Chin Chin

Another Good Reason to Come to See Us.

When I meet people sometimes outside of Argentina they often ask me what’s it like in Argentina. After all they often here only of all the chaos here that they hear about on the news and not about the good news. Funny when we are on La Margarita it’s like being in a world of its own - sometimes we don’t know what’s happening in the outside world as in this timeless pampas scenery it leaves us unaffected. Driving through the famous white pillars and the outside world is left behind. Saddle up a horse and go for a gallop across the famous Argentina pampas and you could be in 1912 as it’s a landscape where change comes slowly - if at all. These for me are all good reasons why coming to Argentina (and especially La Margarita of course) can be an exhilarating experience. The people are friendly; the beef taste great and the riding fabulous. And lets not forget the famous malbec wines, which I have to say when I am outside of Argentina I miss lots (its to not easy to get outside of Argentina).   And now there’s another reason to come here. I recently read an article about the benefits of drinking red wine for your arteries and heart. The article in fact said that drinking a small amount of any alcohol was good for you. The article went on to say that in fact only a few red wines (and they usually are the expensive one) contain enough procyananiodins (the ingredient that keeps arteries healthy) to boast heart care. However, it went on to say that according to Professor Roger Corder a procyananiodin expert, one of the best wines that does supply enough in a glass of wine are the Argentina malbec wines.  And here’s the really great news on La Margarita our house wine is, of course, a malbec and we have a good selection thanks to Susana our very own Sommelier,  (by the way its her birthday today so happy birthday Susana) of other malbecs for you to choose from on La Margarita – all of course for medicinal purposes!!

Chin chin

This is David Cummings alias The English Gaucho saying saludos a todo 

Doctor in the House (or on La Margarita)!!

Doctors Amy,Laura,Matt ,(moi) and Pete

I loved the Doctor in the House comedy series in the 70s. Thought it was so funny and when I get to UK I sometimes catch a programme or two on Sky when it’s on and it still tickles me.  Here’s a link on YouTube if you have never heard of it. All seems so quaint now but it was the best comedy programme of its time for me apart from On the Buses!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5caFTRA4X4

Ready to ride out in the morning 

Course you may ask what has this to do with Argentina. Well last week I went to town to pick up four guests who were staying in our self-catering rooms on La Margarita. Its always fun to pick up guests and get to talk to them  - I never get tired of it. This time I waited at the bus station and the bus arrived a little late and I guessed our arriving guests must be tired as they had been on a bus travelling first to Retiro in BA for some 20 hours and then onto La Margarita. I meet them from the bus and it turned out they were Brits. We proceed to my 4x4 to take them to LM and just their luck I had left the lights fully on and the battery had gone flat. I apologised profusely but the said calmly don’t worry happens (thanks guys for being so relaxed about it) and they went off and purchased ice creams. When they came back we started to talk. I am sure they won’t mind me saying but all looked about 18 and I asked them if they were studying and they said, “nope we are all doctors”. Unbelievable cos to me they looked so young. As we talked further while we were waiting for Juan to turn up and get the Ranger started Amy, one of the doctors, said did I remember a guest called Sue who has been on LM some three or four years ago. I asked for   a little more info on Sue and she said that Sue was her mum and she had been on LM and had a really good time. I didn’t have to rack my brain very long as I said to Amy was she a back packing blond haired lady travelling South America with her daughter (your sister Amy). Seems I was right and this is a bloggy thank you Sue for recommending us to Amy, thanks so much and I really do remember you and to talking to you both since I took some photos of you both leaving La Margarita to continue your travels with your back packs on   - wow seems like just yesterday!

Course I mentioned to our doctors in the house about the programme Doctors in the House and they all gave me unsurprisingly blank looks – yep they are just a little bit to young to remember the show

Thanks for coming Pete, Amy, Matt and Laura it was a pleasure to have you all on La Margarita and good luck with your travels and the NHS!

This is David Cummings alias The English Gaucho hasta la vista

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Will They or Won’t They?

Me with Juan Carlos who had been to LM many times in the past year

Asado time on LM on  Malvinas Day

An asado cooked in the traditional way  by Juan and Rosine

I have to say when I purchased La Margarita all those years ago I had some doubts if it would work for Argentines a topic I have returned to a few times in my blogs. After all I was a Brit with no idea of the life in the campo here or the life of gauchos.  However, I knew I wanted to have Argentines come and visit but would they?  Would they think that since La Margarita is owned and run by a Brit it won’t be anything like a typical Argentina estancia rather it will be all chintz and tea in the afternoon with a fish and chips for dinner (though I must admit I love fish and chips). With this in mind I made a conscious decision to keep it as traditional as possible and not turn it in to a campo hotel, to keep it just the way  the Argentines would like it kept and that they would recognise.  For instance we gave work to the gauchos in the local town who know what the campo was all about here and are excellent horsemen to boot, down to the way we cook the asado which is done the way the gauchos do it when they are out in the campo miles from home (see pic). All in all I think we have managed to keep La Margarita as traditional as possible. Course the proof is in the pudding i.e. do Argentines come here? The answer is I am very happy to say, is yes. In the picture with me is Juan Carlos from BA who has now come to the estancia five or six times with his family in the last eighteen months. As you can see by the way he is dressed he loves the gaucho life style and when he can escape his suit and tie life in Buenos Aires he makes his way together with his family and other guest from Argentina to La Margarita – that makes me so proud. This weekend for instance we have a house full of Argentines, half of which have been before so it seems we are doing things right. Course the same principles apply for guests from overseas who come here. They also want to know that the estancia they visit is a traditional one, that it follows in the tradition of how estancias were run when they were first set up and for me the fact that many many Argentines come here is proof indeed we have got in in many ways  right

This is David Cummings alias The English Gaucho hasta la vista