Our final day of the voyage, the next stop, and last country—Uruguay. Before breakfast we docked in this capital city of this small country. The weather looked very promising with a light overcast. After officially clearing into the country we started preparations for the day’s activities. One small group would be going around looking for birds in some of the more likely locations in the outskirts of the city and the nearby countryside. The other larger group would spend the morning around the city center and visiting some of the plazas and historical buildings.
We all met around mid-day at a large ranch or estancia situated in the countryside. La Rabida is very much an operating ranch with cattle, both beef and milk, as well as some grain crops. The ranch has been in the family for decades and it is very much a local operation. We were introduced to the people by the owner, Patricia, and learned a little about the family and the ranch operation. While we waited for the lunch to continue cooking a group took various forms of transportation across the property to the edge of the Rio de la Plata for a view of this vast river. A small group went in search of birds in some of the small ponds and forest edging the water. Upon returning the lunch was ready, and what a feast we had with an opportunity to taste the excellent flavor of the local livestock.
Toward the end of lunch we were treated to a performance of a group of gaucho dancers including a gaucha. Then we were off to watch various activities of the ranch including milking of a cow, which was attempted by a few visitors. Also horseback riding and being pulled on a “sleigh ride” while sitting on a cow hide and pulled by a horse. Then the fun had to end and we said goodbye to the new friends of La Rabida. Back to the port on the ship to pack and then away we went to cross the Rio de la Plata to Argentina.
