June 2016 edition the huaraz telegraph by The Huaraz Telegraph

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THE HUARAZ TELEGRAPH

Made in Huaraz

2nd floor Av. Luzuriaga 646

June 2016

The Festival del Andinismo dates back more than 30 years and although it was known under a different name, it has always tried to promote the Áncash and the Huaraz area in particular. Last year´s festival was boycotted by members of the Provincial Municipality of Huaraz who instead launched their own festival called Hirka Fest 2015. Benjamin Morales Irato, director of previous and current Festival del Andinismo stressed that this year’s festival will be different, longer and better than all the previous ones. The Huaraz Telegraph will share the history and future of the festival, and the complete programme of activities in and around Huaraz.

Free/Gratis!

Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca: its history, future and programme for 2016

page 4

Expat Mourad from Algeria: ¨I stood with my machete in front of the F.B.I. or C.I.A. in Carhuaz¨

Agencies scrutinised: what is promised to tourists when they contact the agencies?

page 8

Mourad Farid Djellouli (picture) is what you call a character; he is full of energy, intelligent, speaks different languages and has travelled the Authentic and unique world, so The Huaraz Telegraph had enough to talk about with seemingly Italian ice-cream in Huaraz the only North-African living in Áncash. Mourad received us in Carhuaz where he is living at the moment, and it wasn’t a surprise that he had to Gelateria / heladería share many interesting stories such as that day when he was working in Jr. San Martin 1213, Huaraz, the field in Carhuaz and four men in black (just like in the movies he told Tel: 221542, 943627749 RPC 943357147 us) stood before him asking if he was Mr. Farid Djellouli.

Back in 2013, we ran an investigation that is still one of the most read articles on our website. For tourists, it’s important to thoroughly evaluate an agency before making a commitment. Going out into the mountains is a considerably risky endeavour that should not be taken lightly. We wanted to see exactly how forthright agencies in Huaraz are with potential clients. For example, what information is initially given? Would all agencies in Huaraz be honest about trekking conditions and necessary skill level? The Huaraz Telegraph ran an interesting survey and like three years ago, some findings are rather shocking, although it seems like tourism in general has improved, a little. See page 14 for our findings.

Pizzas, beef and more...

Jr. José de la Mar - #776

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page 14

Av. Luzuriaga #834 - Huaraz

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The Editorial

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 JUNE 2016

The clash of interest when publishing The Huaraz Telegraph First of all, thanks for reading us! Maybe you picked up this paper while you are in Huaraz for your holidays, or just trying to climb a couple of mountains or do some trekking. Maybe you were surprised and at the same time wondering why Huaraz has an English newspaper in the first place. Well, let me tell you that The Huaraz Telegraph was launched in April 2012 and that we have already published 20 editions, which cost us a lot of energy and money. In our opinion, tourists are generally treated badly in our city. Although services have improved over the years, there is still a lot that has to be done to make Huaraz an interesting year-round destination. The reason we only publish in the months of June until September is because those are the months that according to most guidebooks Huaraz is worth visiting. Between October and March it rains a lot here, but that doesn´t mean tourists can´t do trekking, mountain biking or bouldering, does it? Anyway, as we are a free newspaper, which you can also find online by the way, we depend strongly on the ads we sell. Not selling ads means no newspaper, it´s that simple. Although Huaraz is suffering from an economic crisis, the publishing business in Huaraz appears to be booming. Every year since our launch, new magazines, booklets, local guides and newspapers appear and disappear. Although most magazines are in Spanish, some also offer bilingual articles, which may possibly attract a much wider audience. The point is that we and all these so-called magazines (which mostly publish only advertisements and articles that come straight from the Internet), are fishing in the same small pool. We are all trying to sell ads to the same businesses in the same city and by doing so it´s important to highlight to these businesses that The Huaraz Telegraph strives to publish different stories and articles in each edition, as opposed to many publications in circulation that publish the same information over and over again, which, apparently, there is a market for, and seemingly the publishers don’t care as long as they can make a living of it. Like I mentioned before, making The Huaraz Telegraph is no easy task and although I wouldn’t consider myself as antisocial, I am sure that the reason I have limited friends has something to do with publishing the paper. Understand this, if we would say that NGO ´x´ is the best in the world, restaurant ´y´ has the best dishes and service and agency ´z´ the best prices and equipment for treks, those three tourism-based businesses would almost certainly buy an ad in our paper. The reality is, however, that in journalism sometimes our interests clash. What happens if what we printed was not the truth? What if we knew that a certain NGO here is making thousands of dollars on the back of their fundraisers, or that the leadership spends more time abroad then in Peru while the ´poor little children´ are still wearing threadbare clothing or are starving to death, not to mention the fact that these children should be in school. What if we knew that a certain restaurant offers overpriced dishes, or underpays or does not pay their staff? What if we knew that a certain agency works with inexperienced and under-qualified guides that have been accused of the most horrible things; ´facts´ that were never denounced by the victims. Or what about the owner of a local supermarket that went to Cable Andino to ask my boss to sack me because we wrote about a backpack that got stolen INSIDE his supermarket, a fact for which he didn’t want to take responsibility, but instead tried to take revenge on me personally. This is the type of people we´re dealing with sometimes. Do you get the point? Maybe this is the best example of a clash of interest: Imagine that a certain bus company is sponsoring us and that same bus company suffers an accident because their bus driver was drunk and 39 foreign and national tourists get killed (luckily this hasn’t happened and let´s hope it won´t). Should we publish this horrifying news? I believe we should, better said we will publish. The consequences will probably be that the company in question refuses to pay us for the ad they had in the first place and even will ask us to remove it, whereas the more human and logical option would be an apology to the families of those involved. This is one of the difficulties we are trying to tackle in every edition we make. Anyway, despite the difficulties we face every season we hope you enjoy reading our paper. Our job is to give you an entertaining read while you are enjoying the views and your coffee or beer in Huaraz. 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. Be in touch, Rex Broekman (founder and editor in chief)

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 JUNE 2016 Here is a round up of some important happenings in the tourism sector. Aged and experienced mountain guide is killed on his last mission before retirement Peruvian citizen and professional mountain guide Victorino Bacilio Huaranga from Llamac of the district Pacllón in the province of Bolognesi was killed on Thursday, May 12th at around 1 a.m., when he fell while trying to summit Rasaq Mountain in the Cordillera Huayhuash. According to official reports, Huaranga was at 5,800 meters and one hour away from the summit of Rasaq Yerupajá when he fell and was knocked unconscious. Immediately, an alert was launched by a guide from the Peruvian AGMP association. Victorino’s death shattered the good will that prevailed among the Peruvian expeditioners, with some deciding to continue the ascent of Mount Rasaq, whereas others chose to turn around and help with the rescue. Naturally, the death of Victorino Bacilio Huaranga has caused deep sorrow among his friends, colleagues and other mountaineers´ families. This was to be Victorino’s final expedition before retiring from his career as a mountain guide. Victorino Bacilio still holds the record for the highest number of ascents in the Cordillera Blanca, with an incredible 50 ascents on Huascaran and eight ascents on Alpamayo. The website Amazingcostaricatravel.com claims that he also holds the record for the fastest ascent and descent of Huascaran South Face. His time of 12 hours and 20 minutes from the moraine camp to the summit and back to Huaraz appears to be an inspiration for many youngsters in the region. A week before the deadly incident, a Dutch tourist got badly hurt while trying to conquer Mount Mateo. Draft law approved for construction of a railway linking Chimbote, Huaraz and Pucallpa The Peruvian Congress unanimously approved Draft Law No. 2651/2013CR presented by Ancash Congressman Victor Crisologo Espejo, which proclaims the public need and national interest in the construction and operation of the railway Chimbote – Pucallpa (FECHIP). This initiative, which was passed on the eve in the Ordinary Session of Congress, will contribute to the development of the departments of Ancash, Huánuco and Ucayali improving interregional competitiveness, coordinating and integrating their provinces, as was highlighted by its author Congressman Victor Crisologo. According to la Prensa de Chimbote, the construction of the FECHIP railway will connect the cities of Chimbote, Huallanca, Caraz, Yungay, Carhuaz, Huaraz, Recuay, Catac, Rapayan (Huari), Tingo María (Huánuco) and Pucallpa (Ucayali). During the substantiation of this legislative initiative by the President of the Commission of Transport, Congressman Amado Romero Rodriguez announced

Brief Local News that the FECHIP is projected to join the interoceanic rail network centre PeruBrazil. The project will improve the development of transport and tourism, and promote fluid trade requiring Peru and Brazil to unite the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean, which will turn the three departments mentioned into a macroregion. Additionally, it will promote greater investment in potential sectors such as mining, agriculture, agribusiness, forestry, tourism, trade and other emerging sectors of the regions.

A dream place in the heart of the Andes

Huaraz now has a skate park along the Quilcay Boulevard With the presence of prominent skaters from Lima and members of Club BMX Huaraz, the Provincial Mayor of Huaraz, Alberto Espinoza Cerrón opened the new skate park located on the touristic and ecological boulevard in Huaraz. The boulevard is located alongside the Quilcay River and the event took place on Saturday the 7th in the morning. The opening of the skate park was attended by renowned skater Peter Henningsen Viale who also was part of the park’s design team. Henningsen Viale is the creator many of skate parks in Lima and provinces. Henningsen stated on his personal Facebook page that Provincial Mayor of Huaraz, Alberto Espinoza Cerrón paid him a visit in Lima and asked for his help with the design of the skate park. However, Peter Henningsen Viale admits that the original design was different and the engineer made changes to the original design. Henningsen feels that, although it´s definitely not at bad skate park, it could have been a lot better. Lima´s Jorge Chavez Airport no longer South America´s best Lima´s Jorge Chavez International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez) won the Skytrax World Airport Award seven years in a row but was recently dropped almost 20 places in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey published by Skytrax. According to the website Worldairportawards, the awards are based on the results from 13.25 million airport survey questionnaires completed by airline customers from 106 different nationalities. The survey operated from June 2015 to February 2016, covering 550 airports worldwide and evaluating traveller experiences across different airport services and product key performance indicators – from check in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security and immigration through to departure at the gate. Lima Airport Partners who execute all operations at Jorge Chavez noticed that they dropped from 35th spot in 2015 to 49th this year. El Dorado, Colombia´s national airport, took over Lima as best operating airport on South American soil. El Dorado rose from 94th spot to 46th. Singapore´s Changi Airport tops the list presented by Skytrax, followed by Incheon International Airport, Munich Airport, Tokyo International Haneda and Hong Kong International Airport. London Heathrow Continue reading on page 6

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

Local Events

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

The Callejón de Huaylas and its history of adventure sport festivals The Festival del Andinismo dates back more than 30 years and although it was known under a different name in the beginning, it has always tried to promote the Ancash and Huaraz areas in particular. Last year’s festival was boycotted by members of the Provincial Municipally of Huaraz who instead launched their own festival called Hirka Fest 2015. Two festivals on the same day with identical activities caused confusion among visitors from other parts of the country and once more gave the impression that people in Huaraz prefer to act as el perro del hortelano (a dog in the manger), instead of joining forces and making a big event that was interesting for everyone involved. While giving a speech about the history of the Festival del Andinismo at Noches de Montaña, an initiative of Fredy Cueva and coordinator Rosario Obregón, Benjamin Morales, director of Festival del Andinismo, stressed that this year’s festival will be different, longer and better than all the previous festivals. Experience is definitely a key factor, and the help of private and public sectors might make the organisation a lot easier, although too much public influence might become risky in the organisation of any event. The rise and fall of la Semana del Andinismo Why was an event that proved to be successful and beneficial to the city discontinued? The Semana del Andinismo started back in 1984 but after several successful outings the event lapsed in the early 90s. Everything seemed to go smoothly, but the reality was very different. Despite the success of the events and even though large numbers of people came to each Semana del Andinismo and stayed in Huaraz during a time when tourism in the country was critical, entrepreneurs in Huaraz, with rare exceptions, did not show interest in supporting the event anymore. The lack of interest from the private sector

