As we enjoy our well deserved lunch outside a nice pastry place, we see alL these Gaucho´s(sort of south American Cowboys) pass us. We decide to go and figure out what there up to. it turns out we arrived just in time to join in the parade of the Virgin. That´s about as much as people can explain to us, but it is really impressive to see all those people in procession behind a shrine of the Virgin Mary, and behind them some 500 Gaucho`s on horses coming to honour her. The Gaucho´s are all very typically dressed and have these leg protectors on there saddles which make the horses look like they have wings. We are told they live in the surrounding area of Salta and some have to ride over 4 hours to get there. This is nothing yet compared to the 17 of July we´re told as then all the Gaucho´s of South America ride to Salta to honour the day General Gumeus died(he fought for the independence of Argentina with the Spanish in 1826 if i´m correct). The Argentina people are very proud of their nation, you can tell.
Despite that we see enormous lines for the petrol stations as our driver tells us is caused by a shortage of fuel. he brings us to his ranch for a trek through the mountains on horses. We get some spirity horses, which is a lot better than the slow grandpa i had the other time. But this one is the most speedy of the group and likes to compete with Grom´s horse, which ends in a terrifying race where my horse fly´s straight through the stream in order to get home faster than the other horses. Thank God it´s a wester saddle and i could hold on well enough. Grom was wearing his jeans, which resulted in mising skin on his legs, but hey, we had a great time. With a mexican TV crew shooting a show on the ranch at the same time and a big barbecue in between treks on the ranch. What a life and a great way to see the surrondings.
