Just Another Year – umm I think not!

Well where did that year go – so fast I didn’t even see it. It was a year that at last our crops made a profit after suffering the drought last year. Our soya, wheat and hops all made great price gains on the international markets and who knows we may be able to buy that new tractor after all! It was a year when we went into partnership with our neighbor and purchased 150 calves’ to add to our existing stock. It turned out to be a good move – the price of meat doubled in a year and it felt good to be a farmer.

The year saw lots of guests from as far away as Latvia and New Zealand coming to La Margarita keeping us busy pretty all year round which was great. The self catering units really started to kick off and we had lots of guest taking advantage of them from all over the world with some guests staying for up to a few weeks so they could live their dream of horse riding on the famous pampas – judging by the lovely comments we got from some guest on Trip Advisor I reckon it was a very worthwhile investment putting those little kitchens in the casa Rosado. The main estancia house was also host to some great groups of guests who rented the house for themselves culminating in a lovely group of twelve from Norway who danced the night away on the 24th December before heading off to Iguazu

In Feb 2010 we said goodbye sadly to Melisa in January who had worked for me for two and half years in BA– she finished her studies and is now working in the University she studied in. At the same time we said hello to Susana Monzon who is now the general manager and host on La Margarita and great work she has been doing. We also said hello to Claudia who handles the reservations in the office for us in BA and a great job she is doing as well judging by comment from guests who stay on La Margarita. We sadly said goodbye to our young gaucho Jonney – that news will no doubt break the hearts of some of our younger female guests who came here!

I am happy to say that both Raquel and Lalo and Lettie and son Kevin are still here and working as hard as ever even though Raquel keeps saying she is going to retire one year - however each year she renews her energy to cook some great meals for our guests

La Margarita was also featured in two documentaries on life on an Argentine estancia and was also was featured in Lugares, the most important travel magazine here in Argentina

As for me personally it was a year of some sadness which I would rather not go into however also some happiness. I purchased a small house in Uruguay right on the river for when I have the urge to go fishing - I love the house and the fishing has been fantastic this year – if you haven’t seen the photos here is the link

http://watersidecottageuruguay.blogspot.com/ .

 I also moved apartments downsizing from my house in Gorriti in Palermo to a smaller apt in Palermo. I also sneaked in a trip to the UK and managed to see my lovely grandkids who I miss loads. My son also decided this year to ask his girlfriend to marry him and in 2012 in New Zealand where they both live that’s just what they will do - I have been invited to play a few songs which is fantastic for me to revive those old Johnny Hollywood days and old Status Quo songs – rock on Johnny

As for 2011 – who knows what’s in store - more fun meeting guests on La Margarita I hope I will at last finish my book on life in here Argentina , certainly more travelling here in glorious crazy Argentina and maybe in Paraguay where we are thinking of growing soya and definitely Asia for sure where I will stay with my best mates Gaynor and Brian who will be escaping from the cold in UK early in 2012. Also on the list is to see my family , learn tango ( some hope!), learn to ride bare back like Kevin our little gaucho son of Lalo and Lettie, maybe adopt a family, get tickets for a super clasico Boca v River game and continue to make La Margarita one of the best estancias for guests to have a typical authentic gaucho experience.

OK that’s it the last blog for 2010 - I wish all our former guests (and of course future guest), my friends, family and anyone else who is reading this blog a fantastic and prosperous New Year

Hasta Luego

Saludos y suerte por el Ano Nuevo

David Cummings alias the English Gaucho

Feliz Navidad and a Very Happy New Year from Estancia La Margarita

Christmas always always catches me out here – after all I am from the London which is just a little bit cold at the moment with loads of Christmassy snow ( or so my Dad says! ). Here its 36 degs and  rising and now matter how long I live here I can’t get used to the fact that Christmas day arrives with us having to get the sun tan cream out! Suddenly the christams tree is decorated and presents put under the tree and hey presto no matter how hot it is we feel festive

I want to send a big Christmas gracias  to all you guests who made it down to us on La Margarita deep in pampas of Argentina , to all of you who thankfully have a quick look at this blog and my family and friends.   I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and great New Year and who knows maybe see you again one day down here

This is David Cummings alias the English Gaucho hasta the New Year

Que Calor!

