Just had an e.mail from a friend about "Not swimming in the Amazon due to Piranhas" <img src ="http://uk.f862.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download/uk/ShowLetter?box=Inbox&MsgId=5884_5797377_217877_1850_293644_0_85267_399404_304725145&bodyPart=1.3&YY=18619&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&Idx=1"> What'd they use for bait.... A medium size cow??? ............. Just checked google and there's a you tube about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc2NJDqkqPw
Yes, it's true... You also shouldn't pee in the Amazon. What happens is this - there is a parasite called the Candiru fish in tropical South America. Its an evil tiny little fish that swims up your urine stream in the jungle rivers, and once within your private parts, opens up it's barbed fins, so as to lodge itself there! It is said to be so excrutiatingly painful that only complicated surgery will get it out-and from the inner bladder end! Where hospital and medical aid is weeks away, amputation may be your only life-saving option!
Being female, I doubt the amputation part would be a problem for me! Also I doubt I would try swimming as I'm not very good - I swim in circles as one side of my body is stronger than the other.
No, but... Tribes in and around the Amazon forests use a 'special' contraption for ladies who suffer from the parasite. It's like a small umbrella, it's inserted into the tuppy and once fully inside it's opened up...then it is scraped down and out in an attempt to pull the parasite free and out.
Sounds painful. As I said don't think I fancy going swimming, I live with enough pain without inflicting more on myself.
