August 2016 The Huaraz Telegraph by The Huaraz Telegraph

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THE HUARAZ TELEGRAPH

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August 2016

The American paleoclimatologist and Distinguished University Professor in the School of Earth Sciences at the Ohio State University, Lonnie G. Thompson was in the Huaraz area for a couple of weeks to investigate the state of the ice on the highest mountain in Peru and shocked our editor during the interview by predicting that the Pastoruri Glacier will probably be gone within ten years. In 2001, the famous research scientist predicted that the renowned snows of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa would melt within the next 20 years. Additionally he stated that global warming poses a huge and present threat to our civilization and mankind.

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Shocking: ¨The Pastoruri Glacier will probably disappear within ten years¨

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Four mountaineers All volunteering killed on Huascarán options in Huaraz

July the 19th proved to be a sad day in the long history of mountaineering in the Huaraz area as four climbers got killed by an avalanche on Peru´s highest mountain. The avalanche occurred at a point called La Canaleta Authentic and unique (picture of the rescue operation by the guides of the AGMP) on the Italian ice-cream in Huaraz Huascarán. La Canaleta (5,800m) is the most dangerous part of the climb and is located just before camp two. Two of the very unfortunate Gelateria / heladería mountaineers were from Mexico (Carlos Guido Belkovsky Roscón and Jr. San Martin 1213, Huaraz, José Miguel Mendoza Paulin) and their guides were from Huaraz (Julio Tel: 221542, 943627749 RPC 943357147 Constantino Suarez Rey and Gilberto Silverio Loli Sánchez)

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You’ve rocked up in Huaraz, and you’ve been wowed by the postcard scenery of the Callejón de Huaylas and the peaks of the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra. Perhaps when you’ve been walking or climbing in those mountains you’ve noticed how poor some of the villagers are, and want to do something to help give them a hand up to a better life. Perhaps you’ve come here with the intention of volunteering to give something to people who need it. Maybe you want to understand how people live here, and not just hang out with other tourists or do only touristy things. What are your options in the Huaraz area?

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The Huaraz Telegraph freely available! The Huaraz Telegraph is available for free at the following hostels and hotels in Huaraz. We do not recommend any hostel in particular as we are completely neutral. We did however only list those hostels where our target audience is able to read our paper and thus we are very proud to announce that around 50 lodging services in and around Huaraz are happy to provide its guests with multiple monthly editions of The Huaraz Telegraph.

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Consumer rights for tourists in Peru and the value of life My part-time job at local TV station Cable Andino often offers interesting opportunities to interview people who work in the tourism industry. Having Dutch as my first language makes interviewing them in Spanish fairly challenging, but it is getting easier. For those wondering how a Dutch fella was able to get a job as a news anchor at a local TV station in Huaraz, the answer is simple. It wasn’t because I paid for it, or because of my blue eyes, or perhaps being the best journalist; I got the job because the general manager of Cable Andino liked The Huaraz Telegraph a lot and he was looking for an impartial person that worked in journalism. I was apparently the right person. Trust me, it´s a great part-time job, and even though I have made a million and a half mistakes and mispronunciations, it´s the prime reason that I walk through town sometimes with a big smile on my face wondering how many other foreigners around the world are presenting the local news in the overseas country that they live in. A couple of weeks ago I invited the person in charge of INDECOPI (the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property) to our programme to talk about consumer defence and the fact that many people complain about the interprovincial bus companies doubling the prices of their bus tickets around public holidays such as Independence Day (28th of July). Dr. Jorge Cabel Villarroel said that this is just a matter of supply and demand in a free market. He added, however, that if people purchased their bus tickets three months in advance there would be significant differences in prices. A study by INDECOPI revealed that tickets from Lima to Trujillo, Cusco and Chimbote would only be between 5% and 6% cheaper when bought in advance, Arequipa 16% and Piura 18% and to Ica 20%. You can probably already see where this is leading: tickets to Huaraz top the list as they would be 63% cheaper for economic services and 35% for exclusive services. It made me think; why always Huaraz? The head of INDECOPI further recommended citizens to plan their trips and buy bus tickets as far in advance as possible and to use only the services of well established companies. Interestingly, INDECOPI serves not only Peruvians, but also international travellers. If you´re heading south after Huaraz, and you visit Aguas Calientes (the town near Machu Picchu), make sure that restaurants don’t add a ´tourist tax´ to the bill because this doesn’t exist! If this happens to you, take a picture of the bill first then ask for the libro de reclamaciones (complaints book), and with a copy of your complaint report the establishment in question to INDECOPI. Make sure you get a boleta de venta (official sales bill with the logo of the restaurant and their address, telephone etc. on it) and not a simple piece of crappy paper with your order on it. This is the only manner that tourism can become sustainable. Although personnel at INDECOPI in Huaraz don’t speak any English, you could visit the Tourist Police or the office of I-Perú and ask them to help you in case no one in your hostel or hotel speaks your language. In general, in the south of Peru people speak more English. Another important thing I feel obligated to mention is the following. In my July foreword I said that I couldn’t recall the last time I was informed by the Tourist Police that a tourist got assaulted in Huaraz. Sadly, we were informed about five tourists and their guide who were mugged at gun point near the Willcahuaín Ruins. Two days after that we were informed about the most deadly accident of this year´s climbing season. Unfortunately, these deadly mountain incidents happen every year and we have to report on those happenings, although I personally prefer the subjects that do not in involve death or violence. Although I am not a mountaineer myself, these happenings make you analyse the value of your life. Rex Broekman (founder and editor in chief) PD: Would you like to join our team or fancy sharing your story, or maybe you would like to help us expanding, there are many opportunities available. Please feel free to contact us for more information. Taking all the above into account, please do me a huge favour and visit the businesses that have put their trust in our hands by buying an ad. Try to read our newspaper at those places so the owner will know that their purchase is having an effect. My gratitude will be immense.

Para propietarios de hoteles y hostales en nuestra ciudad: En el caso que hemos excluido su establecimiento, nuestras disculpas. Por favor, póngase en contacto con el Huaraz Telegraph para asegurarse que sea mencionada en la próxima edición de nuestro periódico gratuito.

About the editor of The Huaraz Telegraph Rex Broekman (33) was born in the Netherlands and is living in Huaraz since 2007. During this time he has taught English at the Language Centre of the National University of UNASAM, and to psychology, computer information systems´, civil engineering and architecture students at the San Pedro University in Huaraz. He holds a degree in marketing and is about to finish an additional degree in education at the San Marcos University in Lima. Mr. Broekman founded the newspaper in 2012, and since March 2014 he also works as news anchor of the programme El Informativo at channel three (Mon-Fri 7pm) at Cable Andino in Huaraz. Derecho de autor y deposito legal (esp.)

Descargo de responsabilidad (esp.)

Telegraph® es una marca registrada en INDECOPI. Todos los artículos actuales y anteriores son propiedad y son reclamados por The Huaraz Telegraph y no pueden ser reproducidas por ningún medio sin permiso escrito del Telegraph®. Derecho de autor general sobre todos los contenidos, composición y diseño por The Huaraz Telegraph, Huaraz, Perú - © 2012 – 2016. Hecho el depósito legal: 2013-007727

Nosotros nos sentimos muy orgullosos de comunicar que los artículos publicados son escritos por nosotros o por nuestros lectores. En comparación, existen muchas revistas en circulación en la ciudad y ellas no sobresalen en originalidad porque la gran mayoría de sus artículos vienen de línea recta del internet. Nuestros artículos son originales y con temas interesantes tratamos de llamar la atención del lector. Los textos publicados en The Huaraz Telegraph tienen una finalidad meramente informativa y entretenida. Los artículos publicados en esta edición de ninguna manera tienen la intención de molestar o herir a nadie y simplemente reflejan la opinión de los autores sobre sus experiencias (profesionales) en ciertos eventos, a ciertos comportamientos o hábitos de nuestra sociedad. En el caso que tiene dudas o preguntas, puede dirigirse directamente a nuestro editor.

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016 Tragic disaster on Huascarán as four climbers lose their lives July the 19th proved to be a sad day in the long history of mountaineering in the Huaraz area as four climbers killed by an avalanche on Peru´s highest mountain. The avalanche occurred at a point called La Canaleta on the Huascarán Mountain. La Canaleta (5,800m) is the most dangerous part of the climb and is located just before camp two. Two of the unfortunate maintainers, Carlos Guido Belkovsky Roscón and José Miguel Mendoza Paulin, were from Mexico and their guides, Julio Constantino Suarez Rey and Gilberto Silverio Loli Sánchez, were from the Huaraz area. Ruben Jaen Castaño, also from Mexico, survived the tragedy on Huascarán as did Spanish climbers Xavier Guallaprte Peiro and Marc Veza Rodiño. Apart from the mountaineers, porters Santiago Cochachini Albino and Marino Caldua Milla from the local town of Yarush were wounded by the avalanche but made it back to Huaraz thanks to professional guides Agripìno Henostroza, Marcos Broncano and Walter Albino, members of the police, porters and some volunteer mountaineers who formed the rescue team. In an interview with the local press, Ruben Jaen Castaño was said to be dismayed and worried for his friends´ families and children. The Mexican mountaineer also admitted that mountaineering is a dangerous sport with risks but that these things unfortunately happen in life. “The blocks of ice that came with the avalanche in La Canaleta were as big as refrigerators; I can’t remember whether I lost consciousness. Thanks to a miracle of God I am still alive. I felt that I got hit by ice on my helmet and everything turned dark. A couple of Australians have rescued me; I believe one was called Christian. I hope he will contact me soon because I owe him my life.” Ruben Jaen Castaño also praised the deceased Peruvian guide that led the expedition. The seven mountaineers were tethered together with rope, but when the avalanche hit them there was nothing they could do. The Mexican furthermore praised the guides of the Asociación de Guías de Montaña del Perú (AGMP) because of their quick reaction after the accident and by setting up a rescue mission. “The guides were able to get there in less than four hours I believe, which is incredible. I feel deeply sad because of the loss of my friends. I have no idea why God has decided that I had to survive the incident. Thanks to the presence of the Mexican consul in Huaraz I don’t feel lonely at the moment.” The three Mexicans had earlier successfully conquered Ishinca Mountain, Mount Urus and Tocllaraju. It´s the second time in the last month that climbers have got in trouble in the Cordillera Blanca. On July the 13th, American mountaineers Ryan Nasters, Andrew Reed, Austen Beason, and Ben Ammon tried to conquer the north peak of Huandoy, when at around 11 o´clock in the morning Andrew Reed got hit by falling ice. Reed luckily survived the incident.

Brief Local News Peruvian citizen and professional mountain guide Victorino Bacilio Huaranga from Llamac of the district Pacllón in province of Bolognesi was killed on Thursday May the 12th at around 1 am, when he fell while trying to summit the Rasaq Mountain in the Cordillera Huayhuash.

A dream place in the heart of the Andes

Five meteorological stations installed to evaluate rainfall behaviour in the Andes A special delegation from the University of Hamburg in Germany and the Unit of Glaciology and Water Resources installed five meteorological stations to evaluate the behaviour of rainfall during the different stages of the year. Martina Neuburger, coordinator from the University of Hamburg said that the installation of the five stations is very important to show the connection between climate change, precipitations and the availability in general of water. Two stations were installed in the Cordillera Blanca, two others in the Cordillera Negra, and a fifth station was set up at the Environmental Research Centre for Development at the local University Santiago Antunez de Mayolo in Huaraz. The installation will allow comparing of the level of rainfall in different areas in both mountain ranges around the city of Huaraz. Rafael Figueroa Tauquino, head of the Centre for Environmental Research for Development of the Faculty of Environment at the National University Santiago Antunez de Mayolo said that the local residents of the community Jose Carlos Mariategui in the Cordillera Negra showed their enthusiasm and promised to take care of the rain stations. The stations will be administrated by the unit of glaciology and should obtain permanent information on the behaviour of rainfall, which must contribute into the better making of decisions for water resources management. Climate change has altered the normal cycle of rainfall in the Andes, and the collection of this type of information should help by making more precise prognoses on rainfall in this part of the country. During the months of June until September many local communities suffer from drought, which affects their harvest. “South America and Peru too are suffering from international terrorism” Jean-Paul Glassey, originally from the Canton of Valais in Switzerland and former president of the chamber of tourism in Áncash, said that South America and Peru are suffering indirectly from international terrorism. The owner of the adventure tour agency Las Cordilleras stated to the local press that he read an interesting article on travelling, published in France, and a survey revealed that the majority of the French implied that fear of terrorism is the main reason not to travel this year. “Many people will not visit South America, not because there is no peace on the South American soil, but the problem is clearly Europe. People avoid bus and train stations, and also the airports.” An architect by trade, Glassey, who also works in tourism, also shared his Continue reading on page 20

San Sebastian Hotel Boutique Jirón Italia 1124 - Huaraz (Behind the Ministry of Agriculture) 0051-43-426960 / 0051-43-425856 Email: reservas@sansebastianhuaraz.com www.facebook.com/sansebastianhuaraz/ Visit our restaurant “Las Leñas” Andean, creole and international cuisine Open 7/7 from 19:00 to 10:30 VISIT: WWW.THEHUARAZTELEGRAPH.COM

Interview

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Lonnie G. Thompson: ¨The Pastoruri Glacier will probably disappear within ten years¨

The American paleoclimatologist and distinguished university professor at the School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Lonnie G. Thompson spoke with the editor of The Huaraz Telegraph about his perspective on glacier retreat, his global recognition for his drilling and analysis of ice cores from mountain glaciers and ice caps in the tropical and subtropical regions and about the future of mankind as temperatures are rising all around the globe. The paleoclimatologist was in the Huaraz area for a couple of weeks to investigate the state of the ice on the highest mountain in Peru, and shocked our editor during the interview by predicting that the Pastoruri Glacier will probably be gone within ten years. Although Thompson said he had not investigated and studied the glacier recently, recent pictures tell the whole story. In 2001 Lonnie predicted that the renowned snows of Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro would melt within the next 20 years. Additionally, he stated that global warming poses a huge and present threat to our civilization and mankind because as the sea levels rise in the near future caused by melting glaciers and global warming, where do all the displaced people migrate to? The research scientist, who stayed at the San Sebastian Hotel in Huaraz, has received many awards during his career, such as the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, an honour often regarded as the environmental science equivalent to the Nobel Prize and the Vega Medal by the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography. But maybe the biggest prize he won was an extension to his life, as in 2012 he underwent a successful heart transplant. We spoke for over an hour with this legend and expert on natural climate change who rightly believes that all ice around the globe forms the best archive of Earth’s climate. These records can be found at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Centre in Columbus, Ohio, USA. But before we get to that, we first asked the distinguished university professor how he actually got into ice drilling. I grew up in a small town in West Virginia and in the US this state is a coal-mining state. So when I initially went to college I knew I wanted to do something in science and got a major in geology. And then I entered Ohio State for my graduate work to study coal geology, mainly because I wanted to get a job. During the first quarter at the university I saw an announcement of a research position at the (then called) Institute of Polar Studies to look at ice cores. Because of a course in geomorphology, I knew that the glacier only covers 10% of the planet and exist at places where people can´t really live; however, I didn’t really see how you could make a living of ´looking´ at glaciers. Anyway, I took the research position because it allowed you to get your degree faster, which means you can get a job quicker. It took me a year and a half before I started to think about what might be possible. When I was still a master student, I did a PhD comparing climate history from the first ever core drill through Antarctica, with the first drill at Camp Century in Greenland. The study was about comparing both Polar Regions. I thought it would be good to have some material from somewhere in between. There was a fella called John Mercer who had made atlases of the Earth’s glaciers. He had these boxes with aerial photographs, and in one of those boxes I found pictures of the Quelccaya ice cap in southern Peru. The two of us took those pictures to the programme manager at Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation to show him what we would like to do. When I finished my presentation he said, ‘You know what Lonnie, I’d like to fund that but I can’t.’ He

