Copa América 2004-Football (Soccer)-Virtual Tour of Peru

I've read at least two novels seemingly based in Peru in the time of the sendero luminoso, am having trouble remembering the second, but liked this one - in fact I think my first, or one of my first, a2k signatures was taken from a poetic moment in a grizzly scene in this book -

The Dancer Upstairs

I of course am a stranger to Peru, but from here I thought the book was valuable.

The Dancer Upstairs is quite a good film.

Back to the tournament.

Semifinal Colombia 0, Argentina 3.

Argentina was really the first serious team Colombia had to face.

Who will play against Argentina in the final?

Yes,Argentina in the final, very good.


My hint: Uruguay....

Actually, Argentina played without three of their stars. D'Alessandro and Saviola were rested and Ayala was suspended for yellow card accumulation.

Colombia was colorless.

Uruguay is always a tough team, in any sense of the word (they are known as "La Garra Charrúa", the Uruguayan Claw), but Brazil has, by far, the better football.

The Argentina-Uruguay game, in the qualifying round was among the best. A "River Plate" final would be fun.
But Argentina-Brazil is the Great South American Classic. And so far those two teams have been the best in the tournament.

Both semis and the final are held in Lima.
Good chance for some more photos of Peru's capital:

This is the presidential palace:


This is a typical downtown scene:


And these are festivities in honor of Saint Rose of Lima, Peru's patron saint:

hmm, Brazil at penalty wins against Uruguay with 5:3. Players of the game: Adriano again and goalkeeper Julio Cesar ...

So the final: Argentina-Brazil. Argentina should be win.

Adriano really wasn't in vein yesterday (and he never recovers a ball, he's like old time "cracks" Gerson and Rivelino). Uruguay fought fiercely and conceded no space, but Brazilians were always more dangerous in normal time (1-1).

All in all, it was a fair result.

The semifinal, tomorrow, between Colombia and Uruguay, will take place at Cusco, the capital of the most touristy region of Peru.



The imperial Inca city was founded by Manco Capac on the XI century, the Spanish "foundation" (conquest) is from 1534.

This is the religious complex of Coricancha. You'll notice how the Catholic church was imposed over the destroyed temple of the Inca gods. This was a very common Spanish practice in the conquest of the American empires:



An important ceremony in Cusco in Inti Raymi, on every June 24th, celebrating the rebirth of the Sun (notice the similarities with Christmas, we are in the Southern hemisphere). The Sovereing Inca arrives in a berth covered with gold and silver, to the sounds of drums, flutes and quenas. He prays in Quechua to the Sun God and pledges allegiance to it, while the people kneel in silence.

This feast was originally celebrated in the Square of Huacaypata, what it now the Central Plaza of Cusco. Now it's celebrated in the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, outside the city.

What a wonderful thread, Fbaezer. I have read through it all, but I wish that I had found it earlier. Moving to Lima was an idea that I had about six years ago, that never came through.

Do you all have an inkling as to who will win the cup, at the moment?

OK, from the depths of my ignorance I say:
Brazil - 2
Argentina - 1

Predictions?

From Cusco, already over 2 miles altitude, you must make a long uphill journey to Macchu Picchu, the ceremonial center of the Incas.
The following is a great site, with a detail trail from Cusco to Macchu Picchu, and stunning pictures (different from the ones on this post). It's in English and has a good explanation:
The Inca Trail and Macchu Picchu

Macchu Picchu means "Old Mountain" in Quechua. The city presides the Urubamba valley, and was a productive, administrative, militar and religious center.

The city is majestic:



It is believed to have been constructed by the great ruler Pachacuti around the middle of the XV century. The Spanish conquistadors never found the site, probably because it was abandoned before the conquest. Since the Incas "wrote" with knots there are no codes left to explain why they left it.



It was discovered in 1911 by a British explorer. This is what's left of the central plaza:




And the terraces for agriculture show an interesting blending of culture and nature. The city and the mountain were one.

Thanks for your comments, Drom et Sueño.

As for who will win the cup, I dunno. I still say Argentina is the better side, but Brazil is always Brazil, and second place for them is no good. George may be right.

Parreira, the Brazilian coach, says he has "a tactical surprise" for the Argentinians.
Bielsa, the Argentinian coach, says he will play "with six attackers". Let's see what he means by that.

Since the South American Championship became Copa America, with "guests" from Concacaf, there has never been an Argentina-Brazil final.

These are the champions of the last editions:

2001: Colombia (over Mexico)
1999: Brazil (over Uruguay)
1997: Brazil (over Bolivia)
1995: Uruguay (over Brazil in penalties)
1993: Argentina (over Mexico)

The tournament used to be held every two years, now they skipped one, will play again in 2007 and, from then on, every four years (or so they say).

To finish our virtual visit to Peru, let's comment about other features of this fascinating nation.

The Nazca lines, along the Peruvian center-south shores, between Lima and Arequipa.



Beyond Sci-fi nut theories, they had most likely some religious meaning. Says Skepdic.com: "If Nazca was an alien airfield, it must have been a very confusing airfield, consisting as it does of giant lizards, spiders, monkeys, llamas, dogs, hummingbirds, etc."

Lake Titicaca is set beyond Macchu Pacchu, between Peru and Bolivia. It is the highest navigable lake in the world (3800 meters, some 12500 feet, above sea level).



In the top of the Puna (the Peruvian high plane), surrounded by mountains, it's full of legends: they thought it was bottomless, or that its profoundities hid cities made of gold and silver. Now it's famous for it's "hay islands"



Huancavélica is also interesting. It is a mainly Quechua and Aymara region in the Central- Southern Andes of Peru, between Lima and Ayacucho, next to the Puna heights.






The Peruvian Northeast is totally different than the rest. It's the Amazonia province. It's hot and humid capital, Iquitos, is surrounded by towns in which people live houses built over "pilotes" (I don't know the English word for those big sticks). In the Peruvian side, the Amazones is so wide, you can't see the other shore. They call it "the river-sea".
Two of the best novels by Peru's Mario Vargas Llosa, "The Green House" and "Pantaleon and the Visitors" are set in this region.

Thanks for the wonderful virtual tour.
An excellent selection of pictures and commentary to go with them.

(I think the best English word for "pilotes" would be "piles" or "pilings". I've seen them called "stilts" as well.)

You're welcome, George. My pleasure.

Today is the game for 3rd place, in Cusco.

Uruguay should put the Colombian team to its level. Yet, the Colombians are more used to high altitude than the Uruguayans.

Yes, Uruguay 2-1 Colombia.

Today the final: ARGENTINA- Brazil ...

They played under cold weather in Cusco.

Players were wearing gloves. Spectators had layer upon layer of clothing.

Thanks for the thread, fb, and especially the great tour. Wonderful to see Peru from your perspective.

As for the Copa... not much of a surprise in the final, though for just a few glorious minutes it looked like Argentina had it all. <sigh>

Brazil won the championship against Agentina.
So lucky that Brazil got one goal in the last several minutes.
Celebrations!
Congratulations!

Yep, Brazil wins 6-4 (after 2-2 in normal time).

Vibrant first half, but (in Cesar Luis Menotti's words) without the angel of inspiration in the field. In the last minute, Brazil tied.

The second half was fought with courage, but with little intelligence from the players (Bielsa's tactics, all in all, worked: Brazil looked like a broken team during most of the game). Argentina was deservedly winning, but Brazil's power substituted jogo bonito. Adriano tied in reposition time.

ARgentina had lost, mentally, when the penalties started.