Hide and sheep from the horses!

RM trying to birdwatch with his faithful frend!

HJ has now mastered the art of the graceful dismount!

This is what Patagonia is all about

We are now at a sheep ranch (El Galpon de Glacier) in Patagonia which is just outside El Calafate and on the banks of Lago Argentino (the fourth largest lake in South America).  The views are absolutely stunning with varied blues in the lake, brown, tawny mountains and snow capped Andes.  There are horses and sheep all around.  As you can see from the photographs we have been riding again, and as HJ is now an experienced horse-woman, she is able to mount and dismount with elegance!  MJ our guide thinks I will now be stiff competition for Zara Phillips!  We have also been birdwatching and seen a variety of ducks and flamingos.  HJ got rather carried away with the photographs and has beaten RMs all time record for snapping flamingos in Kenya.  The evening started with coffee and cakes ovelooking the lake at 5pm.  We then watched a sheep dog handling demonstration with kelpie dogs (a cross between a Scottish breed and Australian dingos), gaucho games, sheep shearing demonstration, a lakeside walk and finally finished with a fantastic lamb barbeque and traditional Patagonian dancing which fortunatley we didn't have to participate in!  A trip to the glacier beckons today.