could only fund research on the Antarctic Circle. Then in 1973, I went to Antarctica and received a telex in February from that same programme manager. It said: ‘I have funded all of my science research projects, and have U$ 7,000 left, what can you do with that on that tropical glacier?’ I telexed him back and said that I believe that we could get there. And that’s what we did in the summer of ´74. It turned out that there was such a great history on that ice cap that we were able to a record. But it was by far not easy. The first time we tried to drill at the Quelccaya ice cap in southern Peru I was still young. We brought a drill and generator from the Antarctic area, we made a contract with the Peruvian Airforce to rent a Bell 212 twin-engine helicopter and we flew out from Lima to Sicuani near the ice cap. As there was no airport there, we had to bring in the fuel by train and we basically operated out the back of a hotel. In the end, the helicopter wouldn’t go anywhere near the ice cap because it was too dangerous. The generator and the drill were too heavy to be put on a horse so we had to think of alternatives. It was a twoday trail to get to the ice cap from the end of the last road. At that time, a lot of my colleagues were telling me that we needed to go back to the Polar Regions because that´s where the real science was. This is the moment we started thinking about solar power and tested some panels. We went back to the States to write a proposal to develop a solar power drill. When it went out for review, Willi Dansgaard from Denmark, one of the lead scientist pioneers, was the reviewer. He sent me a copy of what he sent to the National Science Foundation. In short, the Quelccaya ice cap is too high for human beings and the technology does not exist to drill it. There was a programme manager who said, while he may be right, we won’t know unless we try it. So, we built the first solar power ice core drill at Ohio State and tested it in a parking garage and it seemed to work. However, two weeks before leaving I passed the exams to get into the MBA programme because I figured that if I would fail a second time at the Quelccaya ice cap, I wouldn’t have a career in glaciology. A sixperson team left for Peru to drill without any porters, so everything was carried by horses and the last bits were carried by the team to the summit. We were there for three months. We didn’t drill one, but two cores of bedrock using solar power. Back at that time we didn’t have the technology

to keep the ice frozen, so we had to cut it with a handsaw into six thousand samples. We sent those samples to Dansgaard´s lab in Denmark and from that moment, Willi Dansgaard was our biggest supporter on why we should drill in the high mountains. Quelccaya, in the end, launched a whole drilling programme and at the moment we are drilling in 16 different countries, but it all started here in Peru. In different interviews I have read, you state that death played a significant role during your career, could you explain that? When I was still in high school my dad died, and we were a poor family anyway. The idea of going to college at the time was very remote. I got a scholarship and the three of us went to college; however, my sister died in an automobile accident during her first year. This kind of brought home the fact that you are not guaranteed any time on earth, so if you´re going to do something, do it! Maybe at an early age I had clear idea that I wanted to accomplish something, and just went on doing it. I take that thought with me up on the mountains. I had a heart transplant four years ago, and the doctor gave me less than 10% of surviving. I had a hospital infection and nothing would stop it. I had wires coming out of my chest and battery packs would make sure I could do some work and walk around during the day. And at night they plugged me into the wall again. This gave me a whole new idea of a ´reliable´ power source because when it stops you die. I spent four months in the hospital and during that time I had to learn to walk again. And that´s very scary because when you’re a child you learn to walk, but not when you´re past 65.

The Huaraz Telegraph

So the idea of drilling ice cores looked very far away four years ago. However, one year later, I was in west central Tibet and set a world record for a heart transplant patient, working at 6,700 metres. The doctors couldn’t give me any reasons why there should be issues at high elevations. They couldn’t say no, and the heart was only 22 years old when they put it in. The person I got the heart from died because of a motorcycle accident. Any day can be your last day! Could you try to explain to our readers, in simple terms, what information do you get from the ice drilling process? On any glacier when it snows, the history is recorded. If you take a drill, you can go through the sequence and go back 20,000 years. We can go back to the last ice age. You can see what´s going on in the Amazon. Everything that´s brought with the wind gets finally caught (recorded) in the ice. So when we analyse the ice we can find many

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016 things, such as temperatures, through the isotopes, you can measure the layer fragmences and get the precipitation and how this has changed though time, you can look at the pollen and restructure the vegetation and how that has changed through time. You can also have a look at the bubbles in the ice, and the atmosphere in the past, for example the oxygen and pollution levels. Another thing is the trace elements such as arsenic, lead, mercury and anything that falls out of the sky. This is how we can analyse a history of volcanic eruptions in the past. These ´marks´ are perfectly recorded into the ice and you can take it back for hundreds of thousands of years. The oldest record we have goes back 800,000 years. This is part one. The second part is about the fact that glaciers are not only recorders but also responders to climate. Glaciers sum up the radiation, precipitation, temperature, cloud cover, water vapour and it either advances or retreats. And the photographs, since I have been working in Peru, tell the whole story. We have documented the retreats and the lakes that have been formed around these glaciers. When you go talking to a politician, pictures are very compelling because glaciers have no political agenda. There is no way you can argue that they are behaving in a certain way for some purpose. They´re like a physical recorder of what´s happening on the earth, and if you look at it globally, no matter where you are, this is very concerning. When glaciers melt they float eventually in the oceans. And it´s not that they haven’t melted in the past because they have. And when they have the water level was 120 metres higher, which changes the whole geography of our planet. Our biggest problem at the moment is that we have a population of 7.3 billion people, and when we settled the world, we built all our large cities on coastal areas. And now all that is at risk. I have been to your country and I have always wondered how it´s possible that the water level at one point is higher than at the other part of the road. But also in the Netherlands, when the pumps stop pumping, the Netherlands flood. People in the Netherlands are very concerned about the sea level rise. I know firsthand that the water authority has more power than the government in your country. Is ice melting more now than it used to do a couple of thousand years ago? Yes it is, and it´s melting at an alarming rate actually. The glaciers are disappearing and the records are disappearing. At the Quelccaya ice cap we have found truckloads of plants that have been under the ice, which is very unusual to start with. The first ones we found in 2002 and they were 5,200 years old. The plants we collected last year were 6,600 years old. And just for the record, the plants we have collected a few weeks ago, we expect those to be even older. So what does this tell us? These are wetland plants, as soon as they are exposed they start to decay. They tell us that this glacier has not been smaller in 6,600 years. Just to give you an idea of how unusual they are, we had a ceremony a couple of years ago at the national history museum in Lima. These plants were put into collection. When they pulled out the drawer to put them safely behind glass, these plants were placed

Interview

right beside the plants that were collected by Charles Darwin in 1856. You don’t find old plants! And these plants are perfectly preserved as their flowers still have cell structures, which mean they were captured very rapidly. Who is funding all this valuable research? Our main funder is the National Science Foundation in the US, but this depends a little bit on where we work. If we work in China, the Chinese Government pays half. One second, you’re saying that one of the biggest polluters in the world is also paying your research? Oh yes. Absolutely. I would say that China is one of the biggest countries in the world that is investing the most in science at the moment. They are building labs you cannot imagine. I went there the first time since relations between the US and China were normalised and they had no researchers at all. And now, they have labs better than mine, they have hundreds of people working on science in a big way. So they are very concerned about water resources. And they should be, so should the world. If you, for example, take the Indus River (3,180 km and also called the Sindhū River or Abāsīn), it starts in China, which is a nuclear power country, flows through Pakistan; another nuclear power and flows through India, another nuclear power. Those countries don’t go along very well nowadays and all depend very much on their water. This becomes geopolitically a very critical place. Glaciers in the Himalayas are disappearing just like they are here in the Andes. So this water resource is diminishing and will cause trouble. The nice thing about being a scientist is that you can cross boundaries much easier than in most other disciplines. So that´s one of our missions: to train young people and to get people talking about this very important subject. On a scale of one to ten, how worried is the country Peru about climate change? Probably not as much as it should be. I have marvelled at the rate at which ice can disappear. When I started in glaciology in the US, we had two universities that had professors in glaciology and it was very difficult for a young person to get a place. The warming has been so rapid in the last fifty years that the University of Michigan hired five glaciologists at once because there is a huge concern about what is going to happen to the sea level. The potential cost of the rise of the world´s oceans, like, for example, in a country like Bangladesh is terrifying. Where do all those millions of people go? If you would just look at the people fleeing from Syria, just to get an idea of what the scale could be, that’s not many people. But the places that are going to be flooded when the sea level rises are tremendous. Everything that the human race has developed is based on climate. And like I said, it´s not just temperature, if you are in the insurance business there are a number of companies in Europe that insure insurance companies around the world. And if you look at their records Continue reading on page 6

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Interview

6 Continuation of page 5

since 1980, cost related losses because of storms and extreme weather events is sky rocketing. Ecosystems around the world are at risk as carbonate shells dissolve because the acidity of the world’s oceans is increasing. And this is where the very bases of life exist. It is all connected. So I think that we´re much closer to the edge than we realise, and the glaciers are telling the same story. In Peru, just as in other parts of the world like in the US, it´s changing. But we people, we are ´here and now´ people. We are not good at future planning and often when you talk about climate change you talk about your children´s children. But now with these extreme events, I think that this is a growing problem around the world. When I go to Lima later next month, I will meet the newly elected president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to put the topic high on the agenda. I expect initially a conversation, and I have heard that he is very concerned about water resources for Peru. Peru´s economy depends on water. I have spoken to the president of the US, I have spoken to the president of China and now I am going to speak to the president of Peru. But in general there is a growing awareness, and part of it is about education. And at the end of the day it´s not about what we hope for or what we wish, but it´s simply a matter of chemistry and physics. As long as we continue to increase the amount of greenhouse gases the temperatures will continue to rise and there will come a point where you can’t deny it. I am optimistic that we can and will do something about this problem. Do you think that eventually all the ice around the world will disappear? Certainly on the mountain glaciers. In May this year, if you looked at the CO2 levels in Mauna Loa Observatory, where they have been measured since 1958 by Charles David Keeling, they were at 3.15 parts per million by volume. Last month, they were 406 parts per million by volume. The rate is accelerating even though we have intergovernmental panels on climate change etc. When you look at the geology, the last time that CO2 was at the same level as it is today was three million years ago. If you look at the temperature at the time it was 2 to 2.5 degrees warmer and the sea level was 22 metres higher. At 22 metres you lose whole states like Florida and many coastal cities. It´s going slowly, but it´s getting warmer, and the mountain glaciers will go first because they are smaller. The glacier at Mount Kilimanjaro, we drilled at six sites and two of those sites no longer exist, they´re gone. When a glacier melts, its history is gone too. We just drilled over in New Guinea, and at the Puncak Jaya glaciers we have noticed that it´s losing over one metre of ice per year. Because of influences of El Niño between November 2015 and May 2016, it lost 4.2 metres in less than six months. I now believe that this glacier will completely disappear within three years. Seventy percent of the world´s tropical glaciers are in Peru. So if you ask people, who is going to be hurt first because of the loss

of glaciers, it´s the people here in Peru because over half of the population lives along the coast, depending on rivers that originate from the Andes. The question is what do these people do when there is no more water? What are you in Huaraz for at the moment? We came to investigate the impact of the El Niño 2015 on the precipitation of the glaciers. We were at the Quelccaya ice cap in southern Peru just a couple of weeks ago and we drilled two ten-metre cores. We also measured extreme drought and high temperatures, which are terrible conditions for a glacier. I am in Huaraz because the day after tomorrow we are going up the Huascarán to look at how El Niño is recorded here. I understand that the Cordillera Blanca has been warm and dry so I expect similar reductions. I have this feeling that El Niño plays a very important role in whether a glacier exists or not. How important is teamwork on your expeditions? We have a global team that works around the world and even on this small expedition on Huascarán we have two Russians and an Australian. Generally, I have colleagues that I have met on expeditions that I really like and we work really well together. When we go into an area like western China we even have more different nationalities aboard. Sometimes up to 60 people work on expeditions; think about the logistics, the permits, etc. But if you have a good team you can do everything. You have received many awards and prizes, which was the most important one? I would say it was the very first one, and it had no money involved. It was the Vega Medal by the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography, and it is special because the people that won the award were very famous polar explorers. The first award was given in 1899. We have won other ones, like the prestigious Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, an honour often regarded as the environmental science equivalent to the Nobel Prize. I am referring to the team because alone I could do nothing. In 2001, you predicted that the famed snows of Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro would melt within the next 20 years, are there any predictions you can do on the Pastoruri Glacier? It will disappear. These glaciers are remnants of the past and at Mount Kilimanjaro we´re losing half a metre every year. I mean they´re just relics of another climate. It takes a while to warm them up but when they do, they will go. The worst thing for a glacier is water. And one of the things that is happening in New Guinea, for example, is that as the world gets warmer the difference between snowfall and rain gets bigger. When we were drilling, the rain would start around ten in the morning and it would stop around midnight, and sometimes at around one o´clock it would turn into snow, but just for a couple of hours.

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

But when there is more rain than snow, there is more heat transferred from the atmosphere to the glacier. The worst thing that can happen to a glacier is to get wet. On Pastoruri, I have to admit that I haven’t studied it specifically, but I have seen the photographs. The glacier is not very thick, so maybe in ten years? They can go pretty quick. I repeat that I haven’t worked specifically on Pastroruri, so I don’t have any numbers to look at, but it would not surprise me. When you finally retire, are there youngsters interested and capable of succeeding you? Is youth interested in your work? It´s hard work, it is. I think it´s a good question actually. I have thought about this a lot, especially after my heart transplant. How does it go on, or should it go on? It would be very sad if the founder of tropical glaciology would also see the end of tropical glaciology. That would be very sad. I went to the Quelccaya ice cap for the first time in 1974, and just saw it recently two weeks ago, but I have never ever seen it in such a bad shape. I often think of it as visiting a friend who has terminal cancer. You go and visit the patient in the hospital, but you can do nothing about the outcome. It makes me sad that the time will come that young people will not be able to go to a mountain range and see the glaciers. Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro is the number one foreign currency earner for the Tanzanian Government. People go there to see the glacier on the equator. How many people will still go there if there are no more glaciers on the equator? I am not sure. Ice is one of the balancing systems for climate on the earth. It absorbs energy when it gets warmer and a lot of energy has gone into melting of the ice. As they get smaller they get less efficient so more energy stays in the atmosphere. The Cordillera Mountain Range is a beautiful mountain range but it will look like the Cordillera Negra when the glaciers are gone. To me, the future generations are being deprived of the beauties that exist on this planet. Anyone who has stepped on a glacier remembers that moment, it leaves a big impression. For many indigenous people at the sites where we drill, this is where the gods are. When we drilled in Bolivia we had to go through a ceremony to ask permission. When we were drilling in New Guinea we were attacked by the local indigenous people. There are four tribes that live at the foot of the mountain who are at war with each other. They tried to get to us where we were drilling, but luckily for us they didn’t have crampons and they couldn’t make it. But they knew that we were storing the ice cores in a freezer, and the mining company got word that they were going to break into the freezer so we used helicopters to bring the ice to the coast. When they did break in there was nothing there. The head of the mine ask me to talk to these people, to explain what we were doing and why we were doing it. And I did. The discussion, with a translator, showed that in their religion, the legs of their gods are the mountains, and the head of their god was the glacier. So

according to their interpretation, we were drilling into the skull of their god to steal the memories. And that is exactly what we were doing, trying to capture memories. And I explained to them that we do that all around the world, and that we were working with indigenous people. I showed them pictures of indigenous people helping carrying the cores. And I told them that the day would come, not in the far future, when the only part of their god would be found at Ohio State in a freezer. When I said this, a big argument broke out between the elders and the young people of the tribe. The elders said that the glacier has always been there and always will be. The young people said to the elders if they had seen what has happened to these glaciers. Whether you´re in Tibet, the Andes or New Guinea, the glaciers are the places where the gods are. So I always think for the world that glaciers are the early warning signal. They all speak the same language. It´s sad in a way, but I feel very fortunate to have worked in a time and to have been able to have collected these records before they were altered by the melting. And in many cases they are already lost. It doesn’t matter whether it will get colder again in the future, once a glacier has melted, the information is gone. And for many glaciers it´s already too late. It might take 25 to 30 years before we see the full effects of what we already have done with greenhouse gases. In 20 years most of the glaciers in the Alps will be gone. It´s happening and all we have to do is watch them. If all people around the world lived near a glacier, our future would be different. If I am to give a lecture in Alaska there is standing room only because the people in Alaska have seen glaciers all their life and know the retreat is real. But in my home state, Ohio, we have no glaciers and if temperatures rise one or two degrees; no problem. People can´t see it, and a glacier allows you to see it. In a hundred years from now maybe the names of the glaciers will not be remembered, but the date collected will. It´s really fascinating what you have just shared with us, but it´s so sad, it scares me actually. Well, people should be scared. This is a human-caused problem. There are things that we could not do anything about, such as a meteor hitting the earth, or a huge volcanic eruption; we would just have to survive that. We can do nothing about it. But because we caused this problem, we can’t solve this problem. To me this is the most optimistic about this issue. It´s not that it can be solved, it´s that we do not have the political will yet to solve it. Human beings in general resist change. Mainly because they are making money, but I don’t think it´s anything new, it´s global and it will affect everyone and everywhere. Our biggest challenge is can we work together on this planet in our own best interests? You have to admit that we haven’t done a very good job in the past, but maybe for the very first time in history it could bring all human beings together for a common cause. The future relies on the young people because they can change the world.

