My first visit to Argentina was one of intrigue and excitement. Not only was it one of the first countries I visited in the southern hemisphere, it also boasted having the best meat in the world.

Availability of vegetables is few and far between. You either switch to being a carnivore or die of starvation

How good could it be? After all, I devoured a massive succu-lent steak in Houston, Texas, and that was, in American terms, awesome.

On arrival in Buenos Aires, I was invited to a party and met two rather yummy girls, one from Italy and the other from Spain.

During our conversation, they confessed they were veggies prior to living in Argentina but were soon converted.

“You have no choice,” they said. “Availability of vegetables is few and far between. You either switch to being a carnivore or die of starvation.”

So, with a small knapsack and cameras in hand, I waited at the pre-arranged meeting place, a corner shop in Pilar. My host and guide was to collect me for a week’s exploration of the vast plains of La Pampa.

No sooner had I wolfed down a couple of deliciously hot empanadas (meat pasties), a bright red Renault 5 screamed around the corner and screeched to a halt. “Hola, amigo!” A largish man with a broad, amiable smile leapt out of his car.

We exchanged pleasantries and soon set off. Gordo, as he was amiably known to friends and family, actually means ‘fat’, in an affectionate way.

I couldn’t help notice that the bottom half of his steering wheel had been sawn off to accommodate his rather large midriff. Needless to say, seatbelts were out of the question.

I immediately took to this jolly fellow and knew that I was in for a great time. I wasn’t to be disappointed. Next morning, Gordo announced over a sumptuous breakfast of empanadas, lamb chops and fire-roasted piglet that, “today we are going to buy cheese”.

We drove for about an hour or so on dusty dirt roads, into the heart of the wide open prairies. The scenery was just spectacular. I asked Gordo to stop to take a picture. There I was in the open plains with a 360˚ flat horizon.

I closed my eyes and lifted my arms and felt the wind in my hair and the sweet fragrance of grass in my nostrils. How closer to nature can you get?

Out of nowhere we came across a largish Amish community, of Germanic origin.

The stark contrast between the soft pale skin, blond hair and blue eyed Mennonites against the rough and rugged olive-skinned gauchos is quite startling.

Keeping very much to themselves, the Nueva Esperanza Mennonites, as they are known, live a frugal and simple life based on the three pillars of family, work and spirituality, with little contact with the outside world.

There was an air of excitement as gauchos decked in their traditional clothes lined up for their event

Fleeing to South America to escape repression and religious persecution, the Mennonites took root in the sprawling wind-swept prairies of La Pampa.

Here they found an ideally isolated location, where they could follow their traditions and simple ways of life without outside interference. Most shun communication with the outside world and being photographed.

One Argentine farmer said: “They are honest and are very disciplined. Their children have very good manners and behave well. They have no prostitution, nor single mothers. They keep their word, we don’t.

Luckily, Gordo’s cousin was well acquainted with the community and we were allowed into the hand-made cheese factory.

“No photos of the workers please,” said the head of the factory in a soft and pacifying voice.

Soon after, we headed back home just in time for round-up, followed by a superb dinner of meats, wine and, of course, cheese.

The pièce de résistance was definitely the annual gathering in Victorica.

Tucked away in the middle of La Pampa and totally unknown to the outside world, this is where gauchos and families meet for a full day of food, drink and rodeo competition.

The massive field was surrounded with each family cooking their own parilla (horizontal roasting), assado (vertical roasting) and, of course empanadas.

So it was of no surprise that I was the only gringo. Inquisitive and rather suspicious looks came my way.

Gordo had gone off to meet his friends but returned soon enough to introduce me to everyone. Suspicion turned to smiles, handshakes, hugs, kisses and open invitations to lunch. Incidentally ‘lunch’ took up most of the day.

“Let the games begin!” blared the loudspeakers.

The horse masters paraded their steeds with pride. There was an air of excitement as gauchos decked in their traditional clothes lined up for their event.

There is a unique love bond between horse and gaucho. After all, they spend most of their lives in a saddle.

While horse and rider were exhibiting their exceptional skills to “ooohs” and “aaahs” and thunderous applause, I was sampling the most exquisite meats I had ever tasted.

Each family was offering me rather large chunks of succulent melt-in-your-mouth choice pieces.

Although pretty well-stuffed, I could not resist another piece, after another, after another...

We chatted about our lifestyles and our mutual love of food, wine, music and family values.

After all, we Maltese are also Latin.

And, yes. Argentina does have the best meat in the world.

Getting there

Emirates operates daily flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai via Rio de Janiero. The Malta-Dubai daily flights are via Cyprus. All flights to Buenos Aires are operated by Boeing 777. The upgraded ICE entertainment system offers over 600 channels of entertainment.