September 2016 edition Huaraz Telegraph

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See the middle page for our exact location in Huaraz

Q

THE HUARAZ TELEGRAPH

ue iss 24 . r n

Founded in 2012

Made in Huaraz

2nd floor Av. Luzuriaga 646

September 2016

The Spanish conquered South America centuries ago. Peru was a Spanish colony until 1821, but many Spanish (cultural) traditions are still to be found in the daily life of a Peruvian, and there is a strong Spanish influence in Peruvian politics, religion and its language. Think, for example, about chicken, pork and lamb, which were introduced to the Incas. Bullfighting obviously is another footprint left by the Spaniards. According to Humane Society International, approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights (corrida de toros in Spanish language) every year around the world. And, so claims the website, these events preserve the idea that injuring and even killing an animal for amusement is acceptable. In 2016, one could easily wonder how the spectacle of bullfighting (along with cock fighting and dog fights) still exists in the modern world. How fair is the fight between a bull and a matador? Does the bull have any chance before being pierced multiple times before suffering a slow and excruciating death in front of paying spectators? The Huaraz Telegraph spoke with Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros, a matador from the Áncash region

Free/Gratis!

The story of a bullfighter: ¨I would never kill a harmless animal¨

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A new lodging An exclusive interview with Richard Hidalgo option near Huaraz

Read all our articles online at:

Authentic and unique Italian ice-cream in Huaraz Gelateria / heladería

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Warari Hotel and Backpackers is a brand-new option that has opened its doors and can be found on the way to the ancient ruins of Wilcahuaín. The place offers perfect harmony between the quiet countryside and the movement of life in the city of Huaraz and is located in a Jr. San Martin 1213, Huaraz, Richard Hidalgo is Peru´s most famous mountaineer, even though he has strategic location, which is the starting point to explore Tel: 221542, 943627749 RPC 943357147 not yet reached the top of Mount Everest. We met Richard for an interview various tourist destinations and acclimatisation hikes

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Pizzas, beef and more...

Jr. José de la Mar - #776

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 SEPTEMBER 2016

Comme d’habitude; what we do and why we do it our way, and only our way. There are always a couple of people who pick up The Huaraz Telegraph and contact us to ask if they can contribute in any way. Others tell us that our website is very handy too. This is great news because contrary to what some locals believe (and even people who work with tourists in Huaraz and surrounding areas or foreigners who live here), it shows that the word ‘Huaraz’ is climbing up the Google ladder, and this means that, potentially, there could be more tourists every year. We are not manipulating TripAdvisor like many others in town, nor do we run a for-profit NGO on the back of poor children. Quite the opposite, your editor is still paying a high price for some of the previous articles we published. Think of receiving anonymous phone calls, threats and also intimidation in the street. And in the past, some businesses have stopped backing us with their advertisements because they couldn’t handle the truth. But, on the bright side of publishing life, allow me to share a couple of lines of feedback we received from readers that contacted us this year. Julie Carpentier from Canada wrote: ¨My boyfriend and I just came back from eight days trekking the Huayhuash circuit on our own, which was amazing, but we had a problem with a policeman at the beginning of the trek, and we were wondering if you could tell us what you think about it and maybe find out the truth behind all this who knows!¨ Dave Villafana from California wrote: ¨I happened to come across your publication during my last day in Huaraz. It was a pleasant surprise to find a publication that was written in English and catering to tourists. I thought your content was relevant and extremely helpful. I also appreciate the integrity that you’re trying to establish with your publication. The challenges that you’re trying to overcome seem quite daunting.¨ Christiane from Germany wrote: ¨I am a traveller from Germany and I will be in Huaraz for a couple of weeks. I just read your newspaper and like it a lot since it has an open and honest voice, and the content is as entertaining as it is informative.¨ Dean Wilkinson from Australia wrote: ¨Dear editor, I just left a local café and I am upset. In this gringo café they change the Wi-Fi all the time or they just turn it off. I was told to order something else otherwise I would not be given the new password. The interior is great but the people running it should not work with clients or tourists. Do you think I can write a story on my experiences in Huaraz?¨ Tyler Fong from Canada wrote: ¨First off, thank you for your articles. The ‘Peruvian Dream’ series with expat stories has been very interesting and informative. An English publication is a fantastic service (for Huaraz).¨ Anonymous from Switzerland wrote: ¨We had a bad experience with the tour agency Peru Diamonds in Huaraz. Do you know this agency? Is it possible to write a text about this agency for print in your newspaper? So much wrong information and at the end they promised us (to give) money back but at the meeting time there was no body there. The agency lied to us in every way.¨ You see, this is why we make the Telegraph. If I had followed up all the advice I have been given during the past five years, I am sure we would have buckled. However, The Huaraz Telegraph is now mentioned in different guidebooks and is cherished as a respected source of information for tourists, and readers abroad. And additionally, like I stated in my foreword in the September issue of 2014, The Huaraz Telegraph made and marked my way. It was I who could not be bought. A guideline, not lying to tourists I wanted to obey. I designed, wrote, investigated, created and fought against those who tried to manipulate. I refused to bend, instead helped to stimulate. This paper doesn’t deserve to be torn away. Looking in the mirror, I know, I did it my way. As usual (comme d’habitude)! Thanks for reading us and keep contacting us! The editor Rex Broekman

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 SEPTEMBER 2016

Brief Local News

Victor Rimac heading to Tibet to ascend Cho Oyu (8201 m.a.s.l)

really ill, the fourth member is there for ´protection´.

The hottest prospect in mountaineering in Peru is without doubt Victor Rimac. After a couple of months of training in the Huaraz area and summiting the north face of Huandoy in less than 24 hours on his own, Victor is on his way to Tibet. The next mountain on his list will be Cho Oyu, which is the sixth highest mountain in the world and belongs to the small group of 14 mountain known as the eight-thousanders. Victor´s ambitious project seeks to conquer all 14 ultra-prominent peaks, a feat that has never been managed by any Peruvian before. Previously, Rimac had conquered Manaslu in 2015, just after a massive 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. In May 2014 the mountaineer from Huaraz managed to summit Dhaulagiri at 8167 metres above sea level. Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest peak in the world.

Lewis said he was counting the days and that he could not wait to get out. He also reconfirmed that the change of warden has done him no good. However, he said he believes that warden Arón Rodríguez Romero will leave the next month. Lewis additionally said that not so long ago, the warden came to look for him and showed him a newspaper clipping on his mobile phone of an article we ran on the South African. Lewis was told that he better not speak with the press. Earlier this month and during the reign of Warden Rodríguez Romero, agents of the National Penitentiary Institute and police members found 11 phones of different brands, 12 batteries and chargers in the male medium security pavilion. According to police sources, these cellphones were used by a group of inmates involved in extorting money from local businessmen. Also, at the end of July this year, Liliana Anticona Robles accused prison guards of throwing her sister in the ´hole´, as an act of revenge for denouncing the intent of allegedly violating her.