The Huaraz Telegraph Stunning views for the athletes during the Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca 2016 (picture courtesy Facebook FDACB)

may have been a key obstacle; it was not the only one. Over the years and as new friends supported the organising team, a greater involvement of the public sector in the organisation of the event was realised. It may have started with fundraising in governmental institutions, rather than just private institutions, but it ended up with an almost total involvement of governmental agencies in the organisation of the festival. As is well known, schemes have a limited lifespan, and that was how the event, being held by government entities, began to change direction with every change of management. The original organisers gradually receded, some

by the fact of having created this event and now having to abide by decisions of other institutions, others out of frustration that involved changing from private to public management, including all the supplementary bureaucracy. Others simply because of fatigue after six years of fighting for performing each edition of the event, to finally see that it still did not receive the necessary support and that the event was only possible thanks to the commitment of a very few. Additionally, during the months before the event, the people involved were obligated to shelve their families and businesses, and invest their time and often their money into the making of the Semana del Andinismo, this would be repeated year after year. In the years following the suspension of the event, there were a number of attempts, some more successful than others, to continue the tradition. Several adventure festivals were held, not achieving the success of Semana del Andinismo in Huaraz, and little by little and because of the interests that arose as a result of mining activities, many, including the local authorities, put aside the development of tourism to prioritise quick money that is produced from the mining industry. In conclusion, it’s fair to say that in a political world no activity that is directed and organised by the public sector is sustainable as long as governments are temporary, or when the new elected mayor does not continue with the activities of the previous mayor.

group), suggested in a conversation with a group of friends the idea of launching an event that would give life and dynamism to Huaraz. This is how the Tour Festival Huanchac started. A private one-day event that is created and financed almost entirely by Backus, where the spectator could enjoy seeing different adventure sports, eat, drink and enjoy a rock concert. The first edition, as expected, it did not have many attendees, but year after year and with the perseverance of the event’s organising team, the event finally attracted more than 5,000 people. And the reason that this event decayed? While all were clear that for the event to be sustainable the public sector should not have a voice, a very important detail was missed – financing. In 2008 the internal policies of Backus changed, as they often do in transnational companies, and much of the promotion budget was redirected to direct sales activities instead of promotion of events. While the Tour Festival Huanchac was a success as an activity itself, selling beers did not justify the cost of the entire event. For an event to be sustainable and profitable, funding should not depend on a single sponsor. The beginning of the Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca Finding sponsorship to continue the Tour festival was not easy. According to Mario Holenstein (owner of Andino Club Hotel) there was a distinct lack of interest of

Tour Festival Huanchac

Programme of Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca 2016 (subject to changes)

It was back in 2004 that Mr Rodolfo Macher, sales manager of Backus (Backus and Johnston is the largest brewery in Peru, part of Bavaria Brewery, which itself is part of the international SABMiller

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The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016 the vast majority of local businesses to support these types of promotional activities. In 2008, without the support of Backus, we did not achieve the necessary budget and we had to take very tough decisions so the event could go ahead, such as not having the concert and instead having a DJ and moving the venue to a place closer to Huaraz. But perhaps the most dramatic and risky move was that two weeks before the event I had to take out a loan and finance the event myself because we had only managed to raise a third of the budget needed, and I did not want to disappoint the athletes, sponsors and friends by cancelling the Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca. After two years spent knocking on many public sector and private sector doors, we decided to try a different promotion activity and give life to an old project from 2004 put forward by my friend Pablo Lopez – The Peru Andes Non Stop Challenge. This event would make one run through Ancash, while climbing the summit of Vallunaraju Mountain and then reaching the sea, combining the disciplines of climbing, marathon running and cycling. We held two editions of this race, but sadly very few athletes participated, almost all were locals, and I realised that the Peruvian athlete was not yet ready for this type of challenge. Again, as mentioned before, the lack of support from most of the public and private sector didn’t help us either. And so the months passed by and so did the bank shares, accumulating frustration and helplessness of knowing that my city needed a tourism promotion event to put Huaraz back on the national tourist map. In conversations while sharing a couple of drinks with some friends and with my wife Malú, I understood that what had gone before was a learning curve and that the investment could still become successful. Towards the end of 2011 I went to the Provincial Municipality of Huaraz and asked if the tourism promotion office was going to organise some activity adventure sports in the next year. The answer was a resounding no. Seeing that there would be no such event and considering that it was necessary to have them on board as well, we decided to formally form an entity that is now dedicated to organising events and promoting tourism where personnel earn small salaries, and the result of the work is for the benefit of the area where the activities are held. The Civil Association Save the Rajus (Save the Mountains) was born. To achieve a sustainable product in time we have to apply what we learned so far, which was: • The public sector is transitory therefore it should not organise activities; • The public sector is important therefore it must support the activity; • Similarly, civil societies should not be in charge of the organisation because they do not have time but can support an activity; • The activity must be self-sustaining, i.e. it should not depend on sponsors but

Local Events

on the participants themselves. In other words, collect participation fees, entrance fees (i.e. at the concert) and advertising sales. • In order to fulfil the objective to promote our area, each invested Sol should focus on athletes and national and international press. • Regarding the adventure sports event in Huaraz, we decided to create a new event on a different date to that of the Semana del Andinismo´s. This is why the Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca is now held in the second half of June and not in late May or early June as it was in the 80s. We now find ourselves in the fifth consecutive and successful year of the Festival del Andinismo Cordillera Blanca and according to the results of 2015, we have concluded that the benefits of the event to the city are as follows: • Demographic impact on sport: 1,000 sport-liking tourists. • Impact on tourist population: 12,000 tourists (sources of Huascaran National Park). • Economic impact: 500,000 Soles of economic movement in the city of Huaraz. • Media impact: the reach to 25,000,000 of press articles in publications related to the festival. For the 2016 festival the following has been achieved: • The presence of two professional Red Bull athletes that will generate valuable media coverage on social networks of the brand mentioned. • We signed an agreement with The North Face brand as an important international brand that will organise one of the activities at the festival. • The return of the Inkafest mountain film festival in its version of the Inkafest Tour. • The presence of ultramarathoner Karl Egloff, who holds the record for running the Aconcagua Mountain. • Interest generated by Fox Sport 3 to cover our festival. Now, in regard to the 2016 edition of the festival, the event will start with a press conference in Lima on Thursday the 9th of June. On Monday the 13th there will be a press conference in Huaraz at the Chamber of Commerce, although the official inauguration of the festival will be held on Friday the 17th, again at the Chamber of Commerce at 5:00 pm. The event will last longer than any other event held before as the final day will be on Sunday June the 26th at the sports ground in Wilkahuain with, for example, a bike cross country competition, a downhill competition, an exhibition in tandem flight paragliding and of course the event will be concluded with the award ceremony and concert.

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Brief News

6 Continuation of page 4

occupies the 8th spot, Frankfurt Airport is 12th, Amsterdam Schiphol dropped from 9th to 13th, and the first American airport on the list is Denver Airport, which sits in 28th place. The Skytrax World Airline Awards label themselves as the Oscars of the aviation industry and awarded Qatar Airways the World’s Best Airline Award for the third time in five years. Additionally, Garuda Indonesia was named World’s Best Cabin Staff for the second year running, Emirates won the World’s Best Inflight Entertainment Award, AirAsia received the World’s Best Low-Cost airline award for the seventh year running and Lan Airlines was declared to have the Best Airline Staff Service in South America. South African prisoner extremely disappointed with his embassy, which has abandoned him At the time of going to press, Lewis Charles Cornelius from South Africa will have only eight months left of his twelveyear-long prison sentence in the Victor Perez Liendo prison in Huaraz. Convicted of drug smuggling, Lewis is counting the days, but it seems that his last nine months are tougher than his first nine months. The father of eight admitted to the editor of The Huaraz Telegraph that he has ended his hunger strike but his trouble has only gotten worse. And indeed he looked skinnier than ever when we paid him a visit in prison. The new director of the penitentiary, Dr. Arón Rodríguez Romero, doesn’t allow Cornelius out of the hospital section, which makes it very difficult to make some extra money for phone calls or medicines. Lewis is suffering from HIV as well as osteoporosis, which was the reason he was sent to the hospital last week. The South African citizen also confirmed to our newspaper that there are at least six foreigners in the Huaraz prison. Apart from Lewis, there is one from Venezuela, a Colombian, an Ecuadorian, a Bolivian and Montserrat from Basque Country. The prison was originally built to house 600 prisoners; however, it currently holds around 1,000 jailbirds.

When we asked Lewis how he was doing he said the following: Ï am heavily upset with the abandoning of my South African Embassy. I haven’t seen the bastards for three years now! Three f**kń years. They might not like me, but I have my rights. They should have come visit me every six months. Another thing, did you know that my partner send me a bible and a golden neckless with a cross attached back in 2007? Guess what, I never received anything. I would say that I am in a state of confusion at the moment. Look I´ll show you my wallet, there is exactly one American dollar banknote in it. That is all I have. I can’t buy my medication and the high fat content food they serve in here is terrible. Today I will eat two potatoes and some chicken and that’s it. When Dr. Ciro Trejo Zuloaga was still the director of the penal, I was allowed to sell goods and be in the courtyard. Now with the new director I can´t even get out of topico (hospital section of the prison). There are three guys in my section that are not even sick, they´re there because of ´protection´. I am anxious to get out, but will sue all the bastards that have done me wrong. I seriously feel like a prisoner of war here.¨ [sic] Before saying goodbye, Lewis added: Ï hope my cousin will be reading your article and by doing so she will understand why I am not able to call her. Haven´t spoken with her since I got restricted. Thanks so much for your visit and please send me some visitors so I can have a little chat.¨ [sic] Madrid-born singer Él Mago de Voz´ promotes Huaraz on Telemadrid Juan Carlos Puig Blanco from Madrid, locally known as Él Mago de Voz´ (the voice wizard) has been living in Huaraz for over five years now and refers to himself on his website as possibly the best voice imitator in the world. At the age of eight, when other children asked their parents for a bicycle, Juan Carlos asked for a recorder and the rest is history as they say. Juan Carlos was 16 years old when he wrote his first album and has worked for the local radio and TV in Madrid as well. His old colleagues from Telemadrid paid

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

The Huaraz Telegraph Juan Carlos Puig Blanco from Madrid sings for the alpaca Blanca Flor and her owner

a visit to Huaraz and followed Juan Carlos for a couple of days, and the result was broadcasted in the first week of March in the programme Madrileños por el mundo. Madrileños por el mundo is a programme that follows people from Madrid that are living abroad, and the crew also paid a visit to local television station Cable Andino for a short interview. On Telemadrid´s website, Huaraz is described as an excellent destination for mountain climbing, hiking, Andean biodiversity and archaeological cultural tourism. The preview of the video clip on the website shows ´El Mago de Voz´ meeting Jacinta and her alpaca Blanca Flor. Jacinta and her alpaca were attacked last year by municipal officers but have again taken their spot on the Plaza de Armas where they charge a sol for posing with tourists that want a picture. At last, drivers in Huaraz are being fined for using their horn inappropriately Some tourists describe Huaraz as one of the noisiest cities on the planet and this is mainly because of the hundreds of taxi drivers that hit their claxon every three seconds, often without reason. Taxi drivers believe that they can pick up clients if they hit their horn. A couple of months ago we reported online that in most places in Huaraz the average monthly noise exceeds 85 decibels (dB), and at several central locations in Huaraz it even reaches up to 146 dB. According to WHO (World Health Organization), the human ear can tolerate 55 dB of noise without it affecting our health. Exposure to sounds of 60 dB and above can cause headache, rapid breathing, impaired sleep quality and permanent and irreversible hearing loss.