I have to admit I have had a sneaky look at the weather in London where I come from (and go to sometimes). Gaynor, my mate in England gets pretty upset when we are emailing and I add “oh by the way its 28 here and the sun is shining”. Course I know full well it’s not the same in London – well the sun may be shinning but it will be bloody freezing for sure. She usually gets all stroppy and says “so why do you think I should know that’s it hot there you ex pat you “. Well the reason is because me and cold don’t get on well even though I lived for 7 years in the French Alps, namely Val Thorens singing songs and strumming the guitar. No, me I love it when it’s hot.

It’s funny here cos every year here in Argentina without fail its hot in the summer – it’s no big surprise but it does seem to be for the Argentines – as soon as the temperature sneaks past 25 all conversations here start off with “que calor que calor” after this little introduction the conversation can start and it is often about the calor that was with us yesterday and will arrive tomorrow. My reply is always the same “si me  encanta “  I then go on to explain the freezing temperatures  in England and they reply saying “que  bueno me voy a England”  Susana (amongst many others)  the estancia host is guilty of  this since she lived in the wilds of deep Patagonia and loves the  cold brrrrr. Course there are some in England like Toni who decide to take a holiday in Vienna because its just  not cold enough in England ( cant please everyone I guess!) So if anyone is reading this who is in Europe and is suffering from  the cold  and wants to change places with someone  my suggestions is to send an email to an Argentine  and offer to change places – who know you may just  get lucky – me I am off to  the estancia   pool to cool down and enjoy this wonderful heat!               

This is the English Gaucho thoroughly enjoying this wonderful warm weather (sorry Gaynor!)

Hasta pronto

Amalla Cats First Real Run at the Race Track

As some of you know who read my scribbles about life on Estancia La Margarita I promised my son Dale when he was a spog that one day we would own a race horse –this was especially true after a successful gambling session at say Kempton Racetrack. Course the years rolled by Dale grew up and now lives in New Zealand and me of course in Argentina.  But I still always wanted to own  a race horse and as I wrote in one of my blogs a year ago I, with four  others, purchased my very first race horse.

It’s been a year of training and good few quid per month in training and vet fees (Stevie you know all about that love ya for the advice i.e. don’t buy one!)  plus a patient wait before our trainer decided that Amalla Cat was ready for the big time. He was put into a race two weeks ago. We duly turned up full of the enthusiasm of new race horse owners only to find that the other four  horses in the race didn’t fancy their chancres against the mighty Amalla Cat  and  promptly backed out of the race –  we were pretty upset because we wanted to see how he did . The good news however, was that we pocketed 2500 pesos (about 700US) as prize money  for being the only horse prepared to run– umm not bad at all.

Our trainer decided that a few weeks ago to enter him into a race last Sunday. It was a 800 meter flat race in Azul a large town near Tapalque. The race he was in had 13 other runners and was being run at 5.30. Course this being Argentina it eventually got run at 6.30! We arrived at the track fired up after our bloodless  first victory thinking maybe the others in the race will drop out and leave us with the pot again – it didn’t happen!  As the time neared for our race we got word from our regular jockey  who  had been training with the horse that he had taken ill and that we would need to  find a  substitute ( oh for Kieron Fallen) . That was not good news as we all knew however,our trainer rushed around and found a jockey to ride him in the race – luckily. Now Amalla Cat is a pretty highly strung horse and as soon as our new jockey got on him he nearly got thrown off – not a good start. Still he persevered and off they went to the post. After an agonizing ten minute wait at the post the off was given and we were in business.

The race seemed over in a flash – did we win nah we came forth – will he win - yes I am pretty sure he will. He was 4^th by only a few meters and had on him a jockey who didn’t know the horse. Pretty soon he will run again and I have high hopes that the next time he will do better even if he doesn’t it’s a fun thing to do especially as it was always one of my dreams to own a horse  - just a shame Dale could be here to see it.

This is David Cummings alias the English gaucho - hasta pronto