Gooooaaaaalllllllll!!!!!!

Helen and I made it to our first Latin American Footbal game today. Meghan wasn't feeling up to par so she and Debby stayed back for this one, there will be more to come as we live 2 blocks from the Garcilaso stadium here, home of the Cusco Ciencianos. It is not hard to miss game day, the streets are packed, car traffic is re-routed and people stream toward the stadium. Tickets are not sold in a box office but rather by individuals on the street that get to set their own price, they aren't scalping it's just the free market practices here. We got our tickets from a nice lady at the top of our street, who charged us 50 centimos over face value. There were several choices and I went with the cheap option (because that's what I do) in the Popular Norte section. As we got up to the stadim, and the crowds thickened I realized that we had to enter the coresponding gate to our section. Rounding the bend to the north entrance and seeing the line, I wanted to go back to the nice lady and exchange our cheap tixs for something in another section, whatever the price. This was definitely the popular section. Double checking that the color of tickets in everyone's hand matched ours, we walked and walked and walked to the end of the line and waited.

We probably stood in the same place for a good 20 minutes with no movement when the line disapeared with a lot of yells, and everyone started running up the street toward our entrance. Helen and I didn't run but we did walk fast until the line reformed, but this line was all about business and it was only 2 people wide, with alot of pushing and shoving to determine placement. I took the middle of the line and held Helen's hand who stood outside of the line as to not be squashed. I never could figure out where the first, broad, casual line went to and although we we were 100 yards closer to the entrance, I was not happy for the change. This new line did however begin to move but we were always pinned between those in front and those in back. People would ask to cross our line since it was so long, but there were no gaps and I always had someones chest pressing against my back as I was pressed agains the person in front of me. As we got closer to the ticket checkpoint the crowd around us thickened and I could see the purpose of this determined line to stay intact. We were passing through a crowd just outside the entrance and these folks in line new that any break in the line could offer a new line an opening. Maybe the folks in our last line were somewhere in this crowd.... it was crazy!

After about 10 minutes of that we finally made it into the stadium as the game was just starting. There are four quadrants and we were in Popular Norte. All tickets are general admission and the only seating restrictions are that you don't climb the 20 foot fences seperating the quadrants to better your view. There are no seats but concrete risers with no delineations what so ever, and by the time we got in our section (by far the most crowded of the 4) was about 75% full. We made it around to an open area with an OK view at the top of a landing. There was a constrant stream of folks passing by to the remaining "seats" to our left but we did get to see the Ciensianos score the first against the visting Sport Boys through the gaps. The roar in the stadium was impressive and after hearing many a "Goooooaaaaaallllll" from a TV or radio, it was fun to be there in person.

The stream of people never stopped however until every available space around us and in front of us was taken. People sat on the stairs, on the landings, in the walkways and soon Helen and I couldn't see the field. Crowd watching held our attention for a little while and Helen played a bit with a baby boy next to us, but soon after the lolipops that we had purchased in line were gone we were ready go go. At the end of the first half we offered our seats to the folks sitting at our feet and headed out.

Next game, I think I will pay the extra 2 soles for the better seats, or even sit in the visitor section, it looked quite empty.