Gaucho Guide

I have always found the country to be extremely relaxing. Our family has its own slice of rural heaven in Galena, IL. It's a quaint historical town with breathtaking views and a plethora of farms. After many a peaceful visit to our family friends' house up there, my parents followed in the Fitzsimmons' footsteps and purchased a house in Galena about five years ago. We read, eat well, sway in hammocks, creak in rocking chairs, hike and kayak.

And Galena was about as close to 'farm-life' as I got before the Smylies' trip to an estancia (ranch) outside Buenos Aires. Before the four visiting Smylies even had a chance to inhale the polluted air of the city, a van swept us away from the airport to the lovely countryside about an hour and a half outside the skyscrapers and colectivos. From there we were greeted by a proper British accent welcoming us with a bright hello. Totty Pease, along with her husband James, owns El Roble (The Oak) estancia. Her back story is great, especially spoken in that charming accent of hers. I'm going to leave it for her to tell and you to find out.

However I will let you in on the secrets to living the life of a gaucho (Argentine cowboy) that I discovered during my two and a half day stay.

Anna's How to Live the Life of a (Pampered) Gaucho Guide:

Martín working a parilla (see #1)

1. Always stay well-fed. This includes enjoying juicy parillas (a mixture of grilled cuts of meat) and hand-made carbs, i.e. pasta. After all, how would the gaucho reap his rewards for raising fine cattle?

Cattle of the Sexes (See #2)

2. Recognize the difference between Macho (male) and Embrya (female). Yes, I'm actually encouraging sexism in this case. You don't want any hanky-panky between those 9-months, so after vaccinating each one, a gaucho must separate them accordingly into their respective pen.

Sleeping tight (See #4)

3. Understand Spanish orders before nodding in agreement. I may or may not have learned this lesson the hard way when our head-gaucho, Martín, quickly ordered me to.. do something or other having to do with lados (sides).. and proceeded to gallop off assuming I knew to help guide the vacas (cows). Then chaos ensued as Rachel and I stood in the wake of a massive herd of cattle trotting toward us with Totty, Lauren and my parents behind them. The cattle got confused and veered off the right path toward a water hole, thus creating more work for poor Martín to do. Oopsies.

4. Rest up, buttercup. It's best to have a plush bed suited with down pillows and blankets in order to ensure deep sleep before rising early for another day's 'work' and a delicious breakfast (see step #1).

5. Keep good company. I recommend finding wonderful estancia owners, such as Totty and James, to host or hire you. Martín, the head-gaucho, Viviana, the A-list cook, and Toto, Viviana's rambunctious son, also served as an authentic, humbling crowd. And I can't forget my peers on horses- my family.

James and Martín riding back (see #5.)