The Huaraz Telegraph Ildefonso Benito Rivera Castillo was savagely attacked by a group of youngsters

The Huaraz authorities and the traffic police have finally started to put an end to this noise pollution in the city. On Monday, March the 7th, members of the Traffic Department of the National Police of Peru applied fines of 158 Soles to 25 drivers for abusing the use of their horn – an initiative that is loudly applauded by the editor of The Huaraz Telegraph. The fines were given out at the intersection of Jirón Jose de Sucre and Luzuriaga Avenue (main street) with the active participation of students of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences (FCAM) of the

National University Santiago Antunez de Mayolo (UNASAM) and transit inspectors of the Provincial Municipality of Huaraz, who at the same time informed drivers about the disturbance they cause. And there is more good news, there are future inspections planned by the traffic police and the municipality. An enormous first step has been taken to reach the goal of reducing the levels of noise pollution in Huaraz. Hooray! Prosecutor declares inadmissible the assault and attempted robbery on guide from Huaraz On Sunday November 29th, 2015 official guide Ildefonso Benito Rivera Castillo was savagely attacked by a group of youngsters while he was rock climbing at the popular Los Olivos site, which is located just outside Huaraz. Almost three months after the attack, Benito Rivera found out that the prosecutor has declared his case inadmissible. In February this year Rivera was still heavily affected by the incident, he is unable to work and suffers with vision and hearing problems. The youngsters responsible for the attack were all under age and it´s believed that the case was dropped for this reason. Benito Rivera said he was certain that the underage delinquents were after his belongings. ¨Incomprehensible, and it hurts a lot, not just my injuries from which I still suffer, I was hurt the most by the words of the prosecutor who said that my injuries were just minor injuries. This means any underage person can unrestrainedly attack an adult and get away with it.¨ In Huaraz apparently one can get away that. Bus of Lucho Tours attacked by hooded criminals, tourists lose belongings, one person killed While Mayor Alberto Espinoza Cerrón and Congressman Modesto Julca, and the Mutual Aid Society were promoting Semana Santa (Easter) in the Congress of Peru´s capital, Huaraz´s tourist business was shocked in February earlier this year by a deadly attack by hooded criminals. The assault resulted in one person being killed. Another big blow for tourism in Huaraz. Continue reading on page 18

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The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 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 E - E-dating and events

Welcome to our ABC! In this first edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we would like you to show a little insight into what our business is about. We will start with the first seven letters of the alphabet and next month we shall continue until you have seen all 26! Hope to see you soon at Trece Búhos!

Need a nice place to meet up with your internet date? Well come to the Trece Búhos, where you cans sit in the comfortable lounge and enjoy the company and the music. If you can sing or play a musical instrument and want to entertain the guests then give us 24 hours’ notice and the stage can be yours! Free beers if you increase trade!!

A - Ales

Our ale is top-fermented; the yeast floats on the surface of the liquid during the fermentation process, rather than sinking to the bottom as in a lager. Our ales contain hops, which help to preserve the beer and impart a bitter herbal flavour that balances the sweetness of the malt. Lucho has three kinds of ales on offer: Blondie, as the name suggest, has a nice blond colour; Red has a sweeter taste; and Black, the most popular of the three. All our ales are available in two types of bottles, a small one for the passionate drinker, and a big bottle for the thirsty drinker.

B - Búhos Did you know that Búhos means owls in Spanish? According to legend apart from the owner and his wife only a very select group of people know the the real story of why 13 Búhos is called Trece Búhos. There are some that believe that if you drink 13 bottles of Lucho beers the truth of the name will be revealed to you. Mission impossible or do you think you can handle this challenge?

G - Games

At 13 Búhos people can play pool

C - Coca

Did you know that 13 Búhos has two types of beers based on the sacred leaf from the Andes? You can also find other drinks that have a ´coca´ flavoured taste like the Coca Sour, which contains Pisco with macerated coca leaves, lime juice, gum syrup, egg white and ice for example. If you prefer a non-alcoholic beverage, we also serve Coca Cola!

Besides our great terrace, we have an interior space where people can read a book, use their laptop or even play some games. The most popular game we offer is Jenga (by Parker Brothers). Created by Leslie Scott, Jenga is a game of physical and mental skill. Players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower constructed of 54 blocks. Each block removed is then balanced on top of the tower, creating a progressively taller but less stable structure. This in combination with many Lucho´s beers makes the task even more difficult. Our blocks are much bigger than the original game you know from back home and when a tower falls, you can hear it in the Parque Ginebra because the sound of a falling tower of Jenga blocks is very recognizable. Also interesting, the word Jenga is derived from a Swahili word meaning “to build”.

The golden combination of beers and búhos

F - Free Wifi D - Dancing on Lucho´s bar When the shutters are down, and the early birds have gone home, the dancing begins! If you are in Huaraz you have to come and experience the joy of dancing on the bar. There are some free drinks for people who keep the fun going while demonstrating some Latin dance moves to the patrons!

Of course! While enjoying the good music, the atmosphere and the comfortable surroundings why don’t you catch up on the latest online edition of The Huaraz Telegraph using 13 Búhos’ free high speed internet connection. Free Wifi is always handy and there is nothing better than sitting at the bar, enjoying a beer and reading the news on your phone or IPad.

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Expat in Huaraz

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 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 20.7% of all registered immigrants during entire lives, and leave their family and the study period, while the years 1994 to friends to go and live on another conti- 2000 represent 17.0% of total registered nent? Over the course of the season The immigrants. The number of foreign immiHuaraz Telegraph will endeavour to inter- grants in Peru has a greater dynamism view expats living in Huaraz, to give the in the last years of the study. Until 2003 readers an insight into why they decided foreign immigrants did not exceed 20,000, to do just that. But first let’s look at some this number doubles in 2007 becoming interesting statistics. Although the follow- 40,446, and in 2012 the number of foreign ing national stats are accurate there is no immigrants in Peru rose to 89,320. statistical information 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 ered immigrants in the Republic of Peru, the average income of foreign immigrants be it legal or illegal. of the first period (1994-1997). When analysing the gender of the newcomers it´s There is no denying that the number of remarkable 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 fifteenth version of our expat article with Mourad from Algeria. Mourad received us in Carhuaz where he is living at the moment and it wasn’t a surprise that he had to share many interesting things. As we arrived with an empty stomach, the interview started with delicious fried eggs with bacon and homemade cheese and butter and a coffee. Mourad is what you call a character; as he is full of energy, intelligent, speaks different languages and has travelled the world, which meant there was enough to talk about with the only North African living in Áncash. 1. Who are you? Good question to start with, who am I? Well my name is Mourad Farid Djellouli. My last name is actually the surname of my father. I was born in the French capital and that´s also where I grew up, studied and worked. I still have my family (two brothers and four sisters) living in Paris. I am the oldest. My mother was pregnant with me when she left Algeria for France, that´s why I was born in Paris. My parents are from Algeria but they belong to the Kabyle people (a Berber ethnic group native to Kabylia in the north of Algeria, one hundred miles east of the capital Algiers). We speak a different languages and the culture is completely different. I have dual nationality, French because that´s where I was born and Algerian because that´s my parents´ country. I feel neither French nor Algerian; I would say I am ´worldish´. I always respect someone else´s culture, ideas and way of thinking. Continue reading on page 10

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The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 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 UEFA European Championship (June 10, 2016 – July 10, 2016) and the 2016 Summer 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. 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.

Delirium Tremens: the colour is golden and the head creamy and light, the first sip warms the throat and belly like an old woodstove does a log cabin. Delirium is lightly hopped and surprisingly malty for such an airy, sunshine beer.

Erdinger Weissbier ’dark’ is a rich and smooth wheat beer specialty from Erdinger Weissbräu. It owes its full-bodied flavour to the fine hops and dark malt used in its production. A wheat beer specialty brewed according to an age-old recipe.

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Expat in Huaraz

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

Continuation of page 8

2. How old are you and what’s your profession? Well, I am 60 years of age. I was born on a 25th of January, and I have a couple of professions. I am a mechanical draftsman by trade. However, at the moment in Carhuaz I work as a mountain guide doing trekking mainly. I like to cook a lot and prepare different types of nourishment like special cheeses and butter. I always like to learn new things. 3. How long have you been living in Carhuaz, and what brought you to Carhuaz? Let me think. I have travelled the world and remembered that I learned Castellano in Mexico. The first time I came to Peru had to have been between 1977 and 1978. I arrived in Lima but soon went to Carhuaz, Huaraz, Caraz etc, and then went back to Lima. Then I went to the south of Peru to Cusco, Arequipa and Puno. I left Peru for Bolivia and ended up living for a while in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. I can´t recall the exact year, but I went back to Paris for a job and came back to Peru after having lived in Italy and having travelled to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Greece. I got married to a Peruvian of Italian descent in Paris that I met in Lima on my first trip to Peru. I believe I returned to Peru in 1983 or 1984, but the real reason I came to Peru in the first place was because I wanted to see Lake Titicaca. This was because of a Jacques Cousteau documentary called ´The Legend of Lake Titicaca´. I wanted to see it with my own eyes. I liked the area around Quñuqqucha (Conococha) a lot, and we came to Peru after our wedding. I had numerous jobs, and one of them included buying and selling honey, but when I got tired of doing that, I went to Huaraz. In 1986, I was living in Caraz where I bought a piece of land on the Plaza de Armas and that´s when my daughter Jasmin was born in Lima. I ran a restaurant for over eight years on the main square in Caraz. We left Ancash again because there were no decent colleges in the area so we went on to live in Arequipa. This must have been in 1992 I believe. I lived in Arequipa for two and a half years. My wife and I separated and I went to live in the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun in Bolivia). When I started to miss my daughter I went back to Lima but I never liked Lima. To answer your question, I believe that I have been living in Carhuaz for 16 years. Although I still travel a lot, so I am never here permanently but you could say that I am living in Carhuaz yes. 4. How has your life changed over the years? My life has always changed and still will. Like the story I told you, previously. For me, tomorrow is another day. I don’t think too much about it. Life in general is a

The Huaraz Telegraph Mourad Farid Djellouli has travelled the world but was born in the French capital and that´s also where he grew up, studied and worked

change, it´s all about the evolution and depends on decisions we make. 5. What are your favourite hangout spots in Huaraz? Well, the places I like the most in the Huaraz are the outskirts. I like to do mountain biking not in the city but around it. If I have to mention a couple, I like to visit my friends such as Bruno, El Tio Enrique, Neto and Coco from the Brasa Roja and, of course, Luchito of Trece Búhos and not forgetting Nancho of the Tambo. But like I said before, I don’t like the reality of Huaraz. I don’t like it at all, it´s too noisy, although I do like the views from the city but not the city itself. It´s is too disorganised for me, that´s why I like Carhuaz. 6. What is it you miss the most from back home, and how often do you go back? That would be my mother and also my brothers and sisters, maybe a couple of friends too. In terms of culture, I miss going to the theatre and listening to good music. Paris is Paris allez. In Paris you can find everything, beautiful women, good wine, good bars and a lot of culture. I have many friends that are French musicians and authors. Well, most things are relative because nowadays with the Internet you can easily speak and see each other. Although it´s not completely the same as seeing someone physically. I might not have all those things that I just mentioned but here I have other things that people don’t have in Paris. And don’t forget, I have chosen to live here, I should not complain! I could go to France tomorrow but I choose to be here so. The last time I went back to