If Victor Rimac reaches the top of the Cho Oyu, he will become the third Peruvian to do so. Huaraz-born Federico Augusto Ortega Pacheco became the first Peruvian to reach the top, and was also the first ever Peruvian to summit Mount Everest, in 1992. Seven years later he repeated this great feat but this time without the use of supplemental oxygen. Máximo Hipólito Henostroza Zambrano from Huaraz reached the top of the earth in 2001, and earlier this year, Silvia Vásquez-Lavado became the first ever Peruvian woman to achieve the same. Cho Oyu was first ascended in 1954 by two Austrians (Joseph Jöchler and Herbert Tichy) and Pasang Dawa Lama from Nepal. Richard Hidalgo from Lima reached the top of the Cho Oyu in 2007, without the use of supplemental oxygen. The Huaraz Telegraph has interviewed Richard Hidalgo for this September issue (see page 4 for the interview). All the best to Víctor and his new mission to make himself and Huaraz proud! ¨The warden doesn’t like me talking to your newspaper.¨ Charles Lewis Cornelius from South Africa, one of the five foreign prisoners at the Victor Perez Liendo prison in Huaraz, has only five months and three weeks left on his 12-year-long prison sentence. The South African tried to smuggle 17 kilograms of hydrochloride to his home country but got caught at Jorge Chavez International Airport. The editor of The Huaraz Telegraph paid the man, who is suffering from HIV, a visit and noticed that Cornelius was, as he admitted during our previous visit, still not able to leave the topico (hospital section of the prison). When we entered the topico, Lewis was happy to see us and showed us his bed. The topico looked clean and I counted six beds, four of which were occupied. One of Lewis´ cellmates quickly came to shake hands but, like on my second visit four years ago, I kindly told him I´d rather not to be touched. I quickly noticed a black and white television that according to Lewis had eight national channels and one of them was broadcasting a wrestling match. Apparently, only three out of the four prisoners in the hospital section are

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A dream place in the heart of the Andes

Lewis additionally mentioned that half of his medical file is strangely missing, but that Dr Gisela Cárdenas of the Ombudsman Office Áncash still has his files. We left Lewis the June, July and August editions of this year´s newspapers and said we’d be back next month. In the meantime, Lewis said to start thinking about what he would do when finally released on February the 14th next year. New lodging option near Huaraz Warari Hotel and Backpackers is a brand-new option that has opened its doors and can be found on the way to the ancient ruins of Wilcahuaín. The place offers perfect harmony between the quiet countryside and the movement of life in the city of Huaraz and is located in a strategic location, which is the starting point to explore various tourist destinations and acclimatisation hikes. The hotel has double and triple rooms and a couple of dormitories that sleep up to six people. All rooms have a private bathroom and cable television. Warari Hotel & Backpackers offers a fast Wi-Fi connection, small gardens and stunning views of both cordilleras. The services are similar to the quality offered by the La Aurora Hotel, which can be found on top of the popular family restaurant La Brasa Roja in Huaraz. Conclusions after the three-day forum on glaciers and ecosystems From the 10th to the 13th the National Institute for Research in Glacier and Mountain Ecosystems held one of the most important forums concerning the conservation of glaciers and ecosystems in Peru. The forum counted with prominent national experts and international participation from Chile, the United States, Canada and Switzerland. Continue reading on page 20

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


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Mountaineering

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

Richard Hidalgo: ¨Global warming is affecting all Cordilleras and this is bad news for mountaineers¨

In 1992, Augusto Ortega Pacheco from Huaraz became the first ever Peruvian to reach the summit of Mount Everest – a feat that was repeated by Silvia VásquezLavado in 2016, making her the first ever Peruvian woman to reach the highest point on earth. However, Peru´s most famous mountaineer at the moment is Richard Hidalgo from Lima. Richard has also tried to summit Everest on a couple of occasions but so far has been unsuccessful, with bad weather and Nepal´s earthquake ending his hopes in 2015. According to an article in National Geographic, more than 4000 people have reached the top, but only 200 have done it without the use of bottled oxygen. In 1978 Reinhold Messner, an Italian mountaineer, and Peter Habeler from Austria were the first people to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen, an achievement thought to be scientifically impossible, according to doctors at the time. After four years of trying, we finally got to it´s even more visible on photographs. interview Richard Hidalgo for the first time When I look at pictures that I took ten in 2012, in our first year of The Huaraz years ago, the glaciers were enormous. Telegraph. We also met him a couple of Global warming is affecting all Cordilleras times in 2013; however, because of bad and this is bad news for mountaineers. I timing we never managed to sit down for believe that the most affected mountain another chat. This year we bumped into range is the Cordillera Blanca in Peru Richard in the California Café in Huaraz because of the fact that this is a tropical and went straight to business. We found mountain. out about his career, his future, what he thought of Huaraz and what he thought of After the Himalayas, the highest Cordillera his chances of summiting Everest without is the Andes. And when you take the entire supplemental oxygen in the near future. Andes range, the Cordillera Blanca is the But first we asked Richard why he was in most famous one. Mainly because of its easy access routes and because there Huaraz. are some really easy mountains that even Well, it´s been three years since I was inexperienced people can climb. I believe last in Huaraz, which is weird really what mountaineers like the most about because since I became a professional the Cordillera Blanca, is that you can go mountaineer, I used to come to Huaraz on an expedition for, let´s say, seven or every year for at least a couple of weeks. eight days, and you´re back in the civilised The longest I have been in Huaraz has world. In Huaraz you can find decent food, been around eight months as I also do a hot shower and a couple of nice places guiding work. I had actually planned to go for a beer. And after a couple of days, to Pakistan in June and July but because you can go off on another expedition. of visa issues, my trip got cancelled. This is fantastic and very attractive for Instead of doing nothing, I decided to mountaineers. Understand that in Nepal come to Huaraz and do some climbing. or Pakistan, for example, an expedition I was twelve weeks ago in Huaraz too, I takes at least 40 or 50 days, so at the end was asked to join the Discovery Channel of the expedition, it´s game over and you team to do some filming on Yanapacha go back to your home country. Mountain. I met the crew in Nepal when I tried to conquer Everest and I joined them I believe that Huaraz has grown a lot, in Peru. So what I am doing at the moment but I don’t have the impression that it was because of tourism. I think the is a bit of guiding. mines have influenced Huaraz´s growth. It´s been more than 25 years since I Another thing that is calling my attention came to Huaraz for the first time, at the is the huge number of pharmacies on beginning of my mountaineering career. the main street Luzuriaga. I wouldn´t be Huaraz has changed a lot, it is a pity. The surprised if Huaraz is the city with most group I am guiding at the moment is a number of pharmacies in Peru. Logically, group from Washington University in the there must be a demand, otherwise these United States; they´re doing some glacier pharmacies wouldn’t be there. Same for and water studies in the area. Looking at the casinos, I don’t know how many there the glaciers, it´s really sad. The glaciers are. Having not visited Huaraz for the past have receded so much, I don’t believe that three years, I believe in terms of tourism it is normal. Over time the mountains and Huaraz is reasonably poor. Although I do glaciers will become far more dangerous see some changes, but these are mostly for us mountaineers. The glacial retreat businesses that do not exist any longer is generating huge gaps in the mountains and their establishments have been taken and some parts are like Swiss cheese, by other owners. If I just look at the Parque which is very dangerous. This is the del Periodista, it really looks pathetic. This reason that avalanches can occur at any should be an attractive place for tourists time. I believe that, let´s say five years but it seems that the municipality or the ago, the norm was not to climb after 11 entrepreneurs in that area don’t care. a.m. because that´s when the sun is I don’t know! I can´t deny that there strong enough to melt the ice and snow, are some good hotels and a few decent thus generating avalanches. Nowadays, restaurants, Huaraz should have a lot avalanches even occur at night, for more on offer, and more variety too. example at three o´clock in the morning. Some mountaineers still think that during Currently, you are the only Peruvian these hours nothing will happen but this that has summited five of the 14 highest is not the case anymore. I have seen the mountains in the world without the use same trends in Pakistan and Nepal, and of supplemental oxygen. When will you

