going to direct us to some touristy place, all done up where the waiters looked like gauchos but had probably never touched a horse in their life (no comments please after the days festivities)…but no, this place was authentic. Not only were we the only foreigners there, we were the only WOMEN there….and really (with a few notable acceptions) the only people under 50 there. It was amazing.
We walk in, 17 loud, young, inexperienced americans….confronted with a lot of older (many drunk) men, in cute little gaucho hats, jeans, sweaters and leather boots (yes there does seem to be some sort of gaucho dress code). We sit down at a long table they have “reserved” for us, and we suffer through the blatant silence and stares….and attempt to blend in. After a few minutes of shock and obvious discussion of our appearance, people return to their beers and we are quickly forgotten.
We were not satisfied with being forgotten however, and quickly decided to attempt conversation with the table of young gauchos sitting next to us. Most guys at bars, when a group of girls begins to look at you, and then to more blatantly stare…do something. These guys tried their hardest to simply avoid our looks and pretend we didn’t exist, which made our attempts even more determined. Until I just swung around and asked the stupidest question I could think of “So are you guys from around here?” I seriously, internally almost died of laughter…but I had no idea how else to start!
After a VERY valiant attempt to converse with them, and many questions answered with one word answers, “si”, “no”, “caballo” etc. we finally gave up. They are NOT the most social of all creatures, but I guess that is what you get when you work alone with horses all day. Gauchos indeed have a reputation for being a very serious, somber and solitary bunch….much like american cowboys….and these guys fit the bill perfectly. But they did not manage to get away without a picture!
Just to make something clear however, these boys are not “sober” good boys…those pepsi bottles on the table….they would mix the Fernet (spiced argentine alcohol) and pepsi and then pour it BACK into the bottle.
All and all it was an amazing, and extremely awkward night! And an extremely hysterical and fun weekend! FUE REALMENTE RE GAUCHO CHE!
awesome weekend!!