Markham College Swimming Gala and Fountain Park

Pictures courtesy of Jeff 'master photographer' Schwartje

Last Friday saw me attend my first school gala that I was not in charge of organising (who am I kidding, Hayley did the organising and I just turned up). Anyway, I had nothing to do with this and it was great!
The whole school crams into the stands to watch the swimmers and all the kids are dressed in their house colours. The blue house had people dresses as Avatar people and The Cookie Monster, the red house had Elmo, the yellow house had Pikachu and the green house had the grinch. They were all dresses in full costumes with no expense spared. The event itself had the kids all swimming in school swimming costumes and wearing silicone hats with their house emblazened on the side.
It was impressive stuff and much of the swimming lived up to the high standard set by the atmosphere at the poolside. School records were smashed, races had photo finishes, with Peruvian Natiional Judges as the time keepers it was all a bit more thorough that Mr Owen at the end of the pool stamping his pole and asking swimmers to 'plunge away'.
The finale was a staff relay and I had been training for at least a week to get into peak physical shape for my one length of the pool. I was in the best shape of my life (well my best shape this year anyway) and I was ready to go. I was wearing big board shorts as I was a tad afraid that wearing Speedos in front of 1,000 young kids may be an arrestable offence in Peru, but I was so pumped that even baggy shorts were not going to slow me down on this day.
The started called us to the blocks, I fidgeted with my goggles, fidgetted a bit more and then got into track start position. The crowd went silent and the started bellowed 'take your marks'. I was ready and my moment of destiny had arrived.
I tensed to pull back on the board, sprung forward just as the whistle went and dived in..........
15 seconds later, I looked across after just finishing and saw everyone else touch the wall. I had won my length! The crowd were cheering as I pulled myself up out of the water knowing that I had been good enough to win. This prestigious field included three women, a man with a sprained ankle, two 17 year old kids and an Old Markhamian who was obviously aged the wrong side of 40.My moment of glory had been short lived as I realised that nobody else was actually that good, but anyway I am sure a great man once said ýou can only beat what is put out against you'.
After the excitement of the swimming, it was off to fountain park in central Lima (Its not actually called that but I cant really pronounce the Peruvian name for it, so fountain park it is).
This park is a collection of fountains and light shows all set to music and with the chance to run through many of the fountains whilst trying to dodge the water (see the photos in the Flickr album).
It is a very enjoyable place and all the more impressive considering that we are in a desert. Where they get all the water from I dont really know and how they only charge the equivalent of 80p to get in, I have even less of a clue.
DJ tried to get us thrown out by spraying the water at everyone (no tocar el agua) was shouted at him several times through a loud hailer. He also then trespassed into the musical fountain exhibit and them persuaded me to venture into the fountain pyramid (see Flickr photos). The place is a must for anyone visiting Lima and the light, water and laser show is a unique event that has to be seen.

Adios