The Huaraz Telegraph A close-up selfie of Richard Hidalgo taken at Everest base camp

succeed in conquering Everest?

Well not so long ago in 2006 I started my project of climbing the world’s 14 independent mountains that are more than 8000 metres above sea level. The first mountain I conquered was the Shishapangma, also called Gosainthān, which is the fourteenth highest mountain in the world. It took about two years to find enough sponsors to finance the expedition, which was a complete Peruvian expedition including Jorge ¨Coqui¨ Gálvez and Ernesto Málaga. There were three of us but only Coqui and I managed to reach the top of Shishapangma. After having done one ultra-prominent peak, I decide to go on my own the next year to the Cho Oyu, which is the sixth highest mountain in the world at 8201 metres. I did an easy and fast summit and the expedition only took eleven days. Since 2006 I also have managed to summit Annapurna (tenth highest at 8091m), Manaslu (eighth highest at 8156m) and Gasherbrum II (also known as K4, and thirteenth highest mountain in the world at 8035m). Annapurna is considered one of the most dangerous mountains in the world,with almost a 40% fatality rate. This was a very stressful climb but luckily I made it back alive. Luck is a very important factor in mountaineering. As was the case in 2012 when I went to Annapruna. I was one of a group of 30 people, counting the mountaineers and Sherpas. Between camp two and three, which is the most dangerous part of the climb, a massive avalanche happened. All of us returned to camp two and most of the group decided to give up the expedition. Eleven of us decide to wait until the next day and see what would happen. Fortunately, the next day we had perfect weather and our small

group continued. In the end only five of us made it to the summit, three of whom ascended with frozen hands and feet. In 2012, Carlos Soria Fontán, (a Spanish mountain climber who, at 75 years of age, has taken up the challenge of becoming the oldest person in the world to reach of summit of the 14 highest mountains in the world) was one of the people that decided to abandon Annapurna. He returned in 2013, 2014 and 2015 but never made it to the summit. In 2016 he made another attempt staying almost 12 months in the area, and thanks to good weather he finally made it to the top. He has now completed 12 out of 14. So this shows you have to be lucky sometimes and have the capacity to wait and take the right decisions at the correct moment. I have now tried to summit Everest four times, twice trying from the Tibet side and twice from the Nepal side, but I haven’t been able to get to the top. I got stuck at 8400 metres and that´s a pity. As you know, I try to summit these peaks without supplemental oxygen and without Sherpas. Let me tell you that this season [at the time of recording the interview] almost 550 people have climbed Everest. And this is not many people because in that area they are still suffering the aftermath of the earthquake, and the incident in which 16 Sherpas died in 2014. Normally, the average is around 650 people making it to the summit. Almost all of those people, maybe with the exception of one, use Sherpas and supplemental oxygen. I am convinced that I would have conquered Everest at least twice with the use of supplemental oxygen, but this is not my project. It involves a completely different strategy because you can´t make any mistakes. Understand that the less oxygen that enters your brain, the harder

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016 it gets to think and make decisions. There a numerous mountaineers that have died while trying to reach the summit, but many die descending. And don´t think that people who use supplemental oxygen won´t die. There are a number of climbers that got killed because of other factors other than lack of oxygen to the brain. These people are not really mountaineers but more mountain tourists. The have the money and can pay up to US$60,000 for their Everest expedition, but they simply lack the experience. I have seen people at the base camp being given explanations on how to use of crampons. This is really incredible, but shows that there are two type of climbers, tourists and mountaineers. But, as your readers will understand, ascending and descending without oxygen or Sherpas is very much more complicated. I hope to become the first Peruvian to complete the 14 eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen. In the end, you could have had the best training, have the best mountain equipment such as clothes, sleeping bag and tent, but, ultimately, the mountain will decide if you make it or not. The expeditions are very expensive and that´s why I am always looking for businesses to sponsor me. If I am 300 metres away from the top, and it´s not possible to get there, than it´s not possible. I don’t feel pressured by sponsors or followers because like I said, it is sometimes simply not possible to make it. Believe me, I am the most interested to complete my expedition. But sometimes there is no other option than to turn around and come back another day. This happened on my first expedition to Everest. I was only 500 metres from the top and I could see it, and the weather was good too. However, I was over 36 hours at an altitude of 8300 metres above sea level, and I would have been wrong to continue. That would have been very risky for my health. On my last expedition to Everest it was raining and snowing a lot, and I was hoping that the weather would change. But, sadly it didn’t, so I had to turn around again. Luckily this was understood by my sponsors and

If I just look at the Parque del Periodista, it really looks pathetic. This should be an attractive place for tourists. Richard Hidalgo on tourism in Huaraz

they admit that the most important thing is to return home safe and healthy. The mountain is still there, so I can return any time. When was it that you decided to