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Advertorial/Publirreportaje

Have you already visited us? We´re to be found at Parque de Ginebra near the Plaza de Armas and offer all kinds of services like great food and local made craft beer Welcome to our ABC! In this third edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we would like you to show a little insight into what our business is about. We will continue with the alphabet Trece Búhos by telling you what the letter N till S are about. We shall continue until you have seen all 26! Hope to see you soon at Trece Búhos!

N – Nightlife

Trece Búhos opens in the early morning, especially now people are taking advantage of the dry season and using the terrace in front of our establishment, ordering a coffee, waffles with ice-cream, or a good old English cup of tea. But historically 13 has gained its credits and fame for being the most popular night spot in Huaraz, not in the least because it is open seven days a week, and until the early morning. Nowadays 13 Búhos is a fantastic place to spend your evenings or late nights, and because we have moved to a new location, we are able to offer an even bigger set of opportunities during a famous night of 13 Búhos. In our previous edition we already talked about the biggest Jenga game in Huaraz, and the fact that you can actually dance on top of our bar, but have you already tried out our Drinking Ski? That’s right, a special ski with some shot glasses attached to it that four people at the same time have to drink. If you’re sitting in your hostel and reading this at around 11 p.m. don’t hesitate, put on your shoes and come along! The best nights out aren’t planned they just happen!

O – Optical illusions

An optical illusion is characterised by visually perceived images that differ from objective reality. The information gathered by the eye is processed in the brain to give a perception that does not tally with a physical measurement of the stimulus source. There are three main types: literal optical illusions that create images that are different from the objects that make them, physiological ones that are the effects on the eyes and brain of excessive stimulation of a specific type (brightness, colour, size, position, tilt, movement), and cognitive illusions, the result of unconscious inferences. Now reading this text you are probably wondering what this all has to do with Trece Búhos? Good question! It has to do with some artwork we have in 13 Búhos. That’s why we invite you to have a couple of beers, and see for yourself if our walls have optical illusions on them.

Q – Quality and quantity deals Lucho’s beers or ales are unique, and come in different flavours. In the previous editions we have already explained the three different flavours we offer, and the additional coca flavour is a nice extra. This time we would like you to pay attention to this great deal we offer. The bigger bottle we offer contains 650 millilitres and is the real deal for those travellers who are on a budget. If you are thirsty it can be all yours, but don’t hesitate to share it among other climbers or visitors in the bar. On the menu there are pastas, steak, pancakes, hot wings and we even have a selection of teas for the ladies. Now if people are talented singers, musicians, magicians or stand-up comedians we invite you to our bar. Lucho can provide you with a stage and the audience you are looking for. Beers are on the house for the entertainers. Another great deal with only winners!

R – Rapid service and free Wi-Fi

S – Swing-top bottles Trece Búhos offers a unique type of homemade brew, but it doesn’t stop there. As far as we know, Lucho´s Beers are the only beers in South America served in swingtop bottles (also known as flip-top in some countries), apart from imported beers like Dutch Grolsch. The classic swing-top was invented by Nicolai Fritzner in Germany in 1875. It quickly became the main bottle top for beer bottles worldwide. After only 30 years, the swing-top started to be replaced by the Crown Cap, which was invented by an American called William Painter (1892). The most functional feature of the swing-top bottle is it can be resealed, so the beer inside stays fresh. Another interesting fact is that swing-top bottles are recyclable, energy saving and sustainable. According to the owner of Trece Búhos, the swing-tops are imported from Germany and France and definitely mark his unique beers and establishment. Come to Trece Búhos to see it yourself!

P – Party No need to say that our place is the perfect place to party. We would also like to mention that there is no reason not to drop by, even if you’re not in a party mood. Our place has a quieter area with comfy sofas, where you can sit back and relax, or just talk with a friend or partner. Also, those who are looking for a themed party are welcome to talk to Lucho. Last year’s Black and White party was a huge success and we are always open to suggestions.

Our many friendly employees are another reason to visit 13 Búhos. We have a young and intelligent team of hard workers who will serve as fast as they possibly can. The interesting thing is that when there are more people at our bar, our personnel will immediately be increased. If you are a tourist and willing to make some extra money, come along because we can always use some extra hands. We would kindly like to remind you that we open up at 10 a.m. and our terrace is an excellent place to recover from your hangover, be it with a Bloody Mary or with a great cup of coffee, which you can accompany with breakfast, some waffles or pancakes. While enjoying the morning sun, you can use our free Wi-Fi to read this newspaper on your tablet or smartphone.

The golden combination of beers and búhos

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Expat in Áncash

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

The Peruvian dream

According to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (I.N.E.I) 12,187 foreigners entered Peru in 2012 and stayed for over a year. The Huaraz Telegraph is wondering whether these visitors came to see the wonders of Peru, or were they looking for the Peruvian dream? If the American dream is the idea that success is possible for every individual, does the Peruvian dream exist? And if so, can you reach for those ideals on the Latin American continent being an expat? It is fairly easy to spot a tourist in Hua- concern over 50.0% of the immigrants raz, with their tiny day-sacks and camera from the period of analysis. The period bearound their necks, whereas expats blend tween the years 2001 – 2006 represented in; they adapt to the local way of life. But 18,499 incoming foreigners representing what motivates a person to uproot their en- 20.7% of all registered immigrants during tire lives, and leave their family and friends the study period, while the years 1994 to to go and live on another continent? Over 2000 represent 17.0% of total registered the course of the season The Huaraz Tele- immigrants. The number of foreign immigraph will endeavour to interview expats grants in Peru has a greater dynamism living in Huaraz, to give the readers an in the last years of the study. Until 2003 insight into why they decided to do just foreign immigrants did not exceed 20,000, that. But first let’s look at some interesting this number doubles in 2007 becoming statistics. Although the following national 40,446, and in 2012 the number of foreign stats are accurate there is no statistical in- immigrants in Peru rose to 89,320. formation on how many foreigners live in the Áncash region. Dividing the entry of foreign immigrants into different periods (in years) and having In the period from 1994 to 2012, there the estadisticas de la emigración internatiwere 89,320 registered foreigners resid- cional de peruanos e inmigración de exing in Peru that did not leave the country. tranjeros 1990-2012 in hand, one can see Between 1994 and 2004 the number of that the average annual immigration per foreigners entering Peru did not exceed period is becoming a growing trend during 3,500, and between 2004 and 2006 the the last three periods, except from 2001 number of foreigners living in Peru did to 2003. On average, only 2,357 people not exceed 5000. From 2007 the number crossed the border into Peru between increased to over 6,000 and in 2012 that 2001 and 2003. Between 1994 and 2012 number had risen to a staggering 12,187. the annual average is 4,701 surpassing It´s important to mention that, even though this in the last two periods 2007-2009 and Peru has a law stating that visitors can 2010-2012, reaching average immigration only stay up to a maximum of 183 days a figures from 7,420 and 11,118 respectiveyear, after one year Gringos are consid- ly, the latter being six times higher than the ered immigrants in the Republic of Peru, average income of foreign immigrants of be it legal or illegal. the first period (1994-1997). When analysing the gender of the newcomers it´s reThere is no denying that the number of markable that the population of males is immigrants has increased over the years by far bigger than the opposite sex. Men and between 2007 and 2012 there were represent 66.8% of the immigrants while 55,616 immigrants representing 62.3% of only 29,636 (33.2%) are female. Since all registered immigrants in the analysis 1994, men have represented more than period of 1994 to 2012. To make a small 60% of the immigration population, but in comparison, in the last six years measured 2012 they reached 70.9%. In the docu-

The number of immigrants in Peru is growing by the year (I.N.E.I. stats)

ment found on the I.N.E.I website the distribution of foreign migrants is also represented by age group. A chart shows that the predominant age group is the 30 to 34 year-olds representing 12.2 % of all immigrants. Immigrants from 35 to 39 years of age characterise 12.1 % during the period from 1994 to 2012. This is followed by the 40 to 44 years old with 11.2%, continued by the group of 25 – 29 years old (10.7%). On the other hand, the highest percentage of immigrants are aged from 15 to 49, representing 68.2 % of all immigrants. Looking at the gender population pyramid, the concentration is in the middle, being narrower at the base and that there is an increase in the first and last group. Immigrants aged under 15 count for 6.8% and are distributed almost evenly between men (3.7 %) and women (3.1%). People older than 59 years of age represent 10.3% and are distributed between 6.3% men and 4.0% women. Of the total number of 83,628 immigrants over 14 years of age, 33.7% are declared to be single whereas 199 people are said to be widowed, and 98 are divorced. Between 1994 and 2012, 89,320 foreigners were considered to be new residents of Peru without any migration movement noticed and just before the document starts to talk about the country of origin, it mentions that 69,277 people (representing 77.6%) have come to Peru by air, entering the country at Jorge Chavez National Airport. A small 8.6% entered from the south in Tacna (Santa Rosa), 2.3% from Bolivia (Desaguadero), and a 1.4% came from the north, crossing the border from Ecuador at Aguas Verdes. A total of 3,378 (3.7%) arrived at the harbour of Callao (probably shipwrecked and unable to return home).

All statistics on Peruvian international emigration and foreign immigation by the I.N.E.I on: http://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1102/libro.pdf

The authors of the report declare that there exists a strong concentration of regional immigrants referring to 31.6% of foreigners coming from Latin American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. Americans (from the USA) with 12.4% are

the biggest group of newcomers, followed by the Chinese with 9.3% and Bolivians with 7.8%. As you just have read, you will need to stay in Peru for over a year to qualify for the status of immigrant. This is also the main condition for our interviewee plus the fact that he or she should live in Áncash. We kick off the continuation and our seventeenth version of our expat article with Kelly J. Dwyer from the United States. It´s been a while that we interviewed an American for this article as Steven Wegner in September 2014 was the last one. This is Kelly´s story, who is not living in Huaraz but in Caraz. 1. Who are you? A woman who is the product of a small town in the state of Montana, who, as a child couldn’t wait to get outta that town and explore the world. My parents were iconic folk. My father was the managing editor in the chief of a newspaper in the state of Montana, who, as the now extinct species of investigative reporter, uncovered many a corrupt official, all boughtoff by the major mining industries in the state. And my mother, Dolly, still kick’n at 95 years old, is a nationally recognised volunteer leader of a youth organisation, called 4-H. I am the youngest of four females and older sister to the last and only male sibling. I have reinvented myself many times throughout this life with postsecondary education studies in economics, communications, education, business and second language acquisition. As a family, they are all great folk, and the nicest thing I can claim in these times is none of my immediate family is Trump supporters! My name is Kelly J. Dwyer by the way. 2. How old are you and what’s your profession? I am 57 years old. Now, I am the owner/ manager of IntiRumi Inn in Caraz, a new farm-to-table restaurant at the “other end Continue reading on page 10

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Advertorial/Publirreportaje

Heinrich Bosshard is in his sixties and a heavy equipment mechanic, but in Huaraz he is known at El Tío Enrique. El Tio Enrique is a brand-new establishment selling all sorts of different chorizos (sausages), Swiss chocolates, authentic Swiss knives and Glühwein (mulled wine). His huge and fantastic fridge filled with imported European beers make Enrique´s secondfloor place a must visit after you have conquered some peaks in the Andes. El Tío Enrique is open from 5p.m. and offers you a whole variety of Belgian, German, English and even Peruvian beers, such as London Pride, Old Speckled Hen, Paulaner, Erdinger, La Guillotine, Duvel, and Lima´s craft beer Barbarian. Check our beer list on the right-hand side of this page and make sure you come and try those malt liquors that are specially imported for tourists in Huaraz.

The specialty of the former titleholder of the former Monte Rosa Inca Pub is without a doubt his delicious sausages but, there is a lot more on offer. Another dish not to miss is Argentine beef. Those wanting something lighter before boarding their bus could choose the antipasto. Antipasto literally means “before the meal”, and is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. The dish served at El Tio Enrique includes cured meats, olives, fresh cheese and sausages.

house is Glühwein (mulled wine). Also worth a shot (or a glass in this case) are some specially imported liqueurs such as Disaronno Originale (28% abv), which is made in Italy. It is amarettoflavored, with a characteristic bittersweet almond taste. How about Jägermeister? This is a German digestif made with 56 herbs and spices and is 35% alcohol by volume. For those who prefer nonalcoholic beverages, there is also coffee, tea, cappuccino and espresso coffee.

As most beers are imported, we might not have all beers in stock

El Tío Enrique has a fast Wi-Fi connection and the most important sport events such as this summer’s 2016 Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, and commonly known as Rio 2016 (August 5, 2016 – August 21, 2016) can be followed on big screens. NFL matches are also live on screens and when the screen is off, just aks us to switch it on for you. El Tío Enrique is located only two blocks from bus companies such as Línea Transportes and Cruz del Sur, and is around the corner from Nova Plaza. The central location makes it a convenient stop during a night out at the surrounding discothèques or bars. While enjoying your beer, don’t forget to ask about Carne seca (dried meat, in Spanish), which is a kind of dried beef and ideal to take with you while heading out for the mountains. When you meet Elena, ask her about her pudding desserts, absolutely sweet and recommended after a cheese fondue, for example. In terms of drinks, apart from a spectacular beer menu, Make sure you´re hungry and thirsty when the second-floor establishment offers different Chilean, visiting us and we´ll make sure that you will have Argentinian and Peruvian wines, but the specialty of the a wonderfull evening at a very special place.

