Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Cow Surfing






I’m both tired and rested and I have many a grand tale to tell.
I spent a Gratitude Monday ((19 Jan.)on a ranch in Uruguay. Wine, beer, and barbecue. Uruguay has a strong French influence and it shows in the wine. I had a Tannat that was magnificent.
I followed with the Cabernet Sauvignon which was fine. If I’d had it before the Tannat I’m sure I would have raved about it, but the Tannat is that good. So good that the white I had after the Cabernet was vile.
The beer I had to start with was really good, too.
We rode in a hay wagon in the blistering heat. We could milk a cow and go for horseback ride and we watched a gaucho show and ate and ate and ate.
Any other time the fact that I ate sweetbreads as an appetizer and liked it would have been the high water mark of the day. Barbecued pancreas is tasty.
It was a wonderful day spent in fine company, but by far the most memorable event of the day was cow surfing.
Okay, I have no idea what it’s really called. Guests sat down on a dried cowhide and grabbed on to a long line of leather attached to the gaucho’s saddle. We hooked our feet in said strap and hung on for dear life as we were hauled around the pasture.
Rule No. 1: Keep your mouth closed.
Canadian readers will recognize the eerie similarity to riding a banana skin behind a ski-doo.
It was an absolute blast.
I would love to do it again although I don’t recall ever seeing anything like it here.
I’m still recovering from the cruise and the long trip home so this will be a short post.
It’s good to be home.

17 comments:

Erin said...

Glad you had a great time and you were missed!

Conny said...

Yaay! You're home! It's the kind of welcome you'd receive if we were your children.

Good to have you back. :>)

Leah J. Utas said...

Erin, thanks so much.

Conny, what a wonderful greeting.
Thanks.

the Bag Lady said...

So glad you are home!! I missed you. And cow surfing sounds like a hoot. Maybe I could start a cow-surfing business out here on the ranch...
:)

Leah J. Utas said...

dfBag Lady, it's good to be back.

You have my full support for your cow-surfing business.

Hilary said...

Welcome back, Leah. It sounds like you had a blast. Glad to hear you had such fun. :)

Barbara Martin said...

Welcome back. From this first post it looks like you had an entertaining time way down south. Cow surfing looked kind of interesting...and you managed to stand upright after switching wines. That takes talent.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Hilary. It was a blast.

Barbara, cow surfing is the way to go. It simply must be experienced.

I was quite surprised. I drank beer and several glasses of wine in near +30 heat and it barely registered with me. It may have made the cow surfing even more fun than it would be on its own.

Anonymous said...

glad you had such a good time but we so missed your musings around here.

welcome back!

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, MizFit.

Missicat said...

Welcome back! mmmmm...love red wine, may have to take a trip to Uraguay now!
Cow surfing??? *snort* Don't tell the Bag Lady about it - give her ideas!

Thomma Lyn said...

Welcome home, Leah! I missed you. Wow, sounds like a fabulous and fascinating trip. What great pictures -- cow surfing! That's hilarious. Can't wait to hear more about your adventures!

Leah J. Utas said...

Missicat, thanks. It's good to be back.
I can't say enough about the Tannat.

Thomma Lyn, oh thank you. It was a fascinating trip. There'll be more posts. I have nearly 550 pics.
Mr. Goat has closer to 600.

Reb said...

You're Back!!! I'm so glad, we all missed you.

The cow surfing looks like fun! I love the advice to keep your mouth shut ;)

Can't wait to hear more and see more photos!

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Reb.
Much more to come.

Crabby McSlacker said...

Wow, cow surfing and barbecued pancreas, it doesn't get any better!

Actually, it sounds like a total BLAST.

And the wine sounds amazing!!

Leah J. Utas said...

Crabby, it was. If you ever find Uruguayan Tannat try it.