France? I can’t recall to be honest, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I think it´s been 30 years, remember I lived in other parts of South America and Asia before. Maybe it´s been more than 40 years since I held my mother in my arms, but we are on Skype every Sunday. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but I also have a son called Joaquim, he´s living in Belgium. It´s has been ten years since have seen him. He was actually born in Carhuaz. My mother will turn 84 this year and I hope to see her this year. 7. What is it you like most about Huaraz? Nothing! Mainly I like to visit my friends and as I mentioned before, I like the views a lot, not the city itself. I like to go to Punta Callan and then going downhill towards the coast. But Huaraz, no it doesn’t attract me at all. 8. What’s your opinion of the tourist business in Huaraz? This is a good question, well let me think. Obviously as Carhuaz is such a small place there is much more tourism in Huaraz than in Carhuaz. I am always surprised how customers perceive tourism. In my opinion, the international and national tourists are treated really badly. Tours, food etc. are offered at a lousy standard and I can tell you this because I have many foreign friends who work in this sector. But this is also the case in Cusco, Arequipa and Trujillo or Chiclayo. Huaraz cannot be compared with Cusco, because there´s tourism 365 days a year in Cusco. Here in the Callejón de Huaylas it´s barely three months. As there are only

couple of months of business here in the area, I have the impression that the tourism entrepreneurs try to take advantage of the situation and sell things for as most as they possibly can. Let´s say that there is little professional ethics for those who work in tourism and this is likely because of the lack of education. There´s many things that need to be improved starting with the tourism entrepreneurs speaking different languages in terms of services, for example. The nature is here, so it´s all coming down on the goodness and willingness of the people. 9. What sites or activities do you recommend (or not) to our readers? To start, it´s very important for all tourists before having even hiked a metre, to make sure they are acclimatised to the altitude to avoid problems with sorroche. Another thing is to respect and take care of the flora and fauna around us. How many times have I seen tourists leave their plastic bags or bottles? I would recommend tourists to try to speak to the locals, make contact with them. Talk to them, eat with them, and ask them simple questions like, how are you doing? These are things I do when I go on a hike or on my bike. The NGOs should play a more important role here. I would also like to encourage tourists to eat and try local products such as quinoa, kiwicha and tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis). I believe the Cordillera Blanca and Negra both have many places of interest, but I believe that respecting nature is fundamental. 10. If you were to become the Mayor of Carhuaz or President of Peru one day, what would you do or change?

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The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016 Another interesting question. I was asked the same question once but in Caraz; if I would consider becoming mayor of Caraz. I was just 30 back then and told them that I was not interested because I don’t like politics. Anyway, answering your question, I´d say that if I were to become Peru´s president one day, I would start by translating the constitution in Quechua. In terms of becoming the mayor, I would hold an open cabildo (Spanish: cabildo abierto) at least once a month. Just asking to the habitants what is it that they want, what are their necessities? But openly listening to the voice of the people, not behind closed doors like politics nowadays. I would listen a whole day just to what people want and from there I would see what things were possible or not. I would also install public bathrooms in the town, as they are needed but there is none. I would try to recycle the garbage and make sure that wastewater doesn’t end up in the Rio Santa. There are too many things that have to be done, so many that I cannot mention any more but I believe in harmony. People should be able to live in harmony with nature. 11. Are you living the Peruvian dream (explain)? To be honest, I have no idea what that means. What is the Peruvian dream? I can tell you that I am living my personal dream. Me sitting here taking care of this old hotel in Carhuaz, drinking coffee and talking with you, that´s my dream. I have chosen for this type of life and voilà. 12. How do you see your future in Peru? Well, my future has changed I believe. I will probably go to the jungle in the future. I like insects, animals, nature and eating fish. People in the jungle are a lot happier this is a different dimension. I still like to learn things and believe that this is possible in the jungle. We´ll have to see what happens in a couple of years. Quote of the month:

The last time I went back to France? I can’t recall to be honest, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I think it´s been 30 years, remember I lived in other parts of South America and Asia before. Maybe it´s been more than 40 years since I held my mother in my arms.

Additionally, we asked Mourad about an urban legend we once heard in Huaraz about him and a meeting with the CIA in Carhuaz. In addition, we asked him if he knew of other Algerians in Peru or was he the only one. No, I am not the only one; Algeria even has an embassy in San Isidro with its representative and consul. I have two friends from Algeria who live in Lima including the personnel of the embassy; I believe there could be more than five. There is an Algerian company in Cusco, which might have some Algerian employees so there might be a lot more than the five or six that I know of. In 2002 (precise date Saturday, March 23rd), amidst heavy security, former US

Expat in Huaraz

President George W. Bush arrived in Lima for an official visit. This would make Bush the first US president in the history of Peru to visit the country. What happened is the following. I was working on my small farm that had a couple of cows, and vegetables etcetera ,that I was using for my restaurant, when some villagers came running towards me saying ´Don Mourad, don Mourad,´ ´they are looking for you´. I asked them what ´they´ wanted, but the villagers only said that ´they´ were from Lima and that they wanted to meet me. Anyway, ´they´ didn’t wait much longer because the villagers already told me that they were on their way to see me. I walked towards them with my machete as I had been cutting plants on my land. In the distance I saw four men and two of them were coming in my direction. Trust me; it was just like in the movie ´Men in Black´, the tie, the suits and the glasses. So I was approached while I had my machete in my hand and was asked if I was Mourad Farid Djellouli. They wanted to talk to me so I took them to a tiny house nearby and we sat down. I have to admit that they knew everything, seriously every detail starting with my name, where I was born and on and on. I could only answer yes, yes and yes that´s right. Rounding up the ´interview´ they wanted to take a picture of me. I told them to go screw themselves; I didn’t allow them to take a picture. I said they had all the information they wanted and ´bonjoured´ them towards the door, get out! One was Peruvian by the way. Anyway, this had everything to do with the visit of Bush to Peru. My passport says Algeria so am I a terrorist or not? People have sometimes said that I was a spy working for the secret service or something, but it never made me mad, I just thought una raya más al tigre (another string to the bow) and went on with the things I was doing at the time. It wasn’t the first time. I have travelled a lot and have visited countries like Afghanistan, but like I said, it´s the Algerian passport that causes trouble, but I am a very tranquil person. In the end, I have no idea if they were C.I.A, F.B.I or maybe even MI6, who knows, I don’t care actually. All my answers were corresponding to the information they already had so what more could I do? In the end they said they taped it all, but when they asked for the picture I told them to kiss my ass. Mourad, would get upset if I were to take a picture of you? No, go ahead, no problem at all. I am on no ´wanted´ list around the world so you can take the picture (laughing). I´ll show you some French guidebooks I am in with my picture as well. Are you an expat living in Huaraz, Yungay, Caraz or any other part of Ancash? Contact us for an interview and find your interview in one the next editions of The Huaraz Telegraph.

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PARQUE DE LA AM ISTAD INTERNA CIONAL

P.D. HZ

CATHED

COURTH

OUSE

HOSPITAL

X PLAZUELA

BELEN

MUSEUM

CHURCH

CULTUR

CENTER

S PARKIN

P.D. HZ

PARQUE DEL TURISTA

JR. ALBE RT

CENTRAL MARKET

PRO ORNATO

HUARUPAM

PARQUE SANTA ROS

PARQUE LOS INCAS

CHURCH PARQUE SIMON BOLIVAR

STADIUM ROSAS PAMPA

H Only 6 mins from the Plaza de Armas by car located at Cruce de Palmira

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Investigation

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

Tour agencies scrutinised: what is promised to tourists when agencies are contacted? In Huaraz, the message for tourists shopping around for tour agencies for hikes, climbs and other activities is buyers beware. In the past, there have been some relaxed if not downright fraudulent practices. The outdoor activities in this extraordinarily beautiful area are world-renowned. Deciding what you want to do, and comparing the offers of tour agencies, can be tough, especially as prices can vary markedly (see Table 4). Agencies do not necessarily offer the same things, even on the same tour. There are dozens of touts and keen salespeople, almost as many as there are agencies, plenty of advice in tour guides in print and online, and the information on the agencies’ own websites. To increase your chances of getting a quality tour and of getting what you pay for, it is important to research and evaluate agencies thoroughly. By doing this and choosing a responsible, professional agency, you will also help to improve a largely unregulated industry. Only some of the Huaraz tour agencies are formally registered tour operators, and if you do not take care, you may not get what you think you are buying—and you’ll have no comeback if things go wrong. Don’t expect that the tourist information office, i-Perú, will help, as its focus is on things to do around town and not outdoor activities. Investigation and research executed by Clare ´Clarita´ Bligh Retired Canadian journalist

Nothing beats doing thorough research, and asking the right questions. The editor of The Huaraz Telegraph (THT) believes that many agencies operating in Huaraz are not officially registered, and are operating illegally. If they are not registered with the Peruvian taxation department, they may not be paying taxes, which put legitimate businesses at a disadvantage. In our research we have not perceived indications that this was the case with the agencies contacted. Alex Egerton, the author of the Huaraz section in the 2016 edition of Lonely Planet’s Peru guide, was in the region last year, doing research for the guidebook. In an interview in the August 2015 print edition of the THT (p. 17), he said that there was ‘still quite a lot of chaos involved in getting accurate information on mountain activities and buying a tour. There are agencies on every corner but very little regulation of the industry. For example, many trekkers complain that pack animals are treated very poorly while others complain that they were given misleading information before setting out on their trek.’ In April and May of this year, The Huaraz Telegraph surveyed a sample of 16 agencies to compare prices of some activities, the quality and quantity of information offered, and responsiveness and attitude of agency staff to email questionnaires. The newspaper conducts an annual survey of a selection of tour agencies, hoping that it will lead to agencies improving the quality of the services they offer. The findings of this year’s survey are discussed and the process described below. In the survey, The Huaraz Telegraph seeks to learn how forthcoming and open agencies are. What information do they give on their website and in response to questions? Are they honest about the skills and level of fitness you need, and about the likely weather and physical conditions? You can find the results of 2013 survey online.