Duvel is the flagship of the Duvel Moortgat Brewery, the result of decades of brewing with passion and an eye for quality. Duvel is Brabantian, Ghent and Antwerp dialect for devil, the standard Dutch word being duivel

Chaski Porter Dark, made by Cervecería Barbarian is an American porter style beer produced in Peru. It´s an extremely smooth and drinkable porter. Notes of rich chocolate and coffee, a luscious creaminess and a roasted finish

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Expat in Áncash

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Continuation of page 8

of the Callejón”. I have been a writer, landscaper, a bicycle messenger, waitress, movie projectionist and audio-visual professional, teacher and newspaper publisher, to just name a few of my well-worn hats. 3. How long have you been living in Caraz? My partner, Mac Wooten and I bought our place in Shocsha in 2008 and the place where the business rests in 2009. We were still living and working in Huaraz (at el Pinar) where I was a teacher in the International School for approximately eight years. I continued on with Colegio Huascaran for a short stint after the International School closed. We thought we had all the time in the world and then the economic crash occurred, and my job was terminated with Santa Maria. We hustled to convert the barn on the property into a house while lodging with the former caretaker of our place and longest serving employee. We were a bit short of funds, so we decided we both needed to put in some more wage earning time, before being able to live this ´Peruvian Dream´ you speak of. We joke about it, “Who went to a more dangerous zone to work?” Mac went to Afghanistan to fix computers and I returned to Washington D.C. to work as a teacher, where a major shoot-out left three dead across the street from the school I worked, within the first two weeks of the school year. 4. What brought you to Caraz? I actually have 20 years, all told, in Peru. I worked in Ilo in the department of Moquegua for three years. Ilo is the most southern port of Peru and I often tell folks that if that had been my only experience in Peru, I most certainly wouldn’t be here now. Think Chimbote with the addition of a coal plants and a copper smelter that occasionally graced your days with a cloud of sulfur-dioxide providing limited visibility to three metres or less. I went back to try living in Montana for a year and actually partnered with someone in a start-up adventure travel firm. But a fateful trip to Peru left me in the right place and time to take a job teaching kindergarten with the newly opened Huascaran International School in Huaraz. I got a fateful email informing me that if I was interested, I could interview for a position they needed to fill immediately. I was hired and the director’s husband and owner of a local café met me at the airport in Anta a few days later. I walked every day from the school to Hotel Huascaran (where I lived my first week of work). I remember watching Huascaran in the changing pinks, oranges and purples each evening, thinking, I really didn’t think paintings of such scenes were real before that week. I had my emoliente with bitters and alfalfa for breakfast and walked to and from Huaraz to el Pinar every day first six months that I

The Huaraz Telegraph Kelly Dwyer and her partner Mac Wooten standing on the balcony of the IntiRumi Inn which offers fantastic and healthy food

lived in town. Until this day, the emoliente maestro at Jirón Sucre and Jirón Simon Bolivar knows my ´usual´. 5. How has your life changed over the years? The simple answer is that this really is a dream materialised for me. I always wanted to create gardens and work with plants. I know Voltaire’s Candide was supposed to be satire, but Candide’s lovely conclusion of ´let us tend our own gardens´, always resonated with me. When I lived in Huaraz, I loved the panoramic views of the Blancas, but I know now that I have found my paradise. The climate is that much better in Caraz and the beauty is 180 with the higher, more rugged Negras holding their own charm and beauty. There is a grand association with Huaraz as the entrance to Huascaran National Park, but all the most popular mountains and treks are really at our backdoor here in Caraz. I was and am a passionate teacher and did well at many of my other rolls in life, but I have always wanted to work with and learn plants. I want to be living as correctly as possible in this incorrect world, so the sustainable piece is important. I go a little crazy when I go back to the states and see how quickly the trashcan fills. I am a fan of Nelson Mandela’s theory of education being the most powerful way to change the world, so I have continued my passion for education through our work in the NGO (Teach a Teacher) we founded in 2012. Through this organisation, we recruit teachers from different countries to provide professional development here in Peru. It has been a greatly satisfying project.

6. What are your favourite hangout spots in Huaraz and Caraz? I don’t hang too far from home in Caraz. I would like to have more biking friends, as biking alone is hazardous. One of my favourite activities is the quality yoga classes offered by Alan Shebsdat Bedoya (La Pizza del Abuelo) in the garden at Los Pinos Lodge, located on the lovely Parque de la Merced, Caraz. Drum Circles and Big Drum Meditation at the Puka Rumi Community, with master drum-maker and drum leader, Eduardo Escribens and all the fine folks at PukaRumi community are an absolute treat. I want soon to find the

“

When I created the business plan for IntiRumi and I needed to create an alternative plan if the business failed, I wrote that I will always have plenty of organic vegetables and fruits to eat. I will tend my garden, essentially. It is a much better retirement plan than anything offered in my own country Kelly Dwyer on retirement

time to take drum lessons from Eduardo. Back in the days of my Huaraz tenure, I hung at Lucho’s old Trece Búhos (before it moved to the Parque Ginerbra), over Macondos and Javier’s two little corner bars (upstairs and then downstairs, once upon a time, in el Tambo) and, of course,

Vagamundos. Bruni’s Terrace and the Way-Inn, before it was ´way out there´. All gone now. There were some of the most fabulous house parties at Jen and Ted’s house, both when they were there and when they were out of the country. 7. What is it you miss the most from back home? Friends and family. The last few years I have had the best of both worlds. My aging mother has continued to live in my childhood home. As a result, I have made a pact to spend the winter months in Montana with her. It is great to have the opportunity to commune with one’s mother at this time (her mind is still quite sharp) and I get out in the mountains of Montana to ski and snowshoe regularly, while there. 8. What is it you like most about Huaraz? I don’t much like Huaraz anymore. I loved it back in the day. I spent nine years there and with arguably one of the finest views of the Cordillera Blanca in that area from every window of my house. Now Mac and I flip coins to see who has to go to Huaraz when needed. I know it from a simpler time and I watched the progression of the hap-hazard constructions pile on top of each other over the years, it’s a mess. 9. What’s your opinion of the tourist business in Huaraz and Caraz? I believe the tourist that comes to this area is more impressed with the authenticity of the area. PromPerú (committee for the promotion of Peru in terms of export and tourism) and the likes, obviously put their

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016 best efforts into Cusco and the south, but I like the tourists that find their way here because they are even prone to commenting they find the south to be more of a touristtrap. There are different levels of service to be found, but it is difficult for the tourist to discern what they are getting before they buy much of the time. The mountains are obviously the draw, so we all cater to the lovers of mountains, in whatever capacity they wish to experience them. I so wish the delicate eco-systems of the Cordilleras had some more research into what could bring them back into some balance. I think the cows should go. They don’t belong there. I believe that communities should have rights and all but education and helping them replace that dependence on the ruminants with other more sustainable industries and possible other animals would help to bring about change. I also am very aware of multinational corporations and informal mining being a great threat to the park and areas like the Cordillera Huayhuash. 10. What sites or activities do you recommend (or not) to our readers? Like I said, experience the mountains and the mountain communities in the way that you most desire, with the communities and nature in mind. I am partial, of course, because I chose to come to Caraz and live, but if the night-life is not what you are looking for, I recommend the serenity of this end of the valley. I do not recommend canotaje or river rafting. I know a myriad of things dumped into the rivers here and can only imagine whatever I do not know. 11. If you were to become the Mayor of Caraz one day, what would you do or change? Oh that is a long list… Education would be a priority. Environmental issues addressed with stronger measures and education. It makes me giggle that I have to head all my letters to any officials here with the name of the year. A couple of years ago when I started putting in proposals into the municipalities, mayors and such it was ´the year of our commitment to the environment and sustainability´. I have brought a proposal to the mayor’s year after year for an inexpensive fix to the slaughter house pouring the raw blood into the River Llullan. With a very small investment they could be drying the blood and selling it for fertilizer in terms of blood meal and bone meal. Every official answers with feigned interest, which afterwards is perhaps filed in their trash cans. Things like this that could turn waste into revenue with simple solutions, boggle the mind of, I am certain, every person who arrives at these awakenings after spending a greater part of their lives in the ´developed world´. 12. Are you living the Peruvian dream (explain)? I hate to think of it as the ´Peruvian

Expat in Áncash

Dream´ because many Peruvians sueñan or dream of going to my native land. Once there, many immigrants lose the quality of life they have here. I have had a lovely and eventful life, but I wandered too much to have the garden I have always wanted. Living in Caraz, the climate is perfect for so many varieties of plants and I have more time to tend my garden. However, unfortunately the project we have undertaken is much bigger and leaves me with less time in the garden than I had envisioned. Hopefully, that will change with time. 13. How do you see your future in Peru? IntiRumi Inn is in its infancy. It will take some time to develop. If we are able to attract tourists to dine and stay with us at this end of the valley like we hope to the business will flourish. And if we are able to influence our community to participate some in more sustainable agricultural practices, we will have achieved a great goal. When I created the business plan for IntiRumi and I needed to create an alternative plan if the business failed, I wrote that I will always have plenty of organic vegetables and fruits to eat. I will tend my garden, essentially. It is a much better retirement plan than anything offered in my own country. Please tell our readers about the newspaper you ran 10 years ago. What was it called and how did it end? While I was teaching at Huascaran International School, I met a group of journalism graduates from San Martin University in Lima. After chatting about how a free arts and entertainment rag was virtually non-existent in Lima and the major cities of Peru, we decided to give it a go. It was a great project and massively educational and I always say, my expensive gift to Peru. If the name Urbania sounds familiar, it is probably more likely that you recognise it from the real estate section of El Comercio, who promptly adapted it after we stopped distribution. We had a monthly distribution of 10,000 in Cuzco, Huaraz, Arequipa and the country´s capital and opted for a bilingual format to allow tourists access to information on events and information we were trying to disseminate. They say that imitation is the highest form of compliment, so we should be terribly flattered that as small as we were, El Comercio took note and studied us. After the first few of our editions were distributed, the Comercio came out with an entertainment/weekend section logo that looked suspiciously like the logo for Urbania. And well, now they use the name. My father said at the time, “Don’t you know that newspapers are dying?” While a former of journalist colleague friend of my father’s commented, (with well-founded knowledge of the Sendero Luminoso, the [now-forbidden] Communist Party [Shining Path] era) “You know they shoot journalists there, don’t you?”

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Volunteering

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Volunteers need to look beneath the surface to find a good fit You’ve rocked up in Huaraz, and you’ve been wowed by the postcard scenery of the Callejón de Huaylas and the peaks of the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra. Perhaps when you’ve been walking or climbing in those mountains you’ve noticed how poor some of the villagers are and want to do something to help them have a better life. Perhaps you’ve come here with the intention of volunteering to give something to people who need it. Maybe you want to understand how people live here, and not just hang out with other tourists or do only touristy things. Naturally, you want the labour, time, skills, and money you give to go to those in need, and not to people who already have the resources to do well for themselves. In this edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we help you get to grips with the options available. Investigation and research executed by Clare ´Clarita´ Bligh Retired Canadian journalist

Naturally, you want the labour, time, skills, and money you give to go to those in need, and not to people who already have the resources to do well for themselves. In this edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we help you get to grips with the options available. Types of organisations in the area Anyone who has looked into volunteering while travelling knows that volunteer tourism (or ‘voluntourism’) has become customary in the so-called ‘first’ world: many non-governmental organisations (NGOs), charities, not-for-profit (NFP) organisations, and commercial businesses charge high fees to people who volunteer through them. Some local organisations have picked up this idea; others operate on the age-old method of the accepting the gift of skills and time. Some local organisations that charge fees are legitimate registered NGOs or NFPs; others take fees but operate as commercial businesses. NGOs may be funded by government, foundations, people’s donations or businesses. It’s important to understand that all organisations that work with volunteers have legitimate operating costs – they include running an office, paying fair wages to staff, training staff, and the cost of travel to project sites – and that some of your fees will help pay for these. There isn’t a strict formula for the proportion of funds that ought to go on overheads, as each project is different, and some project recipients live remotely, or may need a greater level of support, making these projects more ‘expensive’ to run. How do you know if the organisations you come across are legitimate, and not just an ordinary business in the guise of an NGO, NFP or charity? The short answer is, unless you can see their legal documents and their financial books, you can’t know for certain. But you can still ask some thoughtful questions before you decide which one you want to work with. The editor of The Huaraz Telegraph, Rex Broekman, says you need to be careful when choosing an organisation to volunteer with, and be wary of taking what they say on their websites at face value. “NGOs in Peru operate tax-free, and don’t have to be registered as NGOs, so it’s open to corruption,” the editor says. “There is a lack of info, and some are really family businesses feathering their own nests, and aren’t really NGOs. Some get a lot of money coming in, and there is no accountability or transparency about how they use it. “So do your homework before you sign up with an organisation.”

Types of volunteering

sustainable development projects that the community instigates. “No programme would happen without their involvement and support,” they say on the website. The Alliance’s focus is the Yurac Yacu Community Centre, which is the centre of several projects that revolve around the education of young children, sports activities, teaching adults to read and write, providing nutritious food, and the development of small businesses.

There are roughly 13 organisations you can volunteer with in and around Huaraz. Some organisations didn’t respond to emails, and may no longer be active; others may have been created that we don’t know about yet. There are also a couple of different ways of volunteering. The most common form is where the volunteer pays a fee, sometimes a high fee, as a ‘donation’ to project and operational costs, and to work on a project. Some organisations also provide accommodation, which is usually extra, and some may throw in a tour or two. These organisations are: Andean Alliance, Changes for New Hope, Seeds of Hope, and Teach Huaraz Peru. They possibly include Sembradores Huaraz and Semillas de Vida, but it’s hard to know because they didn’t answer emails. The second type is where the organisation allows you to volunteer your skills, time, and labour, and charges no fee or a very small one. The Huaraz Telegraph, Ka’Way Monti and Stichting Wees Kind fall into this category. Other organisations use different models. The Centre for Social Wellbeing offers intense, short-term internships with a local community. Work with the Peace Corp Peru is open only on application and for US citizens. Responsible Travel Peru offers tour packages that include work in a community or stand-alone volunteering packages.

Aim

Which organisation to choose

The website lists short-term and longterm volunteering options. You will find an application form online. Long-term roles are in:

To help you make an informed decision about where you spend your funds and time, we’ve compiled information on 13 organisations. This is a starting point; of course, you need to do your own research to make sure you are comfortable with the organisation you choose. Prices are given in Soles or in US dollars at a recent exchange rate (S/ 1 = US$0.305; US$1 = S/ 3.28). All the organisations listed here were also reviewed in a 2014 article in The Huaraz Telegraph, ‘Volunteering in and around Huaraz 2014’. The organisations are listed alphabetically; we do not rank them. Andean Alliance Andean Alliance was started in 2003 by two Canadians, Wayne Lamphier and Diana Morris, when they settled in the mountains above Huaraz after years of visiting the area. They brought to their NGO professional skills in environmental sciences, teaching, and hostel and restaurant management. According to the organisation’s website, it is registered in Peru as an asociación civil (grassroots non-government organisation). The alliance works with people of the nearby community of Yurac Yacu to support

Andean Alliance aims to “strengthen the educational and economic base of Andean communities while enhancing their social and environmental conditions”. It does this by supporting conservation and better management of natural resources, and conserving Andean social and cultural traditions in ways that give locals better economic opportunities. Options for you You may be able to contribute professional skills to the projects of Yurac Yacu Community Centre. You can visit the Yurac Yacu Café, which is open daily from 11 am to 4 pm. Locals work in the café to gain training, skills, and employment, which broadens the economic base of the community and helps to make it stronger. The project promotes the use of locally grown traditional foods prepared in innovative ways, according to the website. Directions for getting to the café are on the website. You can donate to the cause via a link on the website. Andean Alliance seeks funds to build the second phase of the community development centre. It also wants materials – but liaise with Diana and Wayne to find out what they need before donating any.

