Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(by Martin Strel, professional marathon swimmer -link-)

My name is Martin Strel. I’m from a very small but beautiful country called Slovenia. It’s a small country, a tiny country, but over the last 6 years, I, for one, have set myself and achieved, some incredibly large goals:

- To be the first and only person to swim the Danube river - 1877 miles (3021 km).
- The first and only person to swim the Mississippi river - 2360 miles (3798 km).
- The first and only person to swim the Yangtze river in China - 2500 miles (4023 km).

And I have come at last to what looks like the impossible challenge of being the first and only person to swim the Amazon river.

From close to its source in Atalaya, Peru, to where it spills out of the Amazon Basin into the Atlantic, at Belem, Brazil. Some 3375 miles (5430 km).

No one has ever done this... I know that I’m going against almost insurmountable odds, but I have my reasons.

Some of which I’m going to tell you about.

(LIP-wb) -- His initial speech given during his introduction in the middle of the European summer was exemplary: for high hopes and that, as of now, always the opposite occurred of what both sides had promised each other ever since their liaison began.

During the World Cup in Germany last year, Paolo Guerrero, wearing a a fashionable velvet jacket, introduced himself to the fans and public of his new home in Hamburg and - according to the spirit induced by his former club Bayern Munich where he was pampered by success  - by speaking of winning the "Double", the German championship and cup.

“But at some point I also want to win the Champions League", he said. Big words, little effect. The 2.8 million Euro investment scored only two goals in Germany's first half season, but at least he scored the decisive goal in Hamburg's only win so far (2:1 at Leverkusen) even though he was substituted late in the game, which tells a lot. Sitting on the bench as a substitute (a.k.a. joker) was a role Guerrero didn't want to play anymore. He had enough of that in Munich.

(by Jason Woods)
 

Universitario won gainst Alianza by a score of 3:2 (Photo: Daniel Valdivia y José Callañaupa, peru.com)

Last Sunday, I went with my host brother and two other guys to the biggest fútbol game in Peru--Alianza Lima vs. Universitario. I was going for Alianza, but, unfortunately, La U won 3-2. (Note: "La U" translates exactly into "The U," as in The University of Miami... reason enough to dismiss La U as a bunch of thugs...).

It was nice being in an intensely competitive atmosphere once again. In fact, it felt pretty familiar during most of the game, except for a few things. First, Peruvians seem to be obsessed with whistling. So, instead of the "roar" of the crowd, I heard... kind of an intense chirping... or maybe like the screaming of jets or something. The Peruvian fans also bring actual whistles and blow them, too. And, then there are the more agressive noisemakers that sound like cannonfire.

But, otherwise, this was very reminscent of sporting events I have attended in the United States.

...that is, until the game ended. This is when the running began.

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