Mountaineering

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become a mountaineer? When I was young I didn’t even know that mountaineering existed. The first time I came to Huaraz was with my college on a trip. I remember seeing the mountains but there was still nothing inside of me that said, hey I want to become a mountaineer. I wanted to join Peru´s military forces because I have a couple of uncles that are in the military. I decided to study civil engineering because I thought that this would be my future career and I wasn’t wrong. I studied industrial engineering and after two years I guess I lost my motivation. During this time I saw an advertisement in a local Lima-based newspaper looking for people to join a mountaineering course. This course was run by the Club Andino Peruano, which is the oldest club in Peru, if I am not mistaken. I got interested and from that moment I have continued practising mountaineering. Mountaineering is horrible in the beginning because you suffer cold, wind, altitude sickness etcetera. But if you really like climbing, it´s a fantastic sport! Starting out is really difficult because you will need a job to fund you as it´s an expensive hobby. The first peak I summited was one in the Cordillera Central. I didn’t enjoy it at all, I looked like a green alien because I was about to throw up, and I suffered from terrible headaches. Despite all this, when I got home, I had great memories and felt happy that I made it. I have always like to camp and go fishing, so maybe I was happy that I found something in me that I didn’t know at the time. I read that you have a son, if he says to Dad one day he wants to be a mountaineer, what would you say? Absolutely not! It´s very dangerous [laughing out loud]. He lives with his mother, and I have never liked the idea of a son or daughter having the same occupation as their parents. He should decide this for himself. And concerning mountaineering, this is something that you´re born with. It would be really bad to take my son up the mountain in a forced manner because if he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t like it. I would be surprised if he would want to become a mountaineer, but it will be his decision in the end. I believe he has visited Huaraz with his mother. When do you think that you will be able to say that you have completed all 14 eight-thousanders? This is very hard to say. It was just after my second mountain, which I paid with my own money, when I decided to go for all 14. I set a deadline a couple of years ago and 2021 would be nice because that´s the year that Peru will celebrate 200 years of independence. I still hope to become the first Peruvian to complete the 14 eight-thousanders and this would be a nice birthday gift for Peru. I notice this on my social networks as well, the expeditions are no longer my expeditions, they´re everyone´s. It´s like a swimmer at the Olympics, this person is representing Peru, and this is also the case with my project. I think it´s strange that we have so few mountaineers. Peru is a country with the best and most beautiful mountains, Continue reading on page 6

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Mountaineering

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

Continuation of page 5

there should be a lot more of us. In the Himalayas, I am often the only Peruvian. Are you religious Richard, or do you believe in God and does this play any part in your expeditions? I wouldn’t consider myself religious, but I do believe in God. You´re an absolute nobody when your climbing a huge mountain, and you´re very fragile as well. And when you´re in danger you start to think that there must be some higher power that can help you. This is something that shouldn’t happen only when danger occurs but… Well, I don’t consider myself catholic, but think I am a believer. Who was your idol when you started climbing? Was there someone who inspired you? The Club Andino Peruano taught me many things and they had a huge library with some fantastic books. I started to read many stories on mountaineering because practising is one thing, it´s also very important to understand how other mountaineers experienced their adventures. The French mountaineer Lionel Terray was inspiring. He managed to conquer the most difficult mountains in the world and made many first ascents, including Makalu in the Himalayas. He has also visited Peru and climbed Tocllaraju, Charcraraju and the Huatsán. This must have been somewhere between the 50s and 60s. I also liked to read about another French mountaineer called Gaston Rébuffat, and the Polish alpine and highaltitude climber Jerzy Kukuczka. Who would you name as being Peru´s best mountaineer at the moment? This is very complicated. There is no record of people opening new routes, which makes it hard to talk about a top ten or even top five. I know that Víctor Rimac Trejo is doing very well at the moment. It´s strange and, like I mentioned before, we have so many great mountains, but so few mountaineers in our country. Last year there were three Ecuadorian expeditions in Pakistan. And also two expeditions from Chile, which had their own materials and plans. And Peru? If you would like to get people playing tennis, for example, a government will have to build tennis courts. But for climbing and mountaineering, the mountains are already here so I can´t explain why Peru doesn’t have more mountaineers. I have been following you on social media, and I have always wondered how you got some of Peru´s big brands to sponsor your expeditions, was this an easy task? It was not, it was very complicated. Like I stated previously, the second expedition in 2007 I paid for completely myself. This is where the ball started rolling, but still, when you knock the doors, people will ask straight away whether you´re going to Everest or not. Some will ask you what is mountaineering about! You have to explain that there are another 13 mountains in the world that belong to the same group. This was very hard in the beginning. But it has

To undertake a challenge you must prepare yourself physically and mentally, so affirms Peru´s most famous mountaineer

been important to always believe in my own abilities and, luckily, I have been able to visit the Himalayan area every year. Sometimes you have to be a bit lucky too. One day I was invited to give a speech at a nationwide bank, and they liked my story a lot and asked me to make a commercial for them. The commercial helped me a lot because other businesses heard about my expeditions too. Other businesses are just conjunctural sponsors that step in when I go to Everest. At the moment Herbal Life is one of my prime sponsors, Turismo Civa is another big one, North Face and Petzl, probably. Nowadays, with so many social networks, it´s important to inform your followers and fans. But it´s not just about informing people about my achievements, there are so many people that are not aware of the huge number of mountains our country has to offer, so it´s a way of promoting Peru as well. As you know, the Cordillera Blanca is not the only mountain range where you can climb; there is also the Cordillera Huayhuash, for example. What is funny is that the people in Lima think that you will need to go to Huaraz to climb, but not far from Lima is the Cordillera Yauyos and the Pariacaca mountain range, and in Cusco and Arequipa you can climb too. I think that many people in Peru don´t know (yet) what their country has to offer. My intension is, like I said, not only to report on my happenings but also show what places are great to visit. I have to admit that mountaineering is getting more popular, let me give you an example. Five years back, if I would go to the area of Ticlio, which belongs to the central sierra of Lima, in February or March to train, I would find myself completely alone. Nowadays, on an average weekend there are at least 20 people, and in an extreme case sometimes even up to 100. This is a good thing!

Mountaineering is a fairly solitary sport, do you ever get lonely?

Being on your own is a process that you have to adapt to. Mentally, this requires a lot of preparation. I guess, once you get used to it, time passes by without you noticing. And although mountaineering is a solitary sport, when you´re at a basecamp there´s always fellow climbers to have a chat with. An 8000-metre expedition can´t be managed on your own. You will need to contact an agency first. Here you will find fellow climbers that will be on the expedition, obviously everyone has their own strategy and climbing style. This is where friendships are made in the mountains. I have been on my own many times when there was, for example, no-one between two camps and it´s just a matter of not talking. Because there is no one to talk to! So what you mainly do normally is listen to music. Have you thought what you will do when you quit climbing? No I haven’t because I am not planning to quit yet. Look at Carlos Soria, he is almost 80 and still climbing! Understandably, your pace and flexibility will not be the same as you get older, but I think I will still be able to enjoy climbing for a long time to come. What do you think of Victor Rimac? I know Víctor because we´re both guides and have been colleagues for many years now. I was a bit surprised when a couple of years back out of nowhere he decided to go to the Himalayas. And I was really pleased to find a fellow countryman climbing in Asia last year. I knew he was there in 2014 as well but we didn’t meet. Like I said earlier, it´s excellent, the more Peruvian