– development of micro-business (6–12 months) – administration (for Andean Alliance) (1–2 years). Short-term roles are: – education with early childhood, preschoolers, and in the summer school (2 months preferred) – assistant in early childhood or preschool education (2–6 months March to December) – planning and conducting activities in the summer school for primacy schoolers (2 months) – teaching handicrafts and handicraft design (2 months) – developing and supporting community guides program (2 months, May to August). Costs The website says, on the page about longterm roles, “Costs for volunteering differ for

each volunteer. This is based on length of time committed to the project, the skill set brought and ability to fund raise. For more details please contact us.” Would there be a specific reason that costs are not mentioned on their website? Responsiveness Diana was overseas when the Alliance was emailed, but she informed us later that she was called back to Canada for family needs and was therefore unable to answer emails. It´s unknown whether all volunteer options are available. Centre for Social Well Being The Centre for Social Wellbeing, based in Carhauz in the valley north of Huaraz, has been going for 15 years. The executive director is Dr Patricia Hammer, an applied medical anthropologist, and the field coordinator is Flor de María Barreto Tosi, an ecologist. Patricia said in an email that the centre is a self-funded civic association, and that all fees contribute to community work and to running and maintaining an organic farm, La Casa de Pocha. Patricia said that the centre provides internships rather than catering for volunteers per se. Interns with the interest and appropriate qualifications are given training, and placed in a community to work, and given the option of developing a continuing affiliation with the centre and the communities is works with. “We are members of the local one-room schoolhouse, the PTA [parents’ and teachers’ association], water committee, local defense league, etc.,” Patricia said. “We work in the three mountain passes within the Province of Carhuaz – Hualcan, Ulta and Honda – and articulate and support requested community efforts with community-based organizations in these three zones as well as across the Río Santa in the Cordillera Negra, on communityidentified issues of agro-biodiversity, health, education, etc.” Aim The aim of the centre is to build the capacity and organisational strength of the Quechua-speaking communities it works with. It does this using participatory action research, which is a compulsory part of interns’ training. Patricia wrote, “We require all potential interns to first train in our intensive seminar to gain both orientation to our sphere of interaction with specific communities, entities in the ministries of health, education, and agriculture, as well develop abilities in the methodology to which we are dedicated: community participatory action research. This is our ethical stance and we never burden communities with untrained assistance. All our community interactions necessarily are aimed to promote social transformation through emancipatory efforts.” Options for you You can join the next three-week program, which runs from August 7 to 27. The theme is climate change and sustainability in the Andes. “Our August seminar highlights

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Volunteering

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016 the onset of the Andean agricultural cycle celebrated in fiestas through music, song, dance to revitalize community solidarity and reciprocity, that include humanenvironment relations,” Patricia said. As well as learning participatory action research techniques and aspects of community issues (in health, education, social justice, agro-biodiversity, and community organisation), students engage in ongoing projects in local agricultural communities, and are taken on excursions to museums, archaeological sites, glacial lakes and hot springs. Apply by filling out the online application form, or by email to Dr Patricia Hammer. Costs US$ 4,000, which includes all incountry travel, food, accommodation at the rural centre, and course materials. Approximately 50% is marked directly for community capacity building, organisational strengthening, and other community programs. Responsiveness The website is out of date, and the centre’s affiliation with the University of New Mexico ended last year. Patricia was responsive, open and frank in her email communication, and answered all questions. Changes for New Hope Changes for New Hope says on its website that it is registered in Peru as a non-profit NGO. It was started by Jim Killon, from Baltimore, USA, in 2009, and he says on the website that he keeps it small and hands-on by choice. The organisation works with destitute children on several fronts: to develop life skills using art projects to build self-esteem; using grants from Vitamin Angels to give vitamin A to thousands of children in Ancash region; and treating children for parasite infections. (The website states that 95% of children tested at start of the project tested positive to parasites.) Changes for New Hope also provides: education, as one of the most important factors in the children’s long-term success; shoes – the organisation uses the state of footwear as a gauge of the level of poverty in a village; and dental care. The NGO claims to have reached more than 2,000 children in 2015, but does not detail what ‘reach’ means. Aim The NGO’s aim is to “develop the lives of children from the inside out, from despair and destitution to hope and opportunities”. Options for you The Heroes, Winners and Visionaries program is open from March to October. You must be at least 24 years old to participate as the website says you need maturity to cope with the intensity of the program. You help children develop a positive attitude to solving everyday problems as a means of helping them build self-confidence. You can volunteer as an intern as part of a university course. This option is open all year. People with ‘relevant’ skills can apply to work on specific projects. You can

make a donation that is tax-deductible if you live in the USA. The organisation has an excellent description on its volunteering page, <http://www.changesfornewhope. org/volunteer.html>, of the skills and attitude volunteers need. The website says you can help by volunteering, spreading the word about the program, raising funds, sponsoring a child, and sending materials and supplies (but get in touch first to find out what’s needed). The Huaraz Telegraph reported Jim Killon’s invitation in its 2014 review of volunteering options: “If a volunteer is here on vacation and would like to join our project, we can arrange flexible volunteering options such as having them in on certain days or times that would be most convenient … Longterm volunteering options are discussed and arranged on a case-by-case basis. Volunteering is free for people already here in Huaraz although a contribution to the project’s continual success is appreciated. Each volunteer is valued and every idea and suggestion is appreciated. A person volunteering with us will be able to be immersed and involved in many aspects of our project. The love and appreciation of the children is heart-warming.”

looks for skills in graphic design, running and analysing surveys, updating the website, researching and writing articles, liaising with the printing company, and helping with the distribution or promotion of the paper. To help, you can be in Huaraz or the valley, or in your home town. Costs You won’t be charged anything, and you won’t be paid, either. Your only expenses will be incidentals such as Internet time, and coffee while conducting research in cafes. Responsiveness Its editor responded quickly to the writer’s emailed questions. Ka’Way Monti

volunteer program mostly because I’d been a shoe-string backpacker, and I wanted to get back to that,” Chris said. “My goal is to get rid of the S/ 25 fee for volunteers. The fee covers us for the slow season; it’s kinda the only way we survive. Most of the travellers who come here at that time want to volunteer, so we look at it as a discount program rather than an exchange.” He said there’d been a mixed reception to charging volunteers. “There was a guy, Asaf, came to volunteer. He didn’t like the fee, and said so, even though he paid it. But when he ran the place for me for a year, he wrote to me after three or four months and said he wanted to up the volunteer price. But I wouldn’t do that,” Chris said. From time to time, Ka’Way Monti also offers paid courses on aspects of natural building, permaculture, and sustainable living.

Changes for New Hope did not reply to emails.

The Ka’Way Monti School for Sustainability was founded in 2012 by Chris Dyson, who moved to the Huaraz area from Denver, Colorado. (The name is Quechua for tree of life.) It was registered in Peru as an NGO in 2012, the same year it was set up. The school is located at a hostel, The Hof, which is above the community of Llupa, near the start of the hike to Laguna Churup. The main focus is the Living Change program, <www.living-change.com>, a leadership program for sustainable communities in four areas: permaculture, leadership, community, and local culture. People who sign up for the program, which is run as an on-site school, earn a certificate course in permaculture design. The programme is funded by the proceeds from the hostel. “I don’t believe in the model of NGOs living off donations and grants. It takes too much time and energy, and then you don’t have time for the work you want to do,” Chris said. “So that’s why we have the hostel. It funds the NGO, so all profits we make go Ka’Way Monti.”

Huaraz Telegraph

Aim

Dutchman Rex Broekman, who lives in Huaraz, started an English-language newspaper, The Huaraz Telegraph, in 2012. The paper’s online version is updated with local news, profiles, and opinion pieces all year round; a print version is published once a month from May to September, and distributed to the main tourist hang-outs in the valley. Its editor wants tourists to have a good time when they are in the region, and to help this come about he challenges local tourism businesses and government authorities to be honest and transparent about their services. He’s not above ruffling local feathers to ensure that the truth will out. He also wants visitors to understand more of the complexity and richness of Andean life, with a depth that guide books and tourism websites cannot provide

The aim of Ka’Way Monti is to practice and teach sustainable living, and for those living there to work in collaboration with the people of the nearby community of Llupa to exchange learning and knowledge. “Given that Ka’Way Monti has been conceived by immigrants who came to Peru looking for new ways of living, one of the key principles has been a harmonious integration into what already exists in the region,” Chris says on the website.

It was possible in 2014 to volunteer with at Parque Nacional Huascarán, according to August 2014 edition of The Huaraz Telegraph article on volunteering options. The minimum time you could volunteer was three months. It is unknown whether this is still possible.

Options for you

The costs are unknown.

You are asked to work a minimum of 24 hours a week. Work revolves around permaculture, and usually includes gardening (e.g. making and tending raised garden beds, weeding, planting, pruning or harvesting, composting, and tending the chickens), and general maintenance of the site. Chris tries to match volunteers’ interests with the work to be done.

Responsiveness

Costs An obligatory one-off volunteer ‘donation’ costs US$400, which you pay when you arrive. Accommodation, transport for project visits, tourist activities, and any personal spending are extra. Changes for New Hope can organise your transfer from Lima Airport to accommodation in Huaraz for US$100. You are better off organising this yourself if you can, as it will be much cheaper. Responsiveness

Aim The aim of the paper is to provide unbiased honest information and news on life in the valley, and to improve tourists’ experiences of their travels here. Options for you The Huaraz Telegraph seeks Englishspeaking volunteers who want to contribute to the paper. The person in charge at THT

Costs Volunteering will cost you S/ 25 a day, for which you receive accommodation (a dorm bed or, when these fill, camping), and three nutritious, big meals a day. “It doesn’t make sense for us to turn away a paying guest for a volunteer, so if the dorm beds fill up we put volunteers in a tent. I set up the

Responsiveness Chris responded questions.

quickly

emailed

Parque Nacional Huascarán Huascarán National Park was created in 1975 to protect the tropical glaciers of the Peruvian Andes. Its 3,400 square kilometre (1,313 square mile) area covers much of the Cordillera Blanca, encompassing 660 glaciers and 300 or so glacial lakes, many endangered animal and plant species, and traditional livelihoods that have been carried out in the remote mountains for hundreds of years. It is administered by SERNANP, the government agency that looks after protected areas. Aim The aim of the park is to protect unique landforms and geological processes (tropical glaciers), endemic plant and animal species, archaeological ruins, and cultural traditions of Andeans. Options for you

Costs

Email was unanswered. Peace Corps Peru Part of the US organisation, Peace Corps Peru has been operating since 2002. Volunteers give a two-year commitment to work on projects in youth and community development, health, and the environment. There are currently 243 volunteers working in Peru, of who possibly 20 to 30 are in Ancash. Prospective volunteers are required to undertake a 10-week preservice training program to prepare them for life in the host country. Continue reading on page 16

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Volunteering

16 Continuation of page 15

Aim The Peace Corps’ mission is to help citizens of the US to better understand the lives of the people they serve, and to spread US cultural values while also promoting sustainable community development. Options for you Volunteering with the Peace Corps in Peru is open only to citizens of the USA. Current positions are in health (water resources, hygiene education, water sanitation) and community economic development (business development, business advice). The application process is described on the website. Costs Volunteers are paid an allowance that is similar to a local wage. The Corps covers medical and dental care, and transport to and from the country you serve. A fee is paid for volunteers who return home only after 27 months of service. Responsiveness Email questions were unanswered. Responsible Travel Peru Responsible Travel Peru, which gives itself the nickname Respons, is a travel agency that specialises in tours that are sustainable for communities, and where tourists interact with residents in small communities. Since 2009, when it began working with communities in Ancash, it has expanded to encompass about 70 communities in Peru. It works hand in hand with these communities, plus NGOs and small tourism businesses, to create tailormade itineraries that combine tourism and projects that benefit the communities. Respons offers volunteering on its own, or as part of a tour. Aim The agency’s aim is to promote tourism that is sustainable and sensitive to the needs of the communities and landscapes tourists visit. Options for you You have two options near Huaraz, both in the community of Vicos. The first is the twoday cocina mejorada project. In this time, you work with a local family to build them a better kitchen. You use adobe bricks that you help make, and a steel cooking plate and chimney, to build a stove that uses less wood. The stove eliminates smoke from the kitchen, which makes the home environment much healthier for the family. The second option is teaching English at the Vicos high school. You need to commit a minimum of a month. As you’ll live with a local family, you’ll get first-hand experience of local life and values. Over the working week, you teach basic English to all 400 students, who are aged from 11 to 18. An option (at extra cost) after completing either volunteer placement is to take part in a pachamanca with your hosts. This is an old tradition of cooking meats and vegetables in earth that has been lined with hot stones. Before the pachamanca is opened, the

participants make a ritual payment to the mountain gods. It is often accompanied by music and dance, and the musicians teach you about their instruments and music. Costs Respons representative Johanna “Jojo” Bishop said that the community decides on the prices it charges for its services, and presents them to the agency. “We know them very well and have a close contact to Vicos. [To] your volunteering [fee] we add a small fee on top for organising everything,” Jojo said. The cocina mejorada project costs US$271, which includes accommodation, meals, and contribution to materials used. It excludes transport, any translator used, drinking water on the first day, and personal expenses. Teaching costs US$325 a month. The cost covers accommodation and meals. It excludes transport, personal expenses, and tourist activities. Responsiveness The agency responded quickly to emails and answered all questions. Seeds of Hope Seeds of Hope is a small, Peruvianregistered NGO that helps 55 students aged 6 to 18 with their homework to encourage them to continue to learn. They are also given emotional support, lessons in personal hygiene and wellbeing, and nutritious meals to encourage them not to drop out of school. The NGO provides school uniforms and study materials, and pays school matriculation fees if required. This amounts to approximately US$15 a month for each child, and is more than poor families can afford. Seeds of Hope also provides medical assistance from time to time. All of this occurs in the NGO’s own small school, which is where international volunteers work. The school works with parents to help them understand the importance of keeping their children in school, so they no longer take them out of school to work on the streets to earn part of the family income. The NGO’s director (Yuri Fred Chavez Valdivia) and full-time teacher are Peruvians. The board comprises people from Peru, Italy, the UK, and the US; and also has involvement from Belgium. Much of the organisation’s annual budget comes from volunteers, according to Asha, a representative of Seeds of Hope. Aim The NGO aims to provide a safe environment for the poorest students in Huaraz, to help them achieve academic and social success in the hope that this will break them out of poverty. Options for you The main position available is a school tutor. The tutor helps children with their homework, and also with improving basic literacy and numeracy, and helps prepare nutritious meals and teaches personal hygiene. Volunteers with a particular project in mind are welcome to discuss it with the Seeds staff. Asha said that the NGO would be looking for an international coordinator in September, and that the volunteer who undertook this role would need to commit

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

for six months at least. They would also need to submit a CV if they wanted to apply for the position. Costs The fee you are charged is split between the cost of supporting the children, and operational costs. Volunteers are expected to stay in the accommodation that Seeds of Hope provides, rather than find their own. The volunteering fee is S/ 550 (US$170) a month, and a discount is offered for people who volunteer for more than six months. There are three accommodation options: – S/ 800 (US$244) a month, for a private room with a private bathroom – S/ 600 (US$183) a month, for a private room with a shared bathroom – S/ 500 (US$153) a month for a shared room and bathroom You can also sponsor a child for US$15 a month. Responsiveness The positions of social worker or psychologist and photographer that are listed on the Seeds of Hope page on the Omprakash volunteer networking website are out of date. (The photography role has been subsumed into the tutor role.) Seeds of Hope responded quickly to emails. Sembradores Huaraz Sembradores Huaraz is a not-for-profit organisation based in Huaraz that helps children, youth and people with disabilities. Its beginning was in the volunteer efforts of Italian Luzia Lintner, who came to Huaraz in 1998 as part of a group of volunteers to work with La Fraternidad Cristiana de Personas Enfermas y con Discapacidad. After Luzia died in 2008, the group Sembradores Italia was formed to continue her early work. It was legally registered as an NGO in 2013. According to the group’s Facebook page, it runs six projects: – Gotitas de Amor (Droplets of Love), for doing schoolwork, playing games, and teaching crafts with children in Challhua, Antiochus and Bellavista – Maquiike Uriekan, to help lowincome university students make craft items to cover their college expenses – Jovenes de Challhua (Challhua Youth), a handicrafts workshop to help young people to generate income – Jovenes sin Frontera (Youth Without Borders), another workshop, with training, for 11 to 15-year-olds, to make handicrafts that are sold to raise funds for activities – Physiotherapy home visits to the sick and disabled – Taller Luzi Linter, a workshop to give people with disabilities handicraft work that they sell to support themselves economically, and give them a sense of independence and value Aim

