POLO.

So the perfect Argentinian day looks like this: 

You go with a professional polo player to his family's house in the country. They have about 20 horses there that they use to practice polo. He and his brother/cousins teach you how to play polo, take you to a real polo match, you have an asado (grill-out... with chorizo and beef.. YUM) for lunch, drink mate in the afternoon, and play more polo afterwards.

...I asked what I'd have to do to get adopted into this family. They said adoption might not be an option but I could always marry in. No worries, I could totally be on board with that.

To the right you see a picture of a pro polo match. They were... really good.

<---So this is Bernardo Bravo. He's a professional polo player and has played all over the world. I took this picture so that Aunt Sandy could see what hat he's wearing :] It's a John Deere one, of course! 

In the morning they taught us "stick and ball." Then we took a break for lunch and to go see a match. Afterward we "played" a polo match. And by that I mean we paired up with two Argentinians and two Americans per team... it really involved more them laughing at us than an actually game... but they were nice about it :] they'd slow way down and let us try to get a hit every once in awhile. It was so sad though... I'd get so excited about hitting the ball two feet in the right direction, and then Guillermo or Facundo would come up outta no where and hit it 120 feet in the opposite direction.... there was a just a bit of a wide disparity in skill level, you see...

Bernardo used to be the "piloto" for Adolfo Cambiaso, the #1 ranked polo player in the world. Cambiaso gave him his old helmet, and I got to wear it while I played! So here I am, playing polo, wearing the same helmet as one of the greatest players! Maybe that's why Bernardo and Facundo told me I was the best player of the day and named me MVP! (True story! I actually wasn't so bad!)

Is that me on the right? or the left? I can't even tell.

Our whole group. 

Okay, and I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't melt completely out of my chest by the time the day was over. Do you see all these adorable boys who not only speak Spanish, but ride horses and are crazy talented? I fell in love. With all of them.

Cover of the next Polo magazine? I think so.

It really was such a perfect day--I can't even explain it all in words, you just had to experience it! I now have such a huge appreciate for polo players (how do they lean over so far without falling off?? how do they not get hit with the mallet??). It was so hard to maneuver a horse with one hand and try to hit a ball with another! (During the match I'd hit the ball a couple times in a row, but then my horse would get excited and start galloping a lot faster... it was so hard! haha)
Probably the best day I've had here so far.... the ranch was absolutely beautiful and the whole family was so welcoming! I loved every minute!