mountaineers the better. Every time I have been to the Himalayas, fellow climbers I speak to will name the Cordillera Blanca, Huaraz, Peru. I am certain that if I would say that I am from Uruguay or Paraguay, they would say no more than ahhh. But when I say Peru, people immediately say Cordillera Blanca, Huayhuash and Huaraz. I think it´s great for Víctor. Not everyone understands this but let me use a tennis example. Nadal wouldn’t be where he is now, if there hadn´t been Đoković. And Đoković wouldn’t be there if there hadn’t been a Federer. Sports need competition because this is what it makes it interesting for different brands to sponsor different athletes. I wouldn’t say that there is a rivalry between mountaineers from Lima and the Andes either. Rounding up the interview, what will be your next expedition? Well, this is funny, I haven’t decided yet, I will see next year. I have to do some calculations and see what budget I will need and then I shall have to start knocking on doors. I have some sponsors at the moment, but I would like to add another two or three to the list. It´s important nowadays to have a clear concept and publish often on social networks, that´s how it works. On the other hand, I have been contacted by many people in the past that weren’t mountaineers. These were people that identified with what I do. I am referring to the sacrifices, endurance, constancy and following an ideal. It´s really interesting when people who aren´t mountaineers contact me to say that I inspire them. One way or another, it´s fascinating to be a source of inspiration. But, the main objective is to promote my sport, and hopefully there will be more of us in the near future.

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

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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

T – Trece

Ever wondered what the word trece means? Yes it’s Spanish, and it means thirteen. Our name actually means Thirteen Owls when translated into English. Now in many countries some would think twice before putting the number 13 in their business name, but not Lucho, the owner of Trece Búhos. According to legend apart from the owner and his wife only a very select group of people know the real reason 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?

U–U

Me? Yes, you! Our patrons are very important to us, as they have made Trece Búhos what it is today. A mere ten years ago we were a tiny, second floor bar, depending mainly on a few regular local people. We have since expanded, and are now three times the size, and can offer not only beers and drinks, but also sandwiches, comfortable tables and sofas, board games, magazines, a great English newspaper, Jenga games, spectacular art on our walls and much more. All thanks to you, because you visited us, and will hopefully continue to visit us in the future!

© photos: Eva Valenzuela

Y – Yabadabadoo

Leave work early. Disregard the status of any project that needs attention. An employee’s escape is similar to Fred sliding down the dinosaur’s tail in the opening credits of The Flintstones. Now yabadabadoo might not be heard a lot in the Peruvian Andes, but the word is pretty much similar to yeah, yes, or yay! It’s this word that you want to scream out when you have reached the top of Vallanaraju, Pisco, Huascaran or Alpamayo. It’s a secret, or it was until now, because we have made it public, that there is a drink in Trece Búhos that is called El trago de Yabadabadoo. It is a mixture of all different types or liquors, and will guarantee you a great night out. Drink enough water before hitting the hay though!

Z – Zestfulness The word zestfulness best describes the type of enthusiasm and enjoyment in terms of the pleasure felt when having a good time, and the great ambiance one can enjoy at Trece Búhos. There are not many places in Peru where you can enjoy an afternoon listening to some great Jazz or soul songs, but at ours you can. Most nights we have a DJ present to take your song requests. Our only goal is to make sure you have a great time, and hopefully you will return in the near future with friends or college climbers.

V – Variety of dishes and drinks Last month we updated our menu. We now serve pasta, steak, pancakes and hot wings. We even have a selection of teas for the ladies. Come along and try our choripapas, buffalo chicken wings or tequeños with cheese and ham. On our new menu there are also salads like tuna salad and mixed salad, which includes delicious avocado. There is a section of fine meats, which are actually prepared on a grill plate. Hamburgers, or chicken with teriyaki sauce, you name it and we´ll prepare it, and most dishes come with French fries. Have you already tried our great pasta al pesto, napolitana or boloñesa? On the sunny mornings you could enjoy a milkshake or a glass of fresh orange juice on the terrace. Apart from the healthy juices, there are of course the three famous flavours of Lucho´s beers, or we also sell gin, as well as all kinds of cocktails, coca, Pisco, muña and maracuyá sours. And in case this still doesn’t convince you to drop by, we also have Jack Daniels in all sorts of colours and labels.

W – Weather Reading this you might think: “What the heck has the weather got to do with 13 Búhos?” Good question! Please allow us to explain. As we’re already in the month of September, you will soon see the first rainy days. Normally in the rainy season it starts to rain around two or three in the afternoon. This means that in the early mornings you can still enjoy our terrace, and order our tasty pancakes or waffles, with ice and chocolate. Breakfast is available too, although most hostels and hotels offer this service as well, with the quietness of Parque Ginebra in front of you should try this out. We would also like to remind you, as we explained in the previous edition of this newspaper, that in most places you pay from S/. 10.00 for a regular beer; imported beers not included. At Trece Búhos you can get your beer for as little as S/. 8.00; and this is a regular beer. The biggest bottle we offer contains 650 millilitres, and is the real deal for those travellers who are on a budget. Storm, hail, snow, sun or rainbows, beers will always be available.

The golden combination of beers and búhos

Welcome to our ABC! In this third edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we would like you to show a little insight into what our business is about. We will continue with the alphabet Trece Búhos by telling you what the letters T till Z are about. Hope to see you soon at Trece Búhos!

X – Xenophobia Xenophobia is the unreasoned fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange, and the word is derived from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning strange or foreigner, and φόβος (phobos), meaning fear. If you are suffering from xenophobia we recommend that you don’t visit our place, because we receive all types of people from all over the world. During the year we have artists who use our podium to sing, or even do magic tricks. We also have many volunteers through the year, but if you are looking to make some extra money drop by, because we can always use an extra hand behind the bar. Drinks are on the house of course! Ex-pats living in Huaraz are also frequently seen at our place, and they settle in well with the locals who are sipping one of the three brands of Lucho´s beers. Xenophobia can also be exhibited in the form of an uncritical exaltation of another culture in which a culture is ascribed an unreal, stereotyped and exotic quality. We are pretty sure that if you are looking for the perfect mixture of Peruvian and foreign characters, art, good ambiance and drinks, you know where to go.