You have a role to play Tourists have a direct role to play in helping improve the service and activities that tour agencies provide by buying ethically, and by giving feedback both to the agency and in public reviews, not just of bad performance but also when agencies do a good job. The Dean of Graduates in Tourism in Huaraz, Antonio Palacios Bertolot, agrees. ‘When good services are not demanded by foreign visitors, we will never improve them,’ he said in an interview in The Huaraz Telegraph (August 2015, p. 20). Editor Rex Broekman is concerned that there is no standard for tour agencies operating in Peru. Associations of agencies exist largely to promote their members, not to set and maintain standards. Some things to look out for While all of us want to get activities as cheaply as possible, you need to be clear whether you are prepared to support poor practices. Ask the right questions Ask plenty of questions, and the right questions. As I discovered for myself. Late one afternoon I bought a one-day tour to Laguna 69 for the next day. I asked the woman in the agency how many people had booked on the tour. ‘Five others,’ she said. It turned out I was one of 28 people on the tour, accompanied by one guide. The agency salesperson probably wasn’t lying; however, she did mislead me by not telling me that several agencies combine their groups to share the cost of the bus, its driver and one guide. (Perhaps this is a rookie mistake on my part; I generally don’t buy tours, preferring to make my own way.) In this instance, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the hike, but if I’d thought I was buying solitude in the mountains on a multi-day trek, I would have felt cheated. Supporting the local economy The price you pay for an activity may have a direct impact on the lives of locals. Are locals among the owners and managers of the agency you choose? Do profits stay in the local economy or sent overseas? Are foreigners involved in local companies helping to build skills and incomes among locals? Some agencies list the owners

and other staff on their website. Some agencies that provide cheaper tours are cutting their expenses. Cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean cost-cutting, but the onus is on the buyer to check these things. Does the agency pay at least average wages to guides, arrieros (animal drivers), porters and cooks? Are the animals used to haul your gear and communal equipment overloaded, used while injured, used without sufficient breaks or not kept in good health? Don’t be misled by prices for human and animal services you find on some websites. Typical prices are trekking guide, S/ 134 (US$40); mountain guide, S/ 400 (US$120); cook S/ 100 (US$30); donkey driver, S/ 45 (US$13.50); donkey, S/ 25 (US$7.50). This is what the agency charges you, not what these people are paid. To be sure, the agency has overheads to meet, and the prices may be legitimate, but be sure you know what you are buying. (For comparison, in the Cusco region, when you hire an independent trekking guide, for example through the South American Explorers, www.saexplorers.org, the going rate is S/ 35 – S/ 40 a day, perhaps S/ 45 for someone very experienced. Whether those guides are certified professionals is another question.) Other Huaraz tour agency cost-cutting measures may have a direct impact on you. Ask about the quality of food, which may be poorer on cheaper treks, and the quality of camping, trekking and climbing gear. Read the agency’s policies certificates of registration

and

If you want to promote professionalism in the industry, ask to see the agency’s certificate of registration as a tour operator, and its tax registration with SUNAT (the tax office). Ask to see agencies’ policies on staff and contractor respect and training, on safety and evacuation procedures, on animal management and on environmental care and protection. Check that the guide who will lead your activity has appropriate and up-to-date qualifications. Some of the better agencies post their policies, or summaries of them, on their website. Trekking guides and mountaineering guides should be members of an internationally registered professional association or regional association such as AGOEMA (Asociacon de Guias Oficiales Especializados en Montaña - Huaraz Ancash), AGOMP (Asociación de Guías Oficiales de Montaña del Perú) or ARGOT (Asociación Regional de Guías Oficiales de Turismo de Ancash). Ask for proof that your guide is accredited, and their skills up to date. For trekking, the guide should be a member of the associations mentioned above, or be a graduate of the career tourism at for example the Instituto Tecnológico Público Eleazar Guzman Barrón, or be a member of the national guides’ association, Asociación de Guías Oficiales de Caminata del Perú (AGOCP), www.perutrekkingguide. com (in Spanish only). The association began in October 2008, and two months later was registered with the national

government registration office, SUNARP (Superintendencia Nacional de los Registros Públicos). AGOCP is a member of the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA). Mountain guides should be members of the Asociación de Guías de Montaña del Peru (AGMP), www.agmp.pe or the previously mentioned regional associations AGOEMA, AGOMP or ARGOT. The AGMP began in Huaraz in 1980. It runs technical courses to do with safe mountaineering, including rescue and it lists individuals who are members. The AGMP is a member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA; or IVBV in German, and UIAGM in French). One of its aims is to regulate the profession and keep standards high. Associations have to reach a certain standard to be accepted as members, a process that can take 5 to 10 years. UIMLA claims on its website that that UIMLA and IFMGA are ‘the only internationally recognised qualifications in the mountains world-wide’. In our printed June edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we wrote that guides are ought to be a member of the AGMP which is incorrect, agencies using AGOEMA, AGOMP or ARGOT members are operating correctly. Spanish only? If your Spanish isn’t up to it, you might want to ask for a guide who speaks a language you know. Just because you speak to the salesperson in the agency in English or French or Hebrew doesn’t mean you will get a guide who speaks that language, as I discovered on a day trip to see the Chavín ruins. (Happily for me, my Spanish was good enough to understand the guide, who was very knowledgeable and passionate.) Does the promise match the service? Some agencies promise the world on a silver platter in email or when talking you into buying their service over a competitor’s, but then serve up something in a plastic takeaway container. Get what they offer in writing, or write it down yourself. Give them constructive feedback if they don’t deliver. (And if they do!) The Huaraz Telegraph was also interested to know which agencies meet their promises and which don’t. Are you covered? The agency’s insurance may not cover you during an activity. Find out the limits of what it does cover. Responsible agencies advise on their website what activities you might need your own insurance for, but it’s worth double-checking all the same. Evacuation Make sure you know where you stand with insurance before you go. It is worth finding out the agency’s procedure for emergency evacuation in the event of altitude sickness, other illness, or injury. For example, one agency (Andean Summit) said in an emailed response to a question that it carries medicines to relieve

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Investigation

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

15 ‘The grading of the climbs is an indication only of the level of difficulty. Even climbs suitable for beginner climbers are graded medium to hard to reflect that the altitude makes climbing on any peak physically demanding. Although many guidebooks describe some peaks as being “trekkers peaks” the approaches to all the mountains involve a sometimes steep & challenging hike. We do NOT consider that any climb in the Cordillera Blanca can be classified as a ´trekking peak´. A climb should only be considered if you are well acclimatised and generally already in good physical condition.’[sic]

altitude sickness and in an emergency they take you down under the care of a porter. However, ‘If someone in the group (e.g. sprains an ankle, breaks a leg, arm or wrist) this kind of accidents we don’t cover, [sic] because all the travellers have their own insurance.’ I was given this information only because I asked specifically: it was not on the website, and they did not say anything about insurance in their initial email. There is no helicopter evacuation in the region, you are taken out on foot if possible, or on a donkey or horse. Only one agency, Peruvian Andes Adventures, mentioned the lack of helicopter. Refunds and extra costs Before you buy, clarify what refunds are available and in what circumstances if something goes wrong before or during your trip. Don’t assume that emergency transport back to Huaraz is covered in the cost of your tour. Ask each agency. Acclimatisation and fitness Some agencies are relaxed, if not downright lax, about the advice they give on acclimatisation. A couple of agencies point out that a hike that is easy at near sea level is much more difficult at altitude. Most agencies recommend acclimatising for between one and three nights. Many people require more time than this. However, information is often inconsistently presented; for example, one company (Galaxia Expeditions) says on the page about climbing Tocllaraju (6,032 metres) that you should climb a 5,000 m peak first. However, it doesn’t mention this on the page describing the climb to the higher peak of Chopicalqui (6,354 metres). Galaxia is far from the only company to be so inconsistent. It’s in your own interests to read many different pages from each company, to gain all the information you need. Responsible agencies will recommend that you take time to acclimatise, and won’t take you on mountain summits until you have. They advise on their websites that you go on a day hike before tackling multiday treks or mountain ascents (and some won’t take you on a summit expedition if they haven’t been able to assess your acclimatisation, fitness and strength on a multi-day trek). Some also advise a day’s rest between a multi-day hike and a summit climb.

How agencies surveyed rate climbs

Table 1. How agencies grade selected beginner activities

However, sometimes it is difficult to find this information. It might be included in the details on one multi-day trek or mountain summit, but not in another. On their website or in email responses to questions, most agencies say that their guides carry medicines to alleviate the minor effects of altitude, and will use a porter to take someone to a lower altitude if they have altitude sickness. It’s worth double checking all these points with the agency you are considering hiring.One agency (Andean Summit) did not have this information on its website, but wrote in an email: ‘If you have time, you can do a couple of hikes before to come to Peru; in case you can’t do it, don’t worries [sic], that’s why you will start step by step.’ Is this enough for a day hike? What about for a multi-day trek? Sure, it’s your responsibility anywhere in the world to be fit enough to undertake a hike at altitude, but if you haven’t done it before, how do you know what that is?

and may add a plus or minus symbol after the ranking to indicate whether it is at the upper or lower end of the range for that rank. To check what the grading means, and to compare them with other international scales, see the lists under the heading ‘Alpine system’ on the Alpinist’s website, http://www.alpinist. com/p/climbing_notes/grades.

Activity grading

• PD, moderate – moderate snow climbs, a rope is necessary

There seems to be no standard applied in Huaraz for how hikes, multi-day treks and mountain climbs are graded for difficulty. Treks are generally graded using a loose rating of easy, moderate or difficult, but these terms are not defined. The same walk is often graded differently by different agencies. (Their ratings are compared in Table 1.) How agencies grade selected beginner activities A few agencies grade mountain summit expeditions using the internationally recognised French alpine system (IFAS),

However, most companies use only a loose rating of easy, moderate or difficult, and don’t explain what these means. This makes it difficult to judge what level of skill, fitness and experience you need. (What information they give is compared in Table 2 at the bottom of this page.) In our survey, only one company, Peruvian Andes Adventures, gave information on its website that defined the codes in the grading system it uses. (Not all agencies in the survey offer mountaineering.) Peruvian Andes Adventures uses the French alpine system, and defines the grades this way:

• AD, reasonably hard – routes with a fair amount of difficult climbing, snow and ice experience required • D, hard – a reasonable amount of serious climbs of snow and ice with pitches up to severe standards • TD, very hard – very difficult, long serious climbs. It was also unequivocal about the need to take mountain summiting expeditions seriously. It says (on the page, ‘Peru climbing expeditions & courses’):

Please have a look at table 2 below. Climate change Only a few agencies have been upfront on their websites about the effects of global warming on conditions in the mountains. In the past, the dry season was reliably dry, but these days, as weather systems change because of global warming, dry weather can no longer be guaranteed in the Cordillera Blanca or the Cordillera Huayhuash. The process we used for the 2016 survey I posed as one half of a middle-aged couple on a trip through South America (which is true), looking for accurate information about typical activities to be enjoyed around Huaraz for a two-week visit during the tourist season. We are fit and strong, and experienced touring cyclist and hikers. (Our age, travelling and fitness is true, and I intend to use the information from the research for this article to buy a long trek with one of the responsible agencies.) Agencies chosen I began with a selection of 16 agencies, most of which have been surveyed in a previous THT survey. I also included two agencies from which I have bought day trips. This allows some gauge of whether the professionalism of the agencies might be improving. Website research It was important that companies have a Continue reading on page 16

Table 2 shows a comparison of the difficulty rating for climbing peaks by the agencies that were subject to our investigation. Interestingly: same climb, different qualifications

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Investigation

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016 information emailed was screen shots from the website, with prices added in.