The organisation aims to help disadvantaged children and young people and people with disabilities, to gain economic independence. Options for you & costs Unknown Responsiveness Sembradores did not respond to emails; the email address given on its Facebook page seems to no longer work, although the Facebook page is active. Semillas de Vida Semillas de Vida (Seeds of Life) is a community-founded school on 2,500 square metres of land in Nueva Florida, on the outskirts of Huaraz. The school has a thriving organic garden, forest, river, and the “very special energy of a cherished resource”. It was founded by Jennifer Hrinkevich, from the US, and other members of a community organic garden, and arose from discussions around the garden beds about the kind of education they wanted for their children. The school teaches a Waldorf curriculum; it is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, which emphasises learning through the integration of intellectual, practical and artistic development of children. Parents are active participants in school life. According to a 2014 article on volunteering in The Huaraz Telegraph, “The founders chose the name … to capture the wish that the foundation of their children’s lives would be harmonious, filled with movement, colour, balance, light, love, and cross-cultural, multi-lingual exploration and knowledge.” Semillas de Vida presents traditional school subjects through the teaching of “theater and puppetry, music, meditation, nutrition and cooking, painting, sculpture, as well as physical activities like climbing, biking, hiking, camping – all the while integrating many forms of art”, Jennifer said in an article in Peru This Week. The students spend nearly half their school day outside connecting with the natural environment. Aim The school aims to develop in children core values of self-discovery, respect, environmental education, and community, so that they grow into healthy, inspired, information and compassionate adults. Options for you Volunteers appear to be accepted, by the look of posts on the organisation’s Facebook page. Apparently it is also possible to make a donation, which is tax-deductible if you are a US citizen. For information on these options, email one of the founders, Jennifer Hrinkevich at jhrinkevich@hotmail.com. Costs Unknown Responsiveness The Facebook page is active, but the website listed on that page no longer exists. There was no response to emailed questions.

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Volunteering

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016 Stichting Wees Kind Stichting Wees Kind (Dutch for Be a Child) is a not-for-profit that began in 2007, although the founders began working with Peruvian children in 2003. They focus on children in the worst circumstances: poverty, neglect, and abuse. Its main project is two soup kitchens, which provide about 170 people, mostly children, with nutritious meals. Each kitchen has a vegetable garden, and offers children’s activities and dental care. Another project is a shelter for 25 children, many of whom cannot live at home. SWK organises and pays for professional therapy for traumatised children. Once the children leave the shelter, when they turn 18, they are eligible to receive payment from a study fund to pay for their studies until they find a job and become independent. Peruvian team members are paid the going local wage. SWK’s website says that everyone involved who lives outside Peru – in the Netherlands and Australia – works voluntarily, and SWK doesn’t usually rent office space or vehicles, so it can “guarantee that 100% of all donations go to our projects”. Aim The aim is to give children a better chance of making a go of their lives by providing meals via a soup kitchen, and to ensure they go to school wearing shoes and warm clothes. They provide time to play, instead of having to beg or work, and they provide some dental care. Options for you The local team in Peru welcomes travellers who are happy to help out even for a few days. You can work in the soup kitchens, La Gran Mesa (The Big Table), in the Huaraz suburb of Los Pinos, and Nos Da Alegria (The Happiness), in Raimondi. SWK’s project manager, Sabine Honing, described typical duties in an email: “At lunch time you help keeping the order in the soup kitchen, help children eat, serve food, hand out plates, do dishes, and clean up. After lunch, you can either help the activity teachers with an activity or organise something yourself (in coordination with the project coordinator), like English classes, handicrafts, playing outside, games, and maybe even photography classes.” The organisation has a dedicated space and a dental chair at the children’s shelter, and would love qualified dentists to give some time to provide the children with dental care.

SWK responded willingly to emailed questions. Teach Huaraz Peru Teach Huaraz Peru says on its website that it’s a small, family-run NGO that is registered with the Peruvian government. It was founded by teacher Luis Delgado, who is the coordinator. Sindy Delgado is the executive director, and also a Spanish teacher who provides lessons to volunteers. The organisation has volunteer representatives in the USA, the UK, and Australia. According to the website, early in his career Luis was exposed to Peace Corps volunteers who confirmed his belief that we are all part of one global community. Then, after his own experience of working with a volunteer in 2000, he created Teach Huaraz Peru, and these days he uses his teaching experience and contacts to place volunteers. They teach in a range of Huaraz educational settings, from primary schools to universities and language centres. In return, they live with the Delgado family to be immersed in Peruvian community life. Each placement is personalised to suit the volunteer’s interests and skills. Volunteers do not need CELTA or TEFL qualifications.

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Aim Teach Huaraz Peru aims to improve the knowledge and learning of local students and volunteers. It operates on the philosophy that everyone can make a difference and help others learn. Options for you As well as teaching, you can participate in cultural activities and outdoor activities, and learn or improve your Spanish. In future, it may be possible to work in the orphanage THP is (still) trying to establish. Costs US$110 placement fee if you get yourself to Huaraz; US$160 if THP picks you up in Lima and escorts you to Huaraz. Plus US$110 a week, or US$420 a month for homestay accommodation, which includes a private rooms and meals. US$150 Spanish lessons for 40 hours (over 2 weeks) and US$10 an hour for Spanish tutorials. Responsiveness THP responded to emails, but did not answer all questions. Information on the website about the projects available is inaccurate.

Costs

In the end it’s up to you

The amount you give is up to you. “All we ask is that volunteers contribute with a cash or material donation on the spot,” Sabine said. If giving goods, ask first what’s needed. “The money raised, or goods received, serves as a reimbursement for the time our team invests in you to guide you through the day or week and also helps guarantee the continuation of these vital projects. This way, you can also see with your own eyes how the money is being spent and that the children truly receive your donation,” Sabine said.

In the end it’s up to you to ask enough pertinent questions to get a good fit between the organisation you work for, and your aspirations and interests, as well as the time you have available. Make sure that organisations deliver what they promise, and if they don’t, give constructive feedback. Most of all, we hope you make the most of your exchange by leaping in, boots and all, to a full cultural experience. If you do, you will probably get back more than you give. The Huaraz Telegraph is interested in your volunteering story, if you’d like to get in touch with us. Good luck and we hope that you enjoy contributing something other than money to our community.

Responsiveness

Casa de Guías offers: Guide services Spanish classes Weather updates Tourist information Detailed maps

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History of Newspapers

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

The newspaper history in Huaraz according to journalist José Manuel Sotelo Mejía (83) The Huaraz Telegraph spoke with journalist, historian, writer and poet José Manuel Sotelo Mejía who told us about the interesting history of the newspapers in Huaraz. Born in 1933, Mr. Sotelo Mejía helped organise the very first rescue teams and aid to victims of the earthquake of 1970. He´s also a former mayor of the city and a relative of Grand Marshal, Don Toribio de Luzuriaga and Mejia, descendant of the old family Mejía-Maldonado. We owe thanks to Juan Manuel Quiros Romero, owner of Albergue Churup who set up the meeting for us with his friend Mr. José Manuel Sotelo Mejía. Being the editor of the only fiveyear-old The Huaraz Telegraph I was seriously surprised that journalism in the department of Ancash started back in 1823. That long ago! According to Mr. José Manuel Sotelo Mejía, the history of journalism in Ancash, and especially in Huaraz, is a beautiful, old and noble story. The story or journalism started back in 1823, when the liberating forces, before their decisive campaigns in Junín and Ayacucho, edited awareness newsletters against Spanish power. An example of this work was the Centelina en Campaña, which was produced in small printing shops and transported by mules. José Faustino Sánchez Carrión had an active role in these prints. Sánchez Carrión was a pro-independence politician from Peru and had a decisive role in the formation of the republican system of government in post-independence Peru. Between this period and 1842 few newspapers were launched; however, some are worth mentioning. El Uron del Norte was a satirical cut and El Verdadero Tantalo was another paper that circulated and was printed in the public beneficence of Huaraz. From 1838, El boletín del Ejercito Unido Restaurador del Perú (The united restorer´s army bulletin of Peru) released five issues until 1839. This publication tried to guide the local public opinion against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation, advocated by Marshal Andres de Santa Cruz, who tried to achieve the reunification of Peru with its former territory Alto Perú (nowadays know as Bolivia). This was the beginning of what would lead to a deadly battle in Yungay. The Chilean victory in Yungay effectively brought the PeruBolivian Confederation to an end; and the department of Áncash was created. This battle is known in Spanish as the Pan de Azúcar battle. The 12th of March 1842 could be said to be the official start of journalism in Huaraz when 174 years ago the newspaper El Popular De Ancash was launched. This paper was led by Jose Paredes Cora and printed in Huaraz. It was the first newspaper with a continuous circulation and the first that reported on the various events of city life and it included interesting topics such as items related to culture, literature and even poetry. Who finds poetry in a newspaper nowadays? The second half of the century there were 13 new newspapers in circulation; some of

The Huaraz Telegraph journalist José Manuel Sotelo Mejía (83) with a hard copy of El Departamento (24-08-1936) in his hands

which were El Regristro de Ancash with 500 copies per edition, La Autonomía managed by Rafael Sánchez Díaz, El Registro Oficial, La Federación, El Correo de Ancash and La Justicia. The previous two mentioned were run by priest Fidel Olivas Escudero who would later become the bishop of Ayacucho. The newspapers mainly published stories about Peru´s war with Chile and on the many (political related) incidents that marked Peru´s history. Two other newspapers that were published during the same period were La Joventud de Ancash and El Amigo. Alejandro Dextre Sierra was the editor of El Eco de Huaraz in 1900 and in 1904 El Heraldo (The Herald) was published. In the next year two other newspapers were released, La Actualidad y El Trueno and Obreros y Artesanos de Ancash. Obreros y Artesanos de Ancash had a proletarian character with the first indications of what nowadays would be called a trade union. In 1907 La Noticia and El Informativo Municipal were brought into circulation, in 1908 La Divisa and El Pueblo, La Mañana in 1915, El Huascarán in 1918, El Porvenir in 1925, La República in 1929, La Reacción in 1932, El Perú Libre in 1935, El Tiempo and El Boletin Municipal in 1936, Noticias in 1938 and Debate in 1939. In 1947 El Coloso appears, which belonged to the Caro-Sánchez family and this newspaper was a hit because of its small format; a landmark in the history of local and national media. Finally, in 1956 La Hora was released which was directed by Fortunato Flores Guitierrez. But there is one newspaper that hasn’t got a mention yet. This concerns a newspaper that covered with height, honesty and truthfulness almost the whole twentieth century. This newspaper, called El Departamento de Ancash, was founded on March the 7th in 1908 by lawyer, poet and journalist Luis Navarro Neyra. This man from Ica ran the newspaper

until 1914 when he was killed as a consequence of political struggles. Four years after Navarro´s murder, Dr. José Joaquín Sotelo was installed as the new editor of El Departamento de Ancash. For the next years, the newspaper maintained its character and true leadership, using a very formal orientation, with print runs that covered the requirements of information and culture of the people until the periods of the 50s and 60. Because of deterioration of its printing and by reducing their print run it became almost obsolete. However, in 1969, the Salazar family decided to purchase a brand new, ultra-modern printing machine, to give a new life to the newspaper and to make it profitable again. Sadly and unexpectedly, the Great Peruvian earthquake destroyed the printing machine in 1970.

In the years before the earthquake, El Departamento de Ancash featured historian Manuel Reyna Loli and journalists Francisco Jaramillo and Jose Sotelo Mejía (our interviewee) who added character and gave knowledge and culture to the paper. In the early decades of the twentieth century, the newspaper records harsh political struggles between parties, clashes that happened on more than one occasion causing bloodshed between political leaders, who used the media of that time as battle flag. A sample of those hard times of strife is found in an editorial written by Dr. Sotelo in 1919. He stated: “Now, without fear of contradiction, we can say that with an occasional rare exception, the press is the most damaging element in Peru, due to being exclusively deviated from its fair limits.” This quote reminded Jose Sotelo Mejía of a statement once made by José Antonio Miró Quesada who specified that journalism, depending on how it is exercised, may be considered the noblest or the vilest of all professions. Journalism is a quadruple mission that seeks to truthfully inform, guide, educate and culturalise the people. Especially in

a country like Peru, this is a collection of different people, nations and races that are bound together through nationality and love for their country. Being a country with different races, cultures, traditions and languages, journalism should be the link; the force that helps in the search for unity, which finally should break with the differences between groups and men. In 2017, Jose Sotelo Mejía has planned to make a special jubilee edition as the paper celebrates its 110th anniversary. We asked Jose Sotelo Mejía what he thought of the current quality of journalism in Huaraz and if he had seen our newspaper. I have seen your newspaper, I can´t recall where, but I have seen it a couple of years back for the first time. I think you do a great job, and I know at first hand that it´s a lot of work! I have to admit that I don’t read any newspapers in Huaraz because it´s cultural and informative levels are terrible nowadays. Not to mention the journalists behind those papers. It seems that the only thing they are interested in nowadays is money. I have been a journalist for over 40 years and have always been careful with that topic. I have written a lot and have now come to a point that I can´t be bothered anymore. The downfall started after the earthquake in 1970. Journalism belonged to a select group of elite people and with the earthquake our culture got destroyed and we never got it back. After the quake a bunch of new journalist arrived from Trujillo, Cusco and Arequipa but they weren’t interested in our local culture. They were only interested in making money and sending it back to their home city. In 2016, the city of Huaraz has a number of daily local newspapers such as Prensa Regional, Diario Integración and, of course, the English-language newspaper The Huaraz Telegraph.

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Book Review

Book Review: Return to Sender. The Moral Economy of Peru’s Migrant Remittances By Dr. Patricia Jean Hammer, Ph.D., Applied Medical Anthropologist, Resident of Carhuaz and Director of the Centre for Social Well Being phammer@wayna.rcp.net.pe If you’re curious about the Peruvian diaspora and why anyone born and raised in this mountain paradise would wander off to explore life and work in other places around the world, you should read the recent publication of Swedish anthropologist Karsten Paerregaard, Return to Sender. The Moral Economy of Peru’s Migrant Remittances. Karsten Paerregaard brings to publication a well-researched, comprehensive study of what he refers to as the “social life” of migrant remittances sent back to relatives in home countries. Impressive is his extensive review of the literature of current discourses and debates that take issue with the subject from differing standpoints of economists, sociologists, policy makers and anthropologists. He clearly illustrates that contrasting analyses and conclusions are the result of distinct disciplinary methods of both data collection and interpretation. In part, Paerregaard’s objective is to respond to the heavy bias of policy makers who are convinced that remittances are a “remedy for creating economic growth”, and presume unquestioned positive influence on the home country in terms of development. In contrast, a negative picture comes into view in both economy and sociology studies that underline how outmigration of workers drains labour, and how the increase of funds in the home country can lead to government inefficiency, dependence and, dangerously, open doors for corruption. In his multi-sited ethnography that traces the social life of a wide range of remittance sending circumstances, a wide variety of examples are examined – from Quechua speaking sheep herders who migrate to the pasturelands of the western US, to successful immigrant politicians in New England. Paerregaard follows the full lifecycle of particular cases in families, and does an excellent job of bringing to the forefront what he calls, “true motives” that give life to remittances. As he explains, guaranteeing the well-being of family and relatives is the pure underlying motive, and the earning, saving and “gifting” of money is simply a means towards a greater moral objective, which lends to the subtitle of his book, The Moral Economy of Peru’s Migrant Remittances. His careful, in-depth study relies on ethnographic inquiry carried out from 1997 to 2011 in a sample of the major migration destinations of Peruvians, with a definite focus on the importance and impact of remittances on family relations. His point of departure provides historical analysis of the term and practice of remitting. He emphasises the significance of anthropological methods, which differ from economic and sociological approaches, solely concerned with statistics and the effect of remittances to reduce poverty on a national scale.