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Expat in Áncash

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- a year, after one year gringos are considraz, with their tiny day-sacks and camera ered immigrants in the Republic of Peru, around their necks, whereas expats blend be it legal or illegal. in; they adapt to the local way of life. But what motivates a person to uproot their en- There is no denying that the number of tire lives, and leave their family and friends immigrants has increased over the years to go and live on another continent? Over and between 2007 and 2012 there were the course of the season The Huaraz Tele- 55,616 immigrants representing 62.3% of graph will endeavour to interview expats all registered immigrants in the analysis living in Huaraz, to give the readers an period of 1994 to 2012. To make a small insight into why they decided to do just comparison, in the last six years measured that. But first let’s look at some interesting concern over 50.0% of the immigrants statistics. Although the following national from the period of analysis. The period bestats are accurate there is no statistical in- tween the years 2001 – 2006 represented formation on how many foreigners live in 18,499 incoming foreigners representing the Áncash region. 20.7% of all registered immigrants during the study period, while the years 1994 to In the period from 1994 to 2012, there 2000 represent 17.0% of total registered were 89,320 registered foreigners resid- immigrants. The number of foreign immiing in Peru that did not leave the country. grants in Peru has a greater dynamism Between 1994 and 2004 the number of in the last years of the study. Until 2003 foreigners entering Peru did not exceed foreign immigrants did not exceed 20,000, 3,500, and between 2004 and 2006 the this number doubles in 2007 becoming number of foreigners living in Peru did 40,446, and in 2012 the number of foreign not exceed 5000. From 2007 the number immigrants in Peru rose to 89,320. increased to over 6,000 and in 2012 that number had risen to a staggering 12,187. Dividing the entry of foreign immigrants It´s important to mention that, even though into different periods (in years) and having Peru has a law stating that visitors can the estadisticas de la emigración internationly stay up to a maximum of 183 days cional de peruanos e inmigración de ex-

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

tranjeros 1990-2012 in hand, one can see that the average annual immigration per period is becoming a growing trend during the last three periods, except from 2001 to 2003. On average, only 2,357 people crossed the border into Peru between 2001 and 2003. Between 1994 and 2012 the annual average is 4,701 surpassing this in the last two periods 2007-2009 and 2010-2012, reaching average immigration figures from 7,420 and 11,118 respectively, the latter being six times higher than the average income of foreign immigrants of the first period (1994-1997). When analysing the gender of the newcomers it´s remarkable that the population of males is by far bigger than the opposite sex. Men represent 66.8% of the immigrants while only 29,636 (33.2%) are female. Since 1994, men have represented more than 60% of the immigration population, but in 2012 they reached 70.9%. In the document 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. Immi-

grants 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). 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. In our eighteenth version of the Peruvian Dream we have interviewed our first person from Asia. After having only had European and ´American´ expats (with the exception of Mourad who was born in Algeria), we were informed by Swiss expat Joachim Fust that there would be a Japanese man living in Huaraz. We had never met nor seen him but after some research we found the person we were looking for. During the interview he also informed us that he is not the only Japanese living in Huaraz. Apparently there is an eightyyear-old Japanese man living in Huaraz too, working at the central market. But we might consider him for a future edition. This is the life story of Akira. 1. Who are you? Who am I? My name is Akira Inoue from Japan. I was born, however, in Chicago, in the United States. When I was four years old my parents separated, and I went to Japan with my mother and grew up in Tokyo. 2. How old are you and what’s your profession?

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

I am 39 years old. In terms of my profesContinue reading on page 10

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

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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.

such as Disaronno Originale (28% abv), which is made in Italy. It is amaretto-flavored, 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 recommends in every edition two exclusively imported foreign beers. The two beers you will find at the bottom of this page however are not in the list that is on the right hand side of the page. These are two new beers that are just recently available in Huaraz. Take your changes because if you´re going north after Huaraz, there is no other place in Peru where you can find such an exclusive artisanal of beers. Sláinte!.

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 In terms of drinks, apart from a spectacular beer menu, example. the second-floor establishment offers different Chilean, Argentinian and Peruvian wines, but the specialty of the Make sure you´re hungry and thirsty when house is Glühwein (mulled wine). Also worth a shot (or a visiting us and we´ll make sure that you will have a wonderfull evening at a very special place. glass in this case) are some specially imported liqueurs

Gulden Draak (Dutch for Golden Dragon) is a dark Belgian beer with high alcohol by volume (10.5%), brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge. Named after the golden dragon at the top of the belfry in Ghent.

Delirium Red is an 8.5% abv dark-red cherry beer. Based on their blonde ale, it has a light pink, compact head, a soft aroma of almond and sour cherries, and tastes tangy and fruity, with a perfect balance between sweet and sour.

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Expat in Áncash

10 Continuation of page 8

sion, you could say that I am an entrepreneur dedicated to traveling. I worked in Tokyo for a few years and after that I worked in Shizuoka, at the 3,776 metretall Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak, for an NGO that is dedicated to sport activities and nature. Now, I am a tourism operator and have an agency called N & I – reconnecting with nature. When I was at university, I joined a mountaineering club, where I had some good experiences and where I decided that I wanted to work with or in nature. 3. How long have you been living in Huaraz? In 2010 I came to Peru because I married a Peruvian. My wife is from Lima, but we met in Japan while working for the NGO I told you about. From 2013 until 2015 I lived in Huaraz. At the moment I am living in Peru´s capital because of the delicate health of my parents-in-law, but I am very eager to live in Huaraz again. We are actually looking for a place to live at the moment because I don’t like Lima at all. Back in 2007, I came to Huaraz for the first time and did some mountaineering and climbing. I climbed Vallunaraju and hiked to Pukaventana. 4. What brought you to Huaraz? I adore nature! When I came to Peru, I wanted to live somewhere with easy access to nature. I had considered living in

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

the jungle, or in a coastal area. But I like mountains the most, so it became Huaraz. I like it a lot, so does my wife. She prefers Huaraz instead of Lima. Lima is very dirty, Huaraz is very quiet. Most likely from September or October we´ll be living in Huaraz again. 5. How has your life changed over the years? Well I got married, which is a change, and as soon as I installed my own business, I started to get more in contact with tourists. I get asked sometimes to be part of television programmes that Japanese television companies film here. I do guiding and present the programmes but these are mostly shot in south Peru. I always try to make people have a better life, so in my case, I like to work in nature. It gives me peace, and I learn about the ´other world´. When I was eleven years old, I participated in some camping with other kids. I had no idea what to expect and it was actually my mother who thought I should do it. As I grew up in Tokyo, I had barely seen the stars because you simply can´t see them from Japan´s capital. But at the place we did the camping the sky was packed with stars. This made me understand that there was another type of living too. We learned to eat medicinal plants and other stuff and I believe that this changed my life a lot. I remembered that they also taught us to tie knots. This was very interesting as well and I believed I could apply all this in the future. I like to teach, and I hope to trans-

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

mit my knowledge in the future to kids. I try to apply this knowledge in the travels I organise with my agency. In Huaraz we´re selling the Santa Cruz trek and the Huayhuash circuit at the moment, and we offer mountaineering, but just the easier routes like Pisco and Valluna. But we will see what happens in the future. I hope to own a piece of land where I can´t teach youngsters about what nature has to offer. 6. What are your favourite hangout spots in Huaraz? Hmm, I would say Huayhuash! Because

when doing the Huayhuash circuit you can enjoy these huge mountains at close range. And there are excellent opportunities to fish! I like to eat trout and I like to go fishing and enjoy the great landscape. I also love the hot springs. In terms of restaurants, I like to go to Bistro de los Andes, or Pizza B&B. Maybe the best food I had was at the restaurant of Hotel Andino. I like their salads and they offer an excellent Swiss cheese fondue. I sometimes go there with my clients. There is also a vegetarian restaurant I sometimes go to. This restaurant is located on 28 de julio in front of the police station. And I like El Fogón too. My favourite dish is guinea pig! But not so much from the local restaurants. But there is lady in Huaraz, who is my friend; she prepares the best guinea pig in the world. In Japan we don´t eat guinea pig. I don’t go out much, maybe because that´s not a Japanese thing. 7. What is it you miss the most from back home?