Continuation of page 15

website as many people research activities before they arrive in a place. Having a social media presence in lieu of a website is not good enough, as not everyone uses social media, and the purpose of social media is different to a website. One company, Edwards Adventures, which has been included in previous surveys, has no web presence and I could find no email contact. It does have a street address in Huaraz, but that’s only useful if you’re already in town. Another, Pacha Andean Walkers, has only a Facebook or Google+ page; they both have a link to a website, but it the site no longer exists. The information on both social media sites was far too scant and poor to use for research. The websites varied in quality enormously, from detailed and well organised and in at least two languages, to detailed and disorganised (and difficult to find information on), to downright scant. I considered how detailed and thorough the information on each website was. As well as looking for information on most of each agency’s activities, I also looked for information about acclimatisation and fitness, activity grading for difficulty, evidence of formal registration as a tour operator, company policies on staff, training, animal management, and environmental care. I didn’t specifically look for information on projects to help disadvantaged locals, but noted these when I saw them. I also considered how detailed and thorough the information on the website was. For a quick comparison, see Table 3; the information following the table gives more detail about each agency. I took into account that Peru is Spanish speaking and didn’t discount sites that were only in Spanish. Activities chosen After looking at what each agency had to offer online, I sent an email to each company for which there was an email address or web form for contact. I wrote only in English. I asked for information on: • a day hike to Laguna 69, or something similar the company might suggest • the Santa Cruz trek, or another, similar hike they might suggest • summiting a mountain that is not too technical • perhaps canyoning (or something similar). These were chosen because these are typical trips for visitors to buy. Several companies took the initiative to suggest alternatives for me to consider, for example Laguna Churup or Laguna Wilcacocha as alternatives to Laguna 69, Vallunaraju or Urus instead of Pisco, or flying fox (zip line) instead of canyoning. Peruvian Andes Adventures was the only company that advised against doing both Laguna 69 and the Santa Cruz trek. They said in an email, ‘The view from Portachuelo Pass [on the Santa Cruz trek] is almost the same as

Andino Trek, as well as grading climbs, gives additional information that they are physically demanding. It also says on the website that you have to carry all your own gear up to the moraine camp on Vallunaraju, and therefore need to be fit and strong. No other agency mentioned this on the web or email. It mentions that canyoning is good for acclimatisation; the activity is not graded. It also took the initiative to offer some other acclimatisation ideas, for example flying fox (zip line), or hikes to Laguna Wilcacocha or Laguna Churup. It is worrying that very few tour agencies in Huaraz have their policies online

the view you get walking to Laguna 69, except you cannot see the lake. If you do the Laguna 69 day hike, you have the 2.5hour drive from Huaraz to Cebollapampa … and … back to Huaraz. You may prefer to do a day hike closer to Huaraz and in a different area if you are doing the Santa Cruz trek.’ Email questions and answers I asked about costs, difficulty, skills and fitness needed for each, and whether guides would speak English. I also considered how responsive they were to emailed questions, and how detailed their email answers were. In the first email, I asked about recommended trips, costs, difficulty, skills and fitness needed, acclimatisation, and whether guides would speak English. I emailed 15 agencies; the sixteenth, Edwards Adventures, provided no means of contact online. Eight agencies responded: Andean Summit, Andean Sky Expeditions, Andino Trek, Galaxia Expeditions, Huascarán Travel, Monttrek, Peru Expeditions, and Peruvian Andes Adventures. They all answered in English, even when it was difficult for them to do so. The eight companies that did not were Atusparia Tours, Edwards Adventures, Enrique Expeditions, JM Expeditions, Pablo Tours, Pacha Andean Walkers, Turismo Caminos, and Viajes Quechua. I sent a second email to the eight agencies that replied to the first. In it I asked about guides’ qualification, first-aid, altitude sickness, emergency procedures, and treatment of staff, animals and the environment. Of these, Galaxia Expeditions was the only agency that did not reply. Who is this man called Theo? A disturbing thing occurred in the second round of emails. I received an email from two of the companies, Peru Expeditions and Peruvian Andes Adventures, asking if someone called Theo Goodman was my husband. I’ve never heard of anyone by this name, let alone know him. Why might they ask such a strange question? Because someone using this name had written to them, posing the same questions, word for word, I had asked agencies in my second email. My email hadn’t been hacked, so how did this situation come about? Did one of the other agencies set up an email account, and use my questions to fish for information from their rivals? If so, very unscrupulous!

Some of the companies responded in detail and answered questions carefully; others were not so attentive, and a couple didn’t answer my questions. How agencies performed The information given in email responses was as variable as the detail on the websites. The most professional agencies gave detailed information on their websites and in emails and included important information on acclimatisation, fitness and their company policies. Several responsible agencies recommended a day hike and canyoning or other one-day activity for acclimatisation before taking on a multi-day trek, followed by a day off, then a mountain summit. Some recommended tackling a 5,000-metre peak before doing a 6,000-metre one. Table 3 summarises how the agencies performed in the main areas of investigation. Comparison of information on websites Have a look at table 3 for the comparison of information found on the websites. Andean Summit gives costs of activities only by email. It wrote that the Laguna 69 hike is ‘not hard’. However, although it is not technically challenging at all, my experience was that it is not easy if you have not acclimatised to the altitude. The agency gave sound advice about pacing yourself if doing multiple activities in the region. It said in an email, ‘I’ll recommend after the two treks to take a day off [before a mountain climb]. For those mountains [Pisco, Vallunaraju] you don’t need to have any experience at all.’ Andean Sky Expeditions suggested a day tour to Pastoruri (driving tour) to help acclimatise. I appreciated them, and other agencies, that took the initiative to offer something I hadn’t thought of. The

Atusparia Tours didn’t reply to any emails. The company has a smaller website than many of the others. It also offers a smaller range of tours, and focuses more on driving tours than hiking, although it does offer a couple of the most popular hikes. Edwards Adventures has no website, and no email address listed online, so I couldn’t find out anything about it. Enrique Expeditions did not reply to the first email, so the only information available is from its website. The website has a reasonable amount of information, but is disorganised; for example, there is no home button, so you have to change the address in the URL bar, or hit the back arrow, to get back to base. The company’s grading system is all over the place, with Laguna 69 rated using the alpine system, and some peaks graded using the alpine system and others easy, medium or difficult. Galaxia Expeditions has quite good information on its website, although it does not mention acclimatisation or fitness. Some of the information is out of date; for example, 2012 prices are given for national park fees. Is other information out of date too? In an email the company did take the initiative to suggest other options, e.g. climbing Mateo instead of one of the other introductory ascents. However, the information given in the email was pretty scant. The company didn’t answer the second email. Huascarán Travel, in response to my first email, provided three options for a multiday trek, at different prices, but didn’t answer my questions or give me prices for other activities. It posts the prices it charges you for renting equipment, and for support crew and animals: trekking guide $50, climbing guide $110 up to 5,000 m, $210 for 6,000 m peaks; porters $45 for

Table 4 shows significant differences in prices between the local companies

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Investigation

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016 5,000 m peaks; $60 for 6,000 m peaks; guard $25; cook $35; muleteer $10; mule $5; and emergency horse $10. JM Expeditions did not answer any emails. Its website is uninformative and not user friendly. The site does give dates of group treks for the season but these don’t seem to be accurate. It is not clear from the website whether you are meant to provide your own gear (e.g. sleeping mats, stove and fuel), or the company provides it. The agency advertises that it also sells bus, train and plane tickets, and that it makes hotel reservations, although this page is blank. Monttrek’s website is basic and uninformative. It claims to specialise in ‘personal mountaineering expeditions’. While it gives international ratings for rapids in the rafting options, it doesn’t mention anything for mountain climbs other than a vague and undefined ‘moderate’. The links to individual activities have been removed. To my questions about the qualifications of guides, Monttrek responded that there are professional associations for guides in Huaraz and that guides get training and annual refresher courses but they never said whether the guides they use do. However, this may have been because they were answering in an intermediate level of English. Is this the same company as Pablo Tours? Pablo Tours seems to focus more on driving tours (e.g. Chavín, Llanguanuco), judging by its website. The website has buttons for English and Italian languages, but these do not work. The company did not answer my emails. Interestingly, one of the email addresses on the contact page has the same domain name, terra.com. pe, as the email address of the Monttrek person who replied to me. Are they the one company with two shop fronts? Pacha Andean Walkers did not answer any emails. The company has a presence on Facebook and Google+, but neither yielded enough information to base a decision on. The pages give a website address but it no longer exists. Peru Expeditions had the second-best website and email responses. The detailed website offers a lot of good information. It’s a pity they don’t grade the mountain climbs consistently using the French alpine system, or make it clear what the grades are for each peak in a multi-peak summiting tour package. It’s a pity that they don’t have on the website this explanation of grades they gave in email: ‘Easy = not very complicated. Moderate: for this tour and physical condition is needed and good acclimatisation. Difficult: the difficulty is very demanding and very technical and you have to be very experienced, be in a good physical condition.’ The company’s email responses were detailed and clear. Peruvian Andes Adventures had the best website, had the most detailed and was thorough in its email responses. It also sent detailed trip notes on the options it recommended. These included an image of the company’s registration as a tourist agency and its taxation registration, sample menus, and a detailed list of what equipment the company provides and

what you are expected to provide. Images of the company’s registration as a tour operator and tax are available on the website. Turismo Caminos has a blog only, not a website. The blog does not offer much information, and appears to be out of date. The company did not answer any emails. Viajes Quechua has only a blog, not a website. The blog does not seem to have been updated since the middle of 2006. The company did not answer any emails. Costs For all agencies, the cost of tours excludes national park fees, which you must pay separately for many activities in the Cordillera Blanca. As of 2016, prices are S/ 10 for a single day, or S/ 65 for a threeweek ticket (which allows you any number of entries in that time). You also have to provide some gear (e.g. waterproofs, coldweather gear) for activities, so check this with the agency. Some agencies include accommodation in Lima and Huaraz and transport from Lima in the cost. Others give prices for just the activity, leaving from Huaraz. All the agencies were clear about this in their emails. All prices in Table 4 are for a larger group. Small groups and private groups are much more expensive. Mountain ascents are generally limited to two or three people per guide, but less difficult peaks may have more climbers per guide.

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Prices of tours, per person, in US dollars When looking at Table 4 on page 16, bear in mind that all tours are for a larger group, Peru Expeditions publishes its prices online, and Huascarán Travel some of its prices. All other prices were supplied by email. Andino Trek and Peru Expeditions gave some prices in soles. These have been converted to US dollars. Galaxia Expeditions and Monttrek gave summits as prices per person per day (US$120). These are converted to whole trip prices and prices that say ‘from’ an amount are for the largest group size. For example, a multi-day trek that costs US$500 each for a group of eight might cost US$750 each for a group of three. Conclusion

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The prices for an activity can vary as much as the activities themselves. And so can the quality. As you can see from the information we have compiled, there’s a trade-off between the two. The higher priced companies tend to be interested in building their reputations and the standard of tour operations in the region. But they are more expensive. Whatever the responsibilities of the tour operators, you, the buyer, have a responsibility too. We’d like to think that you’ll make a decision that will benefit not just you, but everyone, and that you’ll vote with your head and your feet when you choose an agency. When you will share your recommendations of companies to use and companies to avoid, consider sharing them with The Huaraz Telegraph, too. We’re keen to make sure we build world-class tourism services here.

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Brief News

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

Continuation of page 6

The incident occurred at around seven o´clock in the evening between the lagoon Querococha and the tunnel of Kahuish, where masked men stopped vehicles. One of the vehicles was a tourist bus from Lucho Tours, which was on the way back from the archaeological site Chavín de Huantar. The affected passengers claim that there were at least 15 masked delinquents who had no respect for any passengers as they stole cameras and mobile phones and money. A French tourist who was on the bus left Huaraz the next morning after being traumatized by the incident. One person whose identity has not been released was shot dead while he was trying to get away in a taxi, and a female was left injured at the scene. After the hour-long assault, victims went to the police station of Catac to report the attack. The police, however, (as always in Peru) were unable to trace the whereabouts of the offenders who escaped to an unknown destination. Touts keep terrorizing bus stations in Huaraz, tourists don’t respect their reservations ¨Twice this week I had two room bookings, but my guests never showed up! Actually, one couple did the next day after they told me that they were taken to another hotel in the city but found it dirty.¨ In February The Huaraz Telegraph was informed by two different hotel owners that touts are terrorising the bus stations in Huaraz. The instances of touts hanging around bus stops and terminals is known among most travellers, which raises the question why would someone make a reservation in the first place and then later not honour it? More than three years ago we informed our readers about a scam in the Cruz del Sur bus station, which finally lead to the sacking of its administrator. Apparently that administrator is back in charge. Unfortunately, tourists travelling to Huaraz will most likely meet with touts because at the moment there is no bus terminal where touts or jaladores can be locked out of. A captador (tout) is most frequently a person with a poor education without a permanent job and is paid by agencies or hostel/hotel owners to bring in tourists. These captadores or jaladores are trying to earn cash by providing tourists with false information, transferring them from A to B and gaining commission, or selling tours and hikes. Most of them work as taxi drivers during the day and entertain close relationships with the owners of poorreputation agencies, hostels or hotels and charge exaggerated rates for tours or treks. As touts exist in Asian, African and South American countries, it remains unclear why experienced travellers would fall for comments like: ¨That hostel burned down last night¨ or ¨That hostel is really dirty¨, or ¨I can get you a discount if you follow me¨. Two years ago Huaraz Informa briefed that captadores would be fined by the municipality of Huaraz in case of street vending or bothering tourists at the bus stations.