The strength of Paerregaard’s very original study is his framework of the life course of remittances, from birth to death. He offers a clear look at how families and society attribute moral and political value to remittances, and moves on to focus on the “new family roles” that emerge when a member migrates and the consequent effects on relationships and responsibilities. His analysis brings the debate far beyond the optimistic versus pessimistic stances of current discourse, by bringing to light the implications of gender, class and identity in the movement of people and funds, which he refers to as the “social anatomy” of remittances.

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Three novel analytic approaches are applied to understand remittances that consist first of phenomenology, which explores the social biography of remittance behaviour, secondly a process approach that pursues the life trajectory to explain how such transactions are born and flow through family networks, and finally a structural perspective that examines the socioeconomic framework in place, and asks “What is the moral economy of remittances?” Three categories of commitments are identified by migrants to describe their personal goals. The first is, compromiso – an individual promise or pledge to family members to send money, secondly voluntad, which refers to free will or social volition, such as unrequested donations to community, church or family causes, and thirdly the concept of superación that illustrates a kind of self-commitment towards success by overcoming class and economic barriers. In conclusion, Paerregaard´s study shows us that contemporary remittances come from a long history of exchange relations in a complex weave of economic, moral and emotional motives, influences and impacts. His message to policy makers is that to calculate remittances as a contribution to home country development is a definite error, and in fact remittances lend to existing economic inequalities rather than ameliorating them. He bluntly advises, “Peru is far better off pursuing development strategies other than encouraging its population to migrate and remit” (p. 207). His point is well taken at this particular moment, with presidential elections on the rise and the overall population’s revulsion of the repeated menu of corrupt candidates, with no coherent plan to improve social conditions. Youth and working-class voters are demanding fair opportunities and a transformation of Peruvian society towards inclusion, accountability and justice here at home. Migration experiences, narratives, letters and stories told may have lent to comprehending that better social conditions are potentially possible in Peru, and Karsten Paerregaard’s study certainly lays the groundwork for further investigation on cultural aspects of the international movement of people throughout the globe. Return to Sender. The Moral Economy of Peru’s Migrant Remittances. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2015.

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Brief News

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Continuation of page 3

point of view on tourism in Huaraz. “In Huaraz everybody is still doing their own thing. We are not united and the tourism entrepreneurs are simply expecting that the tourists just come falling from the sky. There are very few mayors that have tourism on their agenda. The only mayors who have recently done something in tourism are the mayors of the districts of Independencia, Jangas and Taricá. This became clear during the 2016 version of the Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca 2012. The rest are doing nothing!” Jean-Paul Glassey also shared his ideas on the long holiday during Fiestas Patrias (Independence Day) in Huaraz. He said, “The problem during the public holidays, and this has been going on for over the past 20 years since I have been living in Huaraz, is the vast increase of prices of bus tickets, tours and hotels. Imagine a family of five wants to leave for a short holiday it would cost them a thousand soles on just on bus tickets. This trend will stop many Peruvians from travelling, which is very sad. I have seen that the hotels in our city are also selling their beds for the price of four nights but only offer a three-night stay. Finally, the Regional Directorate of Tourism is doing absolutely nothing either.” Finally, development is on the way as Huaraz is to get a mall Trujillo, Chiclayo, Huancayo, Chincha, Cusco, Callao, Moyobamba, Tumbes, Pucallpa, Juliaca and even Puno all have malls or shopping centres. Huaraz, however, never seemed to get one because local businessmen wanted to protect the smaller businesses in our city. The reality is, however, that those ´local businessman´ are only protecting their businesses. Previously, during the management of former mayor Vladimir Meza Villarreal, a contract was signed to construct a mall at the fairground of Quinuacocha, where the military is located. The new mayor Dr. Alberto Espinoza Cerrón, however, was against the location of Quinuacocha, also called Bim 06. And now, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel thanks to a business couple from Huaraz. Tarazona Arquitectos has presented the first plans of what should make Huaraz a more liveable place. Huaraz doesn’t have a zoo, bowling alley, cinema or shopping mall. This, however, is about to change

The Huaraz Telegraph Tarazona Arquitectos has presented Project Lucila Plaza, only 100 metres from the Plaza de Armas

thanks to Karina Jamanca and Enrique Leiva who are in charge of Project Lucila Plaza. Project Lucila Plaza should rise at the former premises of the historic Radio Film and Montrek nightclub (Jr. Simón Bolívar and Jr. Sucre), the building was recently demolished. The location is only 100 metres from the Plaza de Armas in Huaraz. Although the plans look spectacular, the first problems seem to have already appeared as the construction is paralysed at the moment because the project lacks a building licence. And guess what, it´s the Provincial municipality of Mayor Espinoza Cerrón who is in charge of handing out the licence. The same mayor who thinks that the smaller businesses in Huaraz should be protected from the bigger ones. The fact that the mall will have seven floors might be the first obstacle in getting the licence, as buildings in Huaraz should not be higher than five floors. Beyond doubt, a small hooray for Huaraz but also indubitably, a story that will continue. And for the sake of Huaraz, hopefully with a happy ending.

June every year, the National Federation of Tourist Guides commemorates the legal battle for the professionalisation of the tourism sector (together with the professional guides working herein) and regulation of Act no. 28529, which is the Peruvian Law of the Tourist Guide.

Gilmer Ernesto Sanchez presents magazine with stories and legends on touristic sites

Furthermore, there are brief descriptions of more popular sites such as Chacas and the Sanctuary of Mama Ushu, the National Park Huascarán, Carhuaz, Yungay and Recuay, which makes the magazine handy and interesting for Spanish speaking tourists visiting the region. The last page of the magazine has a small Quechua vocabulary that mentions some frequently used words in Huaraz and its surroundings. The magazine will be on sale at different tourist information centres in town, and we have been informed that the publication will cost 10 soles. As mentioned before, author of the publication, Premium Guía Turística, una historia, una leyenda, is professional tourist guide Gilmer Ernesto Sanchez.

Many members of AGOEMA (Asociación de Guías Oficiales Especializados en Montaña – Huaraz Ancash), AGOMP (Asociación de Guías Oficiales de Montaña del Perú), ARGOT (Asociación Regional de Guías Oficiales de Turismo de Ancash) and AGMP (Asociación de Guías de Montaña del Peru) celebrated Tourist Guide Day in Huaraz. On the 12th of

During the celebrations, Gilmer Ernesto Sanchez presented a brand new magazine with stories and legends on touristic sites in the Callejon de Huaylas and the Conchucos area. The magazine is a premium tourist guide that relates on archaeology and investigations executed in the archaeological site Chavín de Huantar and three previously unpublished legends told by the author himself. One of these legends is about the tears of Taita Inti that helped to construct the temple of Chavín. Another interesting legend is the story of Huáscar and Huandi. Huáscar and Huandi is a Pre-Hispanic legend that explains how a beautiful princess called Huandi was transformed into the Huandoy Mountain.

Hotel El Tumi celebrated its 38th anniversary

The Huaraz Telegraph According to Glassey there are very few mayors that have tourism on their agendas

Hotel El Tumi opened its doors on July the 18th 1978 with the clear idea of offering the best possible services for its guests during their stay in the city of Huaraz. One example of great service that was presented by the hotel was the implementation of the spa that offers massages, facials and body treatments, waxing, manicures and pedicures and even a spa for children. Additionally, there is a jacuzzi and sauna in the hotel. The

hotel´s restaurant offers different kinds of national and international dishes but also delicacies such as soup, ice-cream and fried guinea pig. A new service added to the list is the hotel´s new Sushi Bar. Sadly, in Huaraz places to eat Japanese food are very limited, but the hotel El Tumi offers this extra service to its guests and also to locals and tourists. Customers can choose between sushi, sashimi or maki rolls and also enjoy delicious cocktails that will be prepared by a professional bartender. In 2016, the hotel offers all kinds of services such as a garage for safe parking, medical assistance for its guests, a lift, and conference facilities, and travellers that bring their pets can also enjoy their stay as the hotel offers dog houses for man´s best friend. The hotel is open 365 days a year and always offers special promotions around days like Valentine´s Day, Father´s Day, Mother´s Day and Christmas. El Tumi´s latest expansion took place above Huaraz near the village of El Pinar where it opened another restaurant and brand new conference centre with high-tech equipment. This place is called El Bosque (the forest) and is operated by special staff trained under the wings of the Tumi hotel. Five tourists and their guide get mugged when held at gun point near Willcahuaín Ruins Five foreign tourists and their guide were assaulted and held at gun point on the 17th of July, seven kilometres from the Huaraz city centre. The crime took place approximately one kilometre from the archaeological monument of Willcahuaín and was executed by four suspects that were in a black Yaris car. The group of tourists was hiking towards the lookout point of Taitarruntu and Laguna Ahuac when the four criminals stopped them and took all their belongings, including cash money and valuable cameras. The foreigners and local guide communicated to the Tourist Police stationed at the ruins that they were unable to write down the licence plate. For many years The Huaraz Telegraph has been advising its readers in every printed edition of the paper to avoid the Rataquenua Cross (although we were informed by the Tourist Police that there is permanent surveillance at the

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016 moment) and not to hike from the ruins of Willcahuaín towards the hot springs in Monterrey. Surprisingly, in the foreword of the July edition of The Huaraz Telegraph, the editor recalls that it´s been ages since he had been informed by the Tourist Police about a mugging. Sadly, these things do happen but luckily they´re not frequent. Of the group of five, two tourists were German, one Austrian and two Swiss. According to Major Godofredo Vargas Delgado of the Tourism Division of the National Police of Peru, it wasn’t the first time; something similar happened as earlier this year when four French tourists lost their belongings in May. Major Vargas, furthermore, invited tourists to keep visiting Huaraz and the surrounding areas as he believes that the mugging was an isolated incident and that there are actually 30 Tourist Police members installed at different sites such as Chavin de Huantar, Pastoruri, Llanganuco, Rataquenua, Willcahuaín and at different places in town. In the document that The Huaraz Telegraph obtained from the Tourist Police it states that the criminals had no mercy with the European tourists nor with the guide as they had to hand over cash money in soles, euros, dollars and Swiss francs, special sunglasses, a Swiss army knife, cell phones, a Lumix camera, a Canon 70D camera with accessories and a Nikon camera, wallets, jackets, medication, towels, credit cards, and other personal belongings. The group´s guide, Victor Colange Saenz, had to hand over his guiding licence and his national identity document. Frank Firgen Flemm, Karin Helga Rupp, Alois Strimtzer Verberg, Urs Kundig Oberfeld and Monika Uteiner and the guide declared to the Tourist Police that the total sum of the belongings they lost that day was S/45,851.21. Despite the good intentions of the Tourist Police, as is ´normally the case´ in Peru, the suspects were not found. Famous longboarder James Kelly races down the Conchucos roads in KIA commercial James Kelly, winner of the World Championship in downhill skateboarding 2012, organised by the International Gravity Sports Association shines in a spectacular commercial promoted by Kia Motors Worldwide. The commercial immediately tackles the terrible image of Peru’s roads. The roads shown in the commercial are in no way in bad condition, full of holes and impassable. As a matter of fact, it concerns the downhill part from the Punta Olímpica tunnel, and with a length of 1,384 metres, it´s the longest vehicular tunnel in Peru and the highest in the world, located at 4,735 metres (15,535 feet) above sea level. The road after the tunnel, which is perfectly paved, leads to the Conchucos area and finally to the town of Chacas. Reason enough for Kia to promote their All New Sportage X SUV in the Huaraz region. In the commercial, Kelly is accompanied by Peruvian longboarder Alvaro Garcia Alcazar and Marko Arroyo Torres, both members of Choro Longboarding from San Borja, Lima and they pave the way

Brief News

for Kia´s brand new Sportage X SUV. The three longboarders show their incredible skills while at high speed they race downhill. Although the main objective is to promote the car, one cannot look past the stunning views that this part of the Conchucos area has to offer. Parts of the images were filmed in the rain at over 4,500 metres above sea level. The commercial lasts 2:22 minutes and is given the title “Free your inner spirit”. The video is, apart from being a nice promotional film for James Kelly and Kia´s All New Sportage X SUV, also a nice promotion for the Zona de Conchucos. This part of the Áncash region is not that frequently visited as, for example, the Callejón de Huaylas. News and rumours from Hatun Machay Despite the many rumours going around, the atmosphere at the famous rock climbing site of Hatun Machay is good, thanks to the local people who are managing the refuge right now. Many people had speculated that the refuge had been burned, but the refuge is actually in good condition, nothing has been burned other than a small part of the wooden floor on the ground floor. The toilet block however has been damaged three times now (but it was fixed each time by the community), and an approximate 80% of the climbing routes have been unbolted by former refuge manager Andres Saibene, as clearly stated on the website www. hatunmachay.com. According to the website in question; this has been done because the community of Pampas Chico has unlawfully taken the refuge away from the Argentinian-born. There are also rumours going around that it is the community of Pampas Chico who have unbolted the routes and that they are being violent toward tourists, which is completely untrue as they have gone out of their way to make sure that tourists keep coming to the site and feel safe and welcomed. The community members have however no knowledge of rock climbing. Right now in Hatun Machay there are still plenty of routes to climb for expert climbers (grades 6c and above), but sadly very little for beginners. The rural community of Pampas Chico has decided to charge S/ 20 soles per person for camping or S/ 30 soles per person for staying inside the refuge (which still doesn’t count with all the previous amenities) and they are issuing official receipts, which was never done before. This fee is, as far as we are aware, for a single day or longer stay, but of course this could change at any given time. The initiative of the Pampas Chico community to have the administration of the refuge in their hands is applauded by many local climbers in huaraz; the reality is however that they are not trained to do this job, so they will need a lot of help. If you are thinking of visiting Hatun Machay, it is advisable to ask for the latest developments in town before going, as it is an ongoing situation. Important Note: All people visiting Hatun Machay please bring back your rubbish, the problem is that there is a lot of garbage around the climbing sectors and much worse around the refuge, and the community is not able to manage it, they need help in that respect.