The Huaraz Telegraph Japanese Akira Inoue was born in Chicago, United States but went to Japan at the age of four.

Let me think. Obviously family and friends, but maybe the traditional Japanese food the most. All the Japanese food they sell in Peru isn’t really Japanese food. Like I mentioned before, I like to visit hot springs. Japan has many hot springs with views of the mountains or the sea. In terms of food, it´s hard to name you one dish because there are too many delicious dishes I can´t eat here in Peru. Soba noodles, for example, and you need to eat soba the slurping way! And although I told you before I don’t like going out much, I miss going to an izakaya. This type of bar you won´t find in Peru. This is a type of informal Japanese bar and is a casual place for after-work drinking. Maybe it´s not really a bar, but you can eat food and there are tables to drink something like Sake (Japanese alcoholic drink made of fermented rice, koji and water) or Shōchū (焼酎, a Japanese distilled beverage less than 45% alcohol by volume). I have been back to Japan twice now. The

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016 first time in 2014 and the last time earlier this year. I went back mainly because my father was ill but he has recovered very well. Luckily there are some decent connections with Japan from Peru. It used to be far more expensive, but nowadays you can get there for less than $1,500 but it´s still expensive, I guess. 8. What is it you like most about Huaraz? I think I like the people the most, especially my friend Veronica who also has her own agency. What I don’t like is that people sometimes try to fool me and overcharge me because I am a foreigner. I guess it´s part of the game. Maybe the thing I like to most is the nature. Or no, wait! I really like the Challhua outdoor market. Many women sell medicinal herbs, and I like this market so much because it´s not known by tourists and it´s like you´re in the real world. This is where you can still see the real life in the real world. My wife also likes the Challhua market in Huaraz. Ahhh, and another thing I really adore eating at the Challhua market is mazamorra de tocosh (a traditional Quechua food prepared from fermented potato pulp). It´s really strong but on Thursdays there is a family that sells big portions for only two soles. It´s very healthy but the smell might turn people off to try it. 9. What’s your opinion of the tourist business in Huaraz? Honestly, I don’t know very well. Maybe there are some good things and bad things. One of the bad things is that rules and ordinances are not respected by the operators. When I join my groups to do trekking, I have noticed that there are many other groups in the mountains that do not even have an official trekking guide. Not to men-

I would try to encourage children to learn and spend more time outdoors. Education is key because it will change people for life. Akira Inoue on education

tion that they sometimes not take enough equipment with them to attend their clients well enough. In general, trekking is a fairly cheap activity for tourists. But it´s very important to take care of tourists in general because of the altitude. I don’t know all the agencies that operate in Huaraz but I sometimes hear things. One time I was camping with a group on the Huayhuash circuit and another group with their guides

Expat in Áncash

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showed up and a Peruvian member of that group stole the hiking boots of a tourists. This is really bad because it damages the image of Huaraz. I always try to avoid this by working with official guides, porters and muleteers. This is more expensive but it will work long term. I have good experiences with the people I work with. They are proud people and like to work with tourists. 10. What sites or activities do you recommend (or not) to our readers? Well, like I mentioned before, the Challhua market is really an authentic place to visit. Tourists should consider doing the Santa Cruz or the Huayhuash circuit, but also pay a visit to Chavín de Huantar. I personally like the history a lot. Maybe people should consider renting a car for a day. This way they can go to Punta Olímpica for example, the view is stunning, or simply going to the Llanganuco lakes. This way they will have more time and it´s a good option for elderly people as well. They might not like tours a lot because they are rushed and by car they have more time. 11. If you were to become the Mayor of Huaraz one day, what would you do or change? I would give 500 soles to every family in Huaraz [laughing, and referring to the unfulfilled election pledge of the current governor of Ancash, Waldo Ríos Salcedo]. No, I would invest in education and free schools. I would try to encourage children to learn and spend more time outdoors. Education is key because it will change people for life. I don’t know because it´s a difficult question, it has to do with culture. And, for example, the Japanese culture is not to be compared to the Peruvian one. The Japanese will always try to figure out what is the best way to get more work and work harder. Here in Peru people live and always say: ¨(hasta) por ahí no más¨. People in Peru seem to live more relaxed. Maybe the Japanese way of thinking isn’t so good for Peru. I don’t know if I can answer this question. Huaraz has a terrible garbage problem. I feel bad seeing so much garbage and people littering all the time. This has all to do with education and I don’t know if you can change this. 12. Are you living the Peruvian dream (explain)? Yes, I am. Like I mentioned before, I hope to buy a property soon and complete my dream of teaching children what nature is about. 13. How do you see your future in Peru? We´re trying to have children and let´s hope we´re able to have some. It´s a very difficult question. I don’t know. Things always change, but I think I might still be living in Peru in 30 years. I hope to contribute to making the world a better place.