The Huaraz Telegraph Flores is the biggest passenger transporter in Peru but Huaraz is not on their destination list, now wonder why that would be?

However, two years later and despite having changed mayor and government, nothing has improved. Those who get up early and visit the Oltursa, Movil Tours, Linea, Cavassa or Julio Cesar bus stations, can witness with their own eyes that there is no one to protect the visitors of our city. Once more, the municipal ordinances and even laws in Huaraz are not respected nor obeyed by anyone. Fining the bus companies might be a solution but again authorities have not shown to have any interest in (improving) the tourism sector of Huaraz. Movil Tours keeps expanding, amongst biggest passenger transporters in Peru Movil Bus, part of the Movil Group, locally known as Movil Tours, added Villa Rica (Pasco) to their list of new destinations in Peru. They will also offer daily routes to Piura and Cajamarca having expanded their network to twelve new destinations since the beginning of 2015. Movil Tours was one of the first lines that offered an interprovincial service to Huaraz in the 90s with on board service, air conditioning and toilet facilities. Movil Group has also announced the start of commercial interregional flights between the cities of Trujillo, Chiclayo, Chachapoyas, Cajamarca, Tarapoto, Pucallpa and Iquitos. The flights will be carried out with two Dash 8-202 turboprop aircrafts each with a capacity for 37 passengers. Movil Air is already operating at the Maria Reiche Neuman Airport near Nazca in the Ica region, offering flights to enjoy the Nazca Lines. With the expansion, Movil Group has become one of the biggest passenger transporters in Peru. The biggest company at the moment is Flores. With over 40 years of service, in December 2014 the company had 461 interprovincial buses circulating for transportation. Ibárcena Group, owner of the company Cruz del Sur had 157 buses for interprovincial transport in 2014 and one for tourist transportation and 40 for international transport. Cruz del Sur offers daily buses to Huaraz, the Flores Company does not. Another big national company is the Morales Group, owner of Soyuz and Perú Bus, which had 306 interprovincial buses circulating last year. The fourth biggest transportation company is

Transportes Línea, with 69 interprovincial buses, three buses for the tourism sector and 171 busses for transporting (mainly mine) workers. Transportes Línea offers overnight transportation from Huaraz to Trujillo and Lima. The average age of their fleet is six years. Turismo CIVA S.A. has a total of 218 buses of which 187 are for interprovincial transportation of passengers. Movil Tours S.A. had a total of 175 buses in 2014 with a fleet average age of 7 years. Surprisingly, Z-Buss is number seven on the list with a total of 117 interprovincial busses. Z-Buss, like Movil Tours offers busses to Lima from Huaraz although its prime destination is Huaral.

classes, such as English and German and training courses for the guides.¨

Other buses offering Huaraz as their end destination are Cavassa, Empresa 14, Expreso Ancash, Julio Cesar, Oltursa and Rodrigues. Be very picky with your choice because not all mentioned above have the same reliable reputation. The municipalities of Huaraz and Independencia are currently working on a big bus terminal in the area of Pongor (crossing the bridge from the stadium Rosas Pampa towards Casma), which might attract more companies in the future.

Swiss hotelier launches handy application called ¨All Huaraz¨ for IOS and Android

Remodelling of Casa de Guías should be ready before the end of the high season The editor of The Huaraz Telegraph met with Rafael Figueroa Chávez, president of the Asociación de Guías de Montaña del Perú and spoke about the remodelling of Casa de Guías. The president confirmed in January that the renovation will take about six months and will include an extension of four floors including a brand new office to attend tourists even better. The ground floor, which used to be a restaurant, will be turned into an office area with up-to-date information for mountaineers. The office on the righthand side will be turned into a restaurant– café area, so showed Rafael Figueroa with the construction plans in front of him. ¨Most important is to have the information office installed; when that job is completed we can start with the back part of Casa de Guias, where a new connected four floor building of around 120 m2 will raise. On the plans you can see the extension, which will cost in between U$ 90,000 and U$120,000. We will install a further six classrooms, which will serve for language

Casa de Guías was officially opened in October 1980 and in the same year a bilateral technical cooperation agreement was signed between the governments of Peru and Switzerland to train mountain guides. Apart from the language centre, Casa de Guías also offers rescue courses and assistant training to cooks, porters, field guardians and mountaineers in general. Casa de Guías can be found at Parque Ginebra 28-G in Huaraz, or find their advertisement elsewhere in this newspaper.

Bertrand Würsch, manager of the Huaraz-based hotel Alpa-K informed our newspaper about the launch of a handy application for IOS and Android. The application All Huaraz contains useful information about how to get to Huaraz, which sites are worth visiting, where to stay and where to eat and the nightlife in Huaraz. The app is convenient for people that are about to visit Huaraz and for tourists who are already in the city. The first menu shows the transportation information on how to get to Huaraz. All recommendations include direct links to Google maps accompanied with telephone numbers and directions. Prices and time schedules are not mentioned because those are always subject to changes. There are also mentions for local bus companies towards the Cañón del Pato, Casma, Chimbote and the Conchucos area with Pomabamba and Piscobamba. The other options in the menu are general information/emergencies, travel agencies, day hikes, shopping, where to eat, accommodation, excursions, nightlife, well-being and more. While we were browsing through the options in the menu, the Geneva-born manager started to explain about the selection process. ¨In the general information/emergencies folder, people can find clinics, money exchangers, ATMs, the national post service SERPOST, Casa de Guías, the National Park Huascarán, the Cultural Centre, the museum, and even a dentist.

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The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016 All business and institutions have their logo listed accompanied with directions and telephone number. A tourist always has questions because something unexpected can happen. This is maybe how the idea started. I am definitely not trying to favour one or another. Maybe at the next update you´ll find other businesses. I did invest a little bit of money in this application, but at the moment all businesses mentioned in All Huaraz are in it for free. We selected the best businesses according to our experiences, so is the case with all the agencies we have listed. Obviously the agencies that use touts are not listed.¨ What else is in it? ¨Well, there is a special section for the mountain lodges, where to find typical food; for example, where to try Guinea pig or pachamanca. Just yesterday I remembered that I should include the street José Olaya in the guide. We hope to get enough feedback to constantly update and improve the information.¨ How did you start the app, was it an easy process? ¨Last year, my trainee, Florent Domalain, started to work on it. Originally I wanted to use it as information only for the guests of my hotel, but when I thought about it more and more, we decided to make an application that would benefit the whole of Huaraz. The application was finished at the end of November last year; however, it´s a long administrative process to get an app approved, especially for IOS. The application can be found in the Google Play Store for as little as six Soles or two dollars for iPhone devices. Evidently, I have invested a little in this application, and although I don’t expect thousands of downloads, it would be nice to see something of the investment back. Like I mentioned before, the businesses mentioned in the app are in it for free. I have spoken with most of them and the idea is to distribute flyers with information of the app at those places. We decided to launch the app in English and although I have noticed some mistakes, we have no plans to launch it in French or Spanish at the moment. It was an adventurous task, and although I am busy with the hotel and my agency we will update it when new information becomes available or becomes necessary. It is surprisingly easy and quick to update information. We can get this done in less than five minutes. The problem with Lonely Planet or Guide de Routard is that their information in the book easily becomes out of date. We can update out app daily. Send me the logo of The Huaraz Telegraph so we can include it in the app! Honestly, I like your newspaper and I believe it´s a very good tool to promote our city among tourists, in that sense the app and your paper are going into the same direction.¨ The Rough Guide to Peru picks Llanganuco on list 28 things not to miss The Rough Guide to Peru was published in October 2015 and is written by authors Kiki Deere, Anna Kiminski, Phillip Tang and Greg de Villiers. According to its website it covers the country in-depth from the jaw-dropping attractions of the Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon

Brief News

to Lima’s endlessly hip restaurant scene. Rough Guide’s four expert authors have covered every inch of Peru, communing with Amazon shamans, rafting the waters of the mighty Urubamba and hiking to the little-visited Inca ruins of Choquequirao and there is also attention given to the Huaraz area. Huaraz, the Cordilleras and the Ancash coast are listed in chapter six, and obviously there is much attention given to the hiking in our region. On the authors’ 28-things-not-to-miss list there is a mention for the Llanganuco lakes, which are described as “part of the Huascarán National Park, these pristine turquoise and emerald blue lagoons are hidden in a glacial valley in the Cordillera Blanca”. Also not to miss, according to the four expert authors of The Rough Guide to Peru, is The Cordillera Blanca mountain range that offers some of the best hiking and climbing in South America (pick nr. 17). The archaeological complex of Chavín the Huantar is listed 21st between the zigzag megalithic defensive walls of Sacsayhuaman in Cusco and the frenetic floating jungle port of Puerto Belén. As expected, the mysterious citadel of Machu Picchu tops the list. The Rough Guide to Peru has over 70 clear, full-colour maps to help travellers find a hostel while the easy-to-use transport info will make sure one doesn´t end up on a chicken bus to nowhere. The guide is available on Amazon for US$ 16.90 or US$ 15.99 as an E-book version. Soon: The Huaraz Telegraph Tourism Awards In order to stimulate the tourism sector, your local and English touristic newspaper is working on the elaboration and coordination of the Premios Turísticos Huaraz Telegraph (The Huaraz Telegraph Tourism Awards). This award winning ceremony is called into life because over the past years the tourism sector in Ancash has been totally forgotten or abandoned by its authorities and in some cases even its direct actors. The Huaraz Telegraph will, however, not only reward the best but also the worst, with the purpose that the ‘winners´ will improve their services for the forthcoming years. We announced the award ceremony for the first time in May on our Facebook page and the initial reactions are overwhelming. We are happy to announce that we have received private messages, emails and have even be told on the street to nominate a certain business for a number of reasons. A three-headed commission preceded by the editor of The Huaraz Telegraph, a volunteer who has been living in Huaraz over a year now and a specialist in tourism will make the final decision. People can choose their candidates in the following categories until the end of July of this year: worst restaurant, worst café, worst mountain guide, worst chef, worst travel agency / treks, worst lodge / inn or shelter worst hotel / hostel, worst tourist product, worst tourist service, worst tourist spot.