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Tourist Information

The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

All you should know about day trips, trekking, mountaineering and rock climbing The Cordillera Blanca offers countless opportunities for trekkers and climbers, as well as for people not so keen on physical activities. The wonderful lakes and glaciers of the White Range are easily accessible from the town of Huaraz. Here is a quick guide to the best activities around Huaraz. DAY TRIPS Daily sightseeing tours These tours are great for those of you who are not so active, or who need to acclimatise before heading out into the mountains. LLANGANUCO – This tour visits the villages in the Huaylas Valley (Carhuaz, Yungay, Caraz), and the beautiful Llanganuco Lake. Be aware that you will only spend from 40 minutes to one hour at the lake and spend much time at places of little interest. Departs every day. Alternatively you can visit the lakes independently, taking a taxi from Yungay, that way you can take full advantage of the lakes. CHAVIN DE HUANTAR – This tour takes you to Chavin, a village situated on the other side of the Cordillera Blanca in the Conchucos Valley. Here you can visit the Chavin de Huantar UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring some of the oldest and most significant pre-Inca ruins in Peru. You also make a stop at the lovely Lake Querococha along the way. Departs every day except Mondays when the ruins are closed for maintenance. PASTORURI – This tour visits the southern section of the Cordillera Blanca, with the amazing Pastoruri glacier, which is still well worth a visit despite having lost 40% of its ice in recent years. You can’t help but be impressed by the huge ice cliffs and the Puya Raimondii – a rare 12m high bromeliad plant which you visit on the way to the glacier. Make sure you become acclimatised before going on this tour as the glacier is at 5000m. Departs every day. Day hikes These hikes are perfect for those needing to acclimatise before a trek, or for those with limited time. LAKE CHURUP, 4485m – This is one of the closest and most easily accessible hike from Huaraz, leading to a very beautiful turquoise/emerald green coloured glacial lake. It can be quite challenging as there are some steep sections and there is a rock wall before the lake, which you need to scramble up to, there are wires to help you up. It can be tricky in the rainy season when the rock is wet and incredibly slippery, so be careful. It is recommended not to hike alone, but for experienced hikers a guide is not necessary as the path is easy to find. For those of you with limited hiking experience, it is advisable to go with a guide, as he will help you go up and down the rock wall safely. The trailhead at Llupa or Pitec can be easily reached by public transport.

LAKE 69, 4600m – This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hikes in the Cordillera Blanca. Located in the northern section of the national park, from Huaraz it’s roughly a 3 -hour drive to the trailhead (Cebollapampa), but the journey is incredibly scenic with great views of Mount Huascaran and the Llanganuco Lakes. The hike is of moderate difficulty, but can be challenging for those with limited acclimatisation. You can reach the trailhead by public transport easily, but finding transport to get back can prove very difficult, so it is recommended to hire private transport from Huaraz. For those with hiking experience, a guide is not necessary as the path is clear, but make sure you are already a little acclimatised to the high altitude before setting off (if coming from sea level this is not recommended for a first hike), otherwise you may have some serious problems with altitude sickness, which is why some agencies prefer to send a guide with their groups so that they can keep an eye on any potential problems. The lake is totally stunning, not only its pristine blue colour, but also its fantastic location at the foot of the mighty Mount Chacraraju. You are rewarded with awesome views of the Cordillera Blanca’s highest summits during the hike. LAKE LLACA, 4470m – This is one of the closest lakes to Huaraz. It takes two hours by private transport to reach the trailhead at the Llaca refuge. From there it is a short hike to reach the lake. The lake is not as stunning as others in the region, but it is a good option for those wishing to acclimatise with limited effort and time. It is possible to do ice climbing here, but the ice walls tend to be full of sand. TREKKING Easy to moderate treks SANTA CRUZ TREK (four days) – Undoubtedly the Cordillera Blanca’s most famous and popular trek. It is suitable for novice hikers, but good acclimatisation is essential before starting the trek. This trek deserves its fame; offering varied scenery and endless views of majestic snowcapped peaks, jewelled glacial lakes and gorgeous Andean valleys. For those with ample experience of trekking at high altitude, this trek is doable without a guide, but be sure to follow the national park rules especially to carry all your rubbish out of the park. Ask in town for directions before heading out, as although easy to follow, the path is not signposted. Departures for this trek in an all-inclusive organised group run daily in high season, but standards vary from one company to the next. The trek can be completed in three or four days, but if you do it in three days you will miss the side trip to the Alpamayo base camp and Lake Arhuaycocha, which is undoubtedly one of the trek’s highlights. OLLEROS – CHAVIN TREK also known as LLAMA TREK (three days) – A less popular trek, it mainly crosses vast expanses of puna, following ancient preInca and Inca paths that lead to the village of Chavin. There are no glacial lakes and few snow-capped mountain views during this trek, but you will come across isolated

WARNING FOR TOURISTS: AVOID THE RATAQUENUA CROSS AND DON´T HIKE FROM THE RUINS OF WILCAHUAIN TOWARDS THE BAÑOS TERMALES IN MONTERREY communities. Moderate to challenging treks QUILCAYHUANCA – COJUP TREK (three days) – A stunning trek which goes through some less-visited, but none the less stunning valleys of the Cordillera Blanca. It is a much tougher trek than the Santa Cruz for two reasons. First there are no donkeys to carry all the equipment, so you will have to carry a backpack weighing around 15kg (the weight depends on the number of porters accompanying the group). Second, because the pass is much higher. At 5050m the path leading up to it is very steep, rocky and generally not well trodden. The way down from the pass is even steeper and more challenging. This trek is perfect for fit, experienced hikers who wish to experience peace and tranquillity. Good acclimatisation is essential before starting the trek. Note that some agencies haven taken the habit of doing the trek in reverse, starting in Cojup, in order to avoid the national park control point in Pitec and send uncertified guides. Doing the trek this way is not recommendable as the ascent to the pass from the Cojup side is too challenging for most people. AKILPO – ISHINCA TREK (three days) – This trek is similar in difficulty to the Quilcayhuanca trek, although donkeys can be used (they do not go over the pass but go back and around). The pass is very high at 5050m and the path leading up to it is steep and not well marked, the descent from the pass is very difficult and potentially dangerous if you go the wrong way. The trek starts at the pre-Inca ruins of Honcopampa, and then goes up the Akilpo Valley through beautiful forests of local quenual trees, before reaching the superb Lake Akilpo just before the pass. Then you go down to the Ishinca Valley. This trek is perfect for fit, experienced hikers looking for an alternative to the Santa Cruz trek. Good acclimatisation is essential before starting the trek. ISHINCA – COJUP TREK (three days) – This trek is vastly different to all the others, because it includes a glacier traverse requiring the use of equipment such as crampons and ropes. Bringing you much closer to the giant icy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca, the views are simply spectacular. This trek is only suitable for very fit and experienced hikers, but does not require any mountaineering technical knowledge. Thorough acclimatisation is essential as you will go well over 5000m. It is possible to include a summit climb to Mount Ishinca (5530m) during this trek. Challenging treks HUAYHUASH TREK (eight to twelve days) – The Huayhuash full circuit trek is considered as one of the world’s most beautiful. It is a trek that requires good physical condition and acclimatisation, because it crosses many high passes

(eight passes minimum ranging from 4650m to 5050m) and the campsites are all above 4100m. Trekkers are rewarded with endless breath-taking views of stunning glacial lakes, pristine valleys and icy peaks, which can be extremely close. There are many alternatives possible for the itinerary, but the most common group departures are for the eight day and ten day treks. Those with more time and wishing to explore less visited valleys of the range can do the trek in as many as 15 days, and take the more challenging high trail. Those with limited time can do the four day Mini Huayhuash trek, which visits one of the range’s most beautiful locations: the Lake Jahuacocha area. CEDROS – ALPAMAYO TREK (seven to ten days) – This trek is less popular than the Huayhuash trek, and also very different, although not less beautiful. It is probably a bit more challenging too, even though the passes are not as high (eight passes on the full circuit ranging from 4400m to 4850m), but the trails leading up to the passes are much steeper. You are unlikely to meet many trekkers and will come across several isolated Quechua communities who still follow a traditional lifestyle. The highlight of this trek is undoubtedly the view from Jancarurish of Mount Alpamayo, known as the World’s most Beautiful Mountain thanks to its near perfect pyramid of ice. You will not see as many glacial lakes and close-up views of glaciers on this trek as on the Huayhuash trek, but the landscape is much more varied and the isolation a real bonus. The trek can be done in seven days starting in Hualcayan or Huancarhuas and finishing in Pomabamba, allowing one worthwhile rest day in Jancarurish, but take into account that you need a full day to travel back to Huaraz from Pomabamba (night buses are not recommended due to frequent robberies on this route). For those with more time, you can add extra days by joining on to the Santa Cruz trek at the end, making it a ten or 11 day itinerary if finishing in Cashapampa, or a nine day itinerary if finishing in Vaqueria. The trek can be done in reverse, but it is tougher. MOUNTAINEERING Keep in mind that glacier conditions change from year to year, so what was an easy walk across a glacier one year may be a difficult passage through crevasses the following year. So make sure to check the latest conditions in town before setting out on any of these expeditions. Non-technical climbs These expeditions are suitable for people with no previous mountaineering experience; however, even though they are often referred to as trekking peaks these expeditions, although not technical, are harder than a trek, due to the fact that you wake up at midnight, walk in the

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The Huaraz Telegraph AUGUST 2016

Tourist Information

TIP OF THE MONTH JULY: LAKE RAJUCOLTA

well as an excellent physical condition. Two ascent routes are possible, either from Lake Paron or from the Santa Cruz Valley. ROCK CLIMBING & BOULDERING

The Huaraz Telegraph Lake Rajucolta, sometimes also referred to as Lake Tambillo, is one of the Cordillera Blanca’s largest glacial lakes and is located some 30km southeast of Huaraz, beyond the village of Macashca in the Rajucolta valley. This stunning deep blue glacier lake is backed by the imposing Mount Huantsan, the third highest peak in the range at 6395m, which is also known as the K2 of the Andes because of the treacherous route to its summit. Surrounded by purple and yellow flowers and with the glacier ice touching the lake’s splendid waters, Lake Rajucolta’s beauty can rival that of any lakes in the region, but is surprisingly little-known despite its convenient proximity to Huaraz and easy trail to reach it. The hike starts from the gateway to the Rajucolta valley and goes along a gently sloping old dirt road, through meadows overshadowed by towering granite cliffs and surrounded by waterfalls, the whole time dominated by the majestic Mount Huantsan, which makes the hike so enjoyable. You are likely to come across large herds of cows, but not much else, as tourists rarely venture here. Peculiarly, the colour of the lake can change from azure to emerald depending on the balance of minerals.The hike to Lake Rajucolta is perfect for acclimatisation and is much easier than the more well-known hikes to Lake Churup and Lake 69 and as such is a good option for those wanting to acclimatise more progressively. Beware of locals who try to charge a fee (usually S/5 soles), as these are not official fees and do not go towards the preservation of the Huascaran National Park. As a rule, if someone approaches you wanting to charge you a fee without emitting any formal receipt, that is someone who is trying to take advantage of tourists. Simply ask for a receipt and decline to pay when the person is incapable of giving you one. The trailhead to Lake Rajucolta is best reached by taxi, as public transport only goes as far as the village of Macashca and so does not give you enough time to hike to the lake in a single day. If you want to use public transport, then you will need to spend a night near the lake and hike back to Macashca the following day. Make sure to hire a taxi with a driver that knows the way (this is best done at a travel agency or hotel), as the road is very bad in parts and inadequate vehicles and inexperienced drivers will not be able to reach the trailhead.

dark and use heavy equipment such as mountain boots and crampons. If you are fit and have experience of trekking at high altitude and want to experience being on a glacier, then one of these peaks is for you. MOUNT PISCO, 5752m (three days) – This expedition offers some of the best summit views of any peak of the Cordillera Blanca, and for that reason is very popular. Crossing the moraine takes two to three hours and is considered the most challenging part of the expedition. It is possible to include a hike to Lake 69 on the last day. MOUNT VALLUNARAJU, 5686m (two days) – This expedition can be quite challenging, because no donkeys can be used, you have to carry roughly a 15kg backpack up a steep path to moraine camp on day 1. It is very popular due to its proximity to Huaraz making it a short expedition. At the moment the main summit is not being climbed because it is completely full of crevasses, which make the ascent much longer than before and also much more intimidating, therefore not suitable for beginners. For that reason most expeditions now climb the South summit, which at 5675m is only 11 metres lower than the North summit. MOUNT ISHINCA, 5530m (three days) – This peak is mostly used as an acclimatisation peak for those wanting to climb the higher and more technical Mount Tocllaraju, which is situated in the same valley. Intermediate level climbs These expeditions are suitable for people with some mountaineering experience. It is recommended to climb a 5000m+ peak before starting any of these expeditions in order not to suffer from altitude sickness. MOUNT TOCLLARAJU, 6034m (four days) – This expedition is perfect for those

who have climbed a non-technical summit previously and want to take the next step in the mountaineering world by trying something more technical. It includes the ascent of two 60m high ice walls requiring the use of ice axes. The relatively short summit ascent makes it a perfect first 6000m+ peak.

Rock climbing and bouldering spots are plentiful around Huaraz. All types of climbing, all levels, many different types of rock, fantastic views, no chance to get bored! Check with local climbers or travel agencies specialising in rock climbing for a detailed list of the necessary equipment and help with logistics, or buy the brand new Huaraz - The Climbing Guide, which features all the region’s best climbing sites - some 23 sites and over 1,000 routes in total. CHANCOS – Located 32km northeast of Huaraz in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca, Chancos is the perfect place for beginners and climbers with limited experience. After climbing, a good option is to visit the Chancos Hot Springs, which are situated an easy ten-minute walk away. LOS OLIVOS – This is the closest climbing spot to Huaraz, situated only three kilometres from the town centre. It features a large number of equipped sportclimbing routes in five different sectors, as well as several boulders, suitable for climbers with some experience. From here you get an amazing panoramic view of the town of Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca. ANTACOCHA – Situated 35km south of

23 Huaraz in the Cordillera Negra it is one of the few places in the area offering long routes with a variety of difficulty levels, suitable for climbers with limited or a lot of experience alike. The 180m high wall towers high above Lake Antacocha. This place offers a magnificent vantage point of the Cordillera Blanca, especially at sunset. HATUN MACHAY – Located 69km south of Huaraz at 4300m high in the Cordillera Negra, this stunning rock forest is a paradise for rock climbing and bouldering with some 250 equipped sport-climbing routes and countless boulders, suitable for all levels. It is also a great place for hiking, as it offers some amazing viewpoints with views of the Cordillera Blanca, Huayhuash and the Pacific Ocean, as well as many caves with ancient rock paintings and carvings dating back to 10,000BC. THE SPHINX – Also known as The Colossus of the Andes or ‘La Esfinge’ in Spanish, it is situated 90km northeast of Huaraz in the Paron Valley and is considered to be one of the most amazing granite rock walls in South America, offering a variety of traditional climbing routes with superb views of the snow-capped summits of the Cordillera Blanca surrounding it. Given its extreme altitude (5325m), it is essential to be well acclimatised before setting off on this climb and to have sufficient experience in traditional climbing. It takes an average of three to four days to complete the climb. Information and picture for the ´tip of the month´ provided by Marie Timmermans from Belgium

MOUNT CHOPICALQUI, 6354m (four days) – This expedition has the same technical difficulty level as Mount Tocllaraju, but it is a more difficult climb due to the much longer summit route and higher altitude. It includes the ascent of two 60m high ice walls requiring the use of ice axes. It offers one of the Cordillera Blanca’s most beautiful ascent routes along its southwest ridge. Technical climbs These expeditions are suitable for people with plenty of technical mountaineering experience. It is recommended to climb a 5000m+ peak before starting any of these expeditions in order not to suffer from altitude sickness. MOUNT ALPAMAYO, 5947m (seven days) – This is a serious and technically challenging expedition requiring the ascent of a 470m high ice wall. Excellent crampon and ice axe techniques are essential. Please note that the ascent from base camp to high camp is particularly challenging, given that you need to climb up a 60m high ice wall (at a 55 degree incline), carrying your backpack. Known as the World’s Most Beautiful Mountain, each year Alpamayo attracts many mountaineers from the world over. MOUNT ARTESONRAJU, 6025m (five days) – This is a mentally, physically and technically demanding climb requiring the ascent of a 600m high ice wall, at an incline of 50 degrees. Excellent crampon and ice axe techniques are essential, as

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