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Peruvian Football

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016

Sport Áncash F.C.´s reappearance in Peru´s Second Division of Professional Football Founded on April the 22nd, 1967 under the name Club Deportivo Comunitario Laboral Sport Áncash, the team last played professional football in 2009 when they got relegated to the second division of Peruvian football after a five-year spell at the highest level. Sport Áncash, nicknamed Amenaza Verde (Green Threat) achieved the awaited promotion to the professional top division in the 2004 edition of the Peru Cup after beating Deportivo Municipal in the final. In the first leg at home in Huaraz the team won by 1-0 with a goal from Luis Bello. In the return match they beat the home side by 1-3 at the National Stadium in Lima on December the 26th, with goals from Renzo Benavides, Danfer Doy and Ysmael Regalado. Under the leadership of manager Rafael Castaneda Sport Áncash started the Apertura very well with a 1-0 home win over Callao´s Sport Boys. During the Amenaza Verde´s debut season in the Campeonato Descentralizado 2005, the Huaraz side would stun the eventual winners Cienciano from Cusco at home with 2-1 by goals of Martín Menacho and Renzo Benavides. The legendary Alianza Lima were beaten in round 14 of the Apertura by 4-1, with goals from Diego Viera, Natalio Portillo (2x) and again Renzo Benavides. Sport Áncash would finish their Apertura and Clausura both at sixth place, thirteen points away from qualification for the Copa Sudamericana but on the Agreggate Table (Apertura and Clausura accumulated) they would stay two points above Alianza Lima. Natalio Portillo would become Sport Áncash´s top goal scorer with 11 goals. The 2006 season saw Alianza Lima win the Apertura, where Sport Áncash ended in eighth position, two places and three points ahead of arch rivals José Gálvez from Chimbote. A ninetieth-minute equalizer against Alianza Lima by Natalio Portillo and a 2-1 win over Universitario were among the highlights of the Apertura 2006. Natalio Portillo would finish runner-up, with 10 goals in the Apertura top scorers behind Roberto Demus of Coronel Bolognesi. During the Clausura of 2006 Sport Áncash only managed to grab six wins including a 3-0 win against Universitario (Paulo Zabarbulo, Pablo

The Huaraz Telegraph The northern grand stand in the Rosas Pampa Stadium with the presence of fans. Picture: Visión Deportiva Huaraz

Villar and Renzo Benavides) on October the 22nd, and a 1-0 win on the 10th of December against Alianza Lima, the only goal made by Jean Tragodara. On the Aggregate Table, Sport Áncash ended just two points above the relegation playoff spot.

At a professional level, 2007 proved to be Sport Áncash best season. They ended up third in the Apertura behind opening stage winner Universidad San Martín de Porres from Lima and second place Cienciano. In the Clausura the Amenaza Verde ended in sixth place, only three points behind winner Coronel Bolognesi from Tacna. On the Aggregate Table Sport Áncash would come third, level on points with La U but with a better goal difference. Alianza Lima dropped to fifth on the table as four points were deducted for failure to pay wages to players. Richar Estigarribia from Paraguay would finish the opening and closing season with a record of 19 goals. After this season he would leave Huaraz for the promoted second division champion Universidad César Vallejo from

Trujillo. Richar Mariano Estigarribia Ortega is currently playing for Club Sportivo San Lorenzo in the Primera División of Paraguay.

The opening match of the 2008 season was against Alianza Lima. Sport Áncash won the match with the smallest difference with a goal from Orlando Allende in the sixtieth minute. Sport Áncash would finally win nine matches ending second to last in the table. They also had two points deducted by the Peruvian Football Association for debts. The Clausura, however, under the Uruguayan manager Antonio Alzamendi who replaced Colombian coach Jose “Chepe” Torres, would revive Sport Áncash. However, because of economic problems, Alzamendi resigned a couple of matches before the Clausura tournament ended. Manager Eduardo Asca finished the season in third place, and sixth overall. Brazilian Ronaille Calheira Seará would become the club´s top scorer with 16 goals, although some websites state he made one goal less. Calheira would join Apartura winners Universitario de

Deportes the next season. Highlight during the 2008 season was the team´s first and only international representation in South America. In the first round of the Copa Sudamericana they beat Ñublense from Chile (4-1 on aggregate), to be knocked out by Brazilian giants Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras who would win their 22nd Brazilian title with a 6-0 victory on aggregate in the finals over Ponte Preta later that year. In 2009, disaster struck as the Amenaza Verde got relegated and played in the Peruvian Second Division until 2013 when they were taken out of the competition because of outstanding debts by the Asociación Deportiva de Fútbol Profesional. During those years at the second to highest level in the Peruvian football pyramid, Sport Áncash Fútbol Club even reached second place in 2010; however, not enough to get promoted. As mentioned, in 2013 Sport Áncash were taken out of the Segunda División del Perú because of debts. Argentine-born Natalio Wenceslao Portillo Herrera is still the club’s all-time top scorer with 38 goals at the highest level. Their last reasonable results were in 2015 during the Copa Peru when the team managed to reach the quarterfinals and were eliminated by Cristal from Tumbes. Because of its good position in the overall standings and having reached the last stages of the national competition, Sport Áncash were invited to participate in the Second Division for the 2016 season, an offer that was accepted by the board (read: club owner Mr. Mallqui). Thanks to the payment of U$ 100,000 to the Federación Peruana de Fútbol (Peruvian Football Federation) Sport Áncash Fútbol Club are participating in Peru´s Second Division this year, a payment that all participating teams had

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The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 2016 to make to be able to compete. Sport Áncash have signed a couple of free transfers to strengthen the squad but are restricted to the rules of the Asociación Deportiva de Fútbol Profesional Segunda División that subscribes that each team in the Second Division needs to have at least four under-25 players on the pitch during a match. Of those four players, one needs to be an under-20 player. La Amenaza Verde was initially trained by manager Francisco Melgar Roose (42) and his assistant Giancarlo Riega. Melgar Roose was born in Lima and previously managed Atlético Minero (2010), Sport Áncash (2011), Sporting Cristal as caretaker for five matches (2011 – 2013) and Deportivo Municipal (2015 – 2016) although he resigned after four matches leaving Huaraz for the Peruvian Football Federation, where he assumed a manager position in the futsal team. Francisco Melgar was succeeded by Víctor Bullón and his assistant Pedro Sanguineti. Víctor Bullón started poorly; he lost his first match as manager of Sport Áncash F.C. as he lost away to Deportivo Coopsol from Chancay. Earlier in the pre match season, Sport Áncash had a reasonable preparation as sparring partner and department rival José Gálvez from Chimbote were beaten by two goals to nil. Earlier friendly matches of the Amenaza Verde were against Sport Boys from Callao (1-0 home win) and Sport Áncash also drew against their Huaraz rivals Sport Rosario (0-0). The Peruviuan Second Division (because of sponsor purposes called the Torneo de Segunda División Copa Best Cable 2016) started, however, below par for the boys in yellow and green as they couldn’t hit the ground running in their opening match away from home against Alianza Universidad. The match played at the Heraclio Tapia León stadium in Huánuco was won by a header in the 16th minute. Alianza Universidad were fortuned with a precise free kick, directed at the head of Charles Quinto, to realise the winning goal, which finally gave the Huánuco team their first win of the season, leaving Sport Áncash empty handed. Despite having a tough draw for its first couple of matches in the Peruvian Second Division, the start of Sport Áncash F.C. was not bad. A week later, three points were collected against Academia Cantolao from Callao. Deportiva Cantolao have a great youth setup and are known for being a seedbed for future Peruvian stars. Claudio Pizarro, Luis Guadalupe, Reimond Manco, Néstor Duarte, Carlos Zambrano, Juan Pajuelo, Juan Carlos Mariño, Donny Neyra and Paolo de la Haza all came through the youth ranks of the runner-up of the Copa Perú 2015; however, Sport Áncash won the match played at the Rosas Pampa stadium with three goals to one. A week later, the local boys of Sport Áncash played relegated Cienciano from Cusco at the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega stadium at an altitude of over 3,400 metres. The 42,000-seater stadium was nearly empty as former Áncash player Richard Estigarribia scored a home goal four minutes before half time. Before

Peruvian Football

their meeting with Sport Áncash F.C., Club Cienciano del Cusco hadn’t won a single match since their relegation from the Primera División del Perú although in 2003 the club became the first and only Peruvian club to win international titles. However, Cienciano would have to settle for a draw as Emilio Gutiérrez scored the equalizer in the 61st minute. A week after the draw, Cienciano sacked their manager and appointed Oscar Manuel Ibáñez Holzmann, a former Peruvian international of Volga German descent. The fourth round of the Peruvian Second Division of professional football saw Sport Áncash F.C. providing an entertaining match. Carlos A. Mannucci from Trujillo, however, took the lead after 16 minutes with a goal from Brazilian Fernando Oliveira, a goal that silenced the home crowd for a couple of minutes. The first half was mainly dominated by the visitors from Trujillo that demonstrated great skills and ball control, where the Huaraz-based team were losing possession too much. The second half, on the other hand, started with a tactical substitution, Manager Francisco Melgar left Jordan Ccapacca behind in the dressing room during half time and replaced him for Velarde. A second substitution was made in the 72nd minute and three minutes later Jankarlo Chirinos sealed a spot kick. A minute before the equalizer, Velarde was brought down in the penalty area by Mannucci and Argentine-born defender Leandro Fleitas. While the home crowd was shouting ¨sí se puede, sí se puede¨, Sport Áncash F.C. started to believe more and more that a victory would be possible, despite the fact that the visitors had dominated most of the game.

WWW.CHURUP.COM / INFO@CHURUP.COM TEL: 043-424200 JIRON AMADEO FIGUEROA 1257 LA SOLEDAD - HUARAZ

In the 80th minute, Einer ¨el Chiwi¨ Vásquez ensured the Amenaza Verde of its second win of the season. Victor Cartagena, captain of Sport Áncash said afterwards that it didn’t matter that the team didn’t play that well, they got what the team wanted, three points. Sport Áncash F.C. collected seven points from four matches and jumped to fifth spot. The following away game, however, was lost with 3-1 against Deportivo Coopsol which left Sport Áncash still three points from a spot that gains promotion. The difficulty of making a monthly newspaper is shown when things all of a sudden make changes. As we were trying to get this paper printed, we were informed that Víctor Bullón had been replaced by Jorge Amado Nunes Infrán from Paraguay although he was born in Argentina. Nunes (age 54) was part of the Paraguay national football team that competed in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and may now try to get Sport Áncash to the Premier Division. The debut of Nunes took place on the 2nd of June against local rivals Sport Rosario, Sport Áncash would win the Huaraz derby with two goals to one. People interested in visiting a match of the Amenaza Verde could go to the following link (adfp-sd.com/fixture) and check out the dates and times. Sport Áncash should be able to take advantage of their home matches as those are played at the Rosas Pampa stadium at 3,090 meters above sea-level.

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Tourist Information

The Huaraz Telegraph JUNE 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 JUNE 2016

Tourist Information

TIP OF THE MONTH JUNE: MOUNT MATEO

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

The Huaraz Telegraph Part of the Contrahierbas massif, Mount Mateo is a 5,150-metre-high snowcovered peak that is situated in the northern section of the Huascaran National Park above the Ulta Valley and next to the Olimpica tunne. Recently, Mount Mateo has become a great new alternative for mountaineering in the Cordillera Blanca. It is probably the range’s easiest summit because of its relatively low altitude and very short summit route; it is no more difficult than a challenging glacier hike, although the toughest part is probably the vertical ascent through the unstable rocks of the moraine. It is the ideal mountain for those attempting their first climb on snow and ice, or those very short on time as it can be climbed in a single day – leaving Huaraz at around 3 a.m. and returning at around 4 p.m. Mount Mateo, despite its modest size, offers fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, including Mount Huascaran, Chopicalqui and Contrahierbas, as well as the splendidly green Ulta valley and beautiful turquoise lakes of Yanaraju and Cancaraca. A fantastic new option for mountain climbing in the Cordillera Blanca!

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.

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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