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14

Controversies

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

The truth told by a professional Peruvian bullfighter: a popular and bloody Spanish tradition that´s very much alive in Peru The world was shocked in July when Víctor Barrio Hernanz was pinned down on the ground and gored to death by a bull called Lorenzo in Teruel, eastern Spain. The matador´s death promptly raised new calls for a Spanish bullfighting ban. The animal´s horn pierced the 29-year-old´s aorta and lung, and although he was rushed to the hospital, doctors could do nothing to save him. The award-winning matador joined an infamously select list of Spanish matadors that have been killed by bulls since 1966. On the 25th of July in 1971, José Mata died 48 hours after being taken down by a bull named Cascabel in Ciudad Real. Three years later, the Portuguese matador José Falcón was gored by Cucharero in Barcelona. Antonio Mejías Jiménez and Francisco Rivera were also killed by their opponents and the last matador to die from a bullfight in Spain before Barrio´s death was José Cubero. ¨Yiyo¨ was killed on the 20th of August, 1985. Not only matadors get killed during the idea that injuring and even killing an bullfights. In 1992, two bandilleros, who animal for amusement is acceptable. In put little flags with prickly points in the top 2016, one could easily wonder how the of the bull´s shoulders, lost their lives too. spectacle of bullfighting (along with cock Over the past century, and according to fighting and dog fighting) still exists in Spanish newspaper El Pais, 134 people the modern world. How fair is the fight have been killed by bulls, of which only between a bull and a matador? Does 33 were matadors. The death of Víctor the bull have any chance before being Barrio, and the fact that according to pierced multiple times before suffering tradition the bull’s mother had to be killed a slow and excruciating death in front of to sever the animal’s bloodline, caused paying spectators? The Huaraz Telegraph huge upset around the world. Despite spoke with Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros, Barrio´s death being marked with a a matador from the Áncash region, and minute of silence in the first bullfight after we tried to understand a bit more about his death, anti-bullfighting activists used this outdated spectacle that also takes social media to celebrate his doom and place in countries like France, Colombia, to attack bullfighting. Apart from bullfights, Mexico and Venezuela. But, before we there are also bull runs, which are held in head to the interview, we start with some different parts of Spain. The most famous facts on bullfighting. is the one during the Pamplona festival. This nine-day San Fermín fest attracts The Spanish conquered South America thousands of visitors every year and ten centuries ago. Peru was a Spanish people, including four Americans were colony until 1821, but many Spanish gored during the run in 2015. Bull fighting (cultural) traditions are still to be found in was banned in the region of Cataluña the daily life of a Peruvian, and there is in 2010 but it´s still deeply rooted in the a strong Spanish influence in Peruvian Andalusia and Castile areas. The Canary politics, religion and its language. Think, for example, about chicken, pork and Islands abolished bullfighting in 1991. lamb, which were introduced to the According to Humane Society International, Incas. Bullfighting obviously is another approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in footprint left by the Spaniards; although bullfights (corrida de toros in Spanish) some websites claim, surprisingly, that every year around the world. And, so the origins of spectacles with bulls date claims the website, these events preserve back to ancient Greece and not Spain.

The Huaraz Telegraph Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros patiently waiting before a bullfight

The Huaraz Telegraph The Plaza de Toros de Acho is the premier bullring in Lima, Peru

An excavated wall painting in Knossos in Crete, dating from about 2000 BC, shows male and female entertainers confronting a bull, and grabbing its horns. Although the bullfights were fully developed in the Iberian Peninsula, they were very popular and important spectacles in ancient Rome before that. It´s incredible that the bullfighting we see in 2016 is pretty much the same as when it was practiced in 1726. Back then, it was Francisco Romero of Ronda, Spain who introduced the sword (estoque) and the muleta (the small cape used in the last part of the fight). Bullfighting is not as simple as some might think; there appears to be prefight treatment, there are three separate ´acts´ during the fight and there is a whole team that works alongside the matador in the ring. All in order to ´please´ the audience present in the arena or ring. The bull is a very passive animal and it´s a mistake to think that the bull gets enraged by the red colour of the cape that is used by the matador. The bull, like other mammals, is colour blind. The myth of bulls distinguishing red, yellow or blue was busted by the American television programme Mythbusters. They found that bulls charge at whichever object that is moving the most. As an 1800-pound bull can easily hook an adult with his horns, the pre-fight treatment of the bull significantly diminishes the chances of the bull’s survival. The website stopbullfighting. org.uk claims that a bull is horrendously abused two days prior to the final fight, making its chances to actually harm its matador almost zero. It appears that the bull gets also newspaper stuffed in its ears, Vaseline is rubbed into its eyes to blur its vision and if this wasn’t enough, it gets a needle stuck into its genitals. The ´fair´ fight that the spectators witness is furthermore influenced by drugs that are used to pep the bull up or slow it down. Ultimately, the bull is kept in a dark container for a couple of days to disorientate it. When

it is finally released from the dark it runs straight into the ring to face its killer and a contemptuous crowd. These accusations were strongly rejected by our interviewee. The matador is aided by his assistants, which are the banderilleros who serve to insert sharp, harpoon-like barbed instruments into the bull´s body. Apart from the banderilleros, there is also a group of helpers on horseback. These men are called the picadors and exhaust the bull. They cut into the bull´s neck muscles with a weapon of six to eight inches long and two inches thick. This is actually the moment when the bull starts bleeding for the first time. Obviously the matador is the show´s star and he greets the bull with a series of manoeuvres and passes at the start of the fight. The bull´s natural instinct and centuries of special breeding make it come towards the matador. The matador is dressed with an traditional suit that can cost several thousands of dollars. The suit has a silk jacket heavily embellished in gold, super light trousers and a bicorn hat. The act of killing the bull should take no longer than six minutes in Spanish-style bullfighting and is executed by the matador. Previous to this act, the bull is already heavily injured by the banderilleros and picadors. The matador´s final act happens when he strikes his sword in the artery near the heart. This punctures the bull´s lungs and heart and if the bull is lucky, it dies. If not, it will receive further torture. When the bull finally gives up, it drops to its knees and lies down. Often its ears and tail are cut off by the matador as well. The bull is not the only animal involved in bullfights. As mentioned before, there are also horses involved, which often die too after being gored by the bull. The horses used in bull fights tremble with fear because they are blindfolded. Additionally, they have their ears stuffed with wet newspaper and their vocal chords are cut so they are unable to make a sound in case they suffer an injury

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

Controversies

15 What is considered bullfighting?

from the bull. Sadly, most of the time these are ´old´ horses, which have completed their working life, get a terrible reward in Spain for having been faithful and loyal to man. Although bullfighting has been banned in many countries around the world, bullfighting is still very popular in Peru. Many Peruvians will most likely have heard of Concepción Cintrón Verrill, also known as Conchita Cintrón or La Diosa de Oro (The Golden Goddess). Conchita was a Chilean-Peruvian female bullfighter and perchance the most famous in the history of bullfighting. Bullfights take place at bullrings, which are called plazas de toros in Spanish. The largest venue of its kind is the Plaza México in Mexico City, which can hold 48,000 people. According to different sources, the oldest are the Plazas of Béjar and Ronda, in the Spanish provinces of Ávila and Málaga although other sites claim that the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería in Sevilla, Spain would be the oldest in the world. In Peru, there are 56 official bullrings. Located beside the historical centre of the Rimac district, the Plaza de Toros de Acho is the oldest bullring in the Americas. Being the most prominent, it has a capacity of 13,700 spectators and was initially built of traditional materials such as adobe and wood. Other plazas de toros in Peru can be found in Trujillo, Cajamarca, Huancayo, Ica, Arequipa, Puno and Ayacucho. Surprisingly, there are still many countries around the world that have bullrings, although the rings have been given another use. Tourists can still find bullrings in countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Angola, Costa Rica, Mozambique and Uruguay although not all are open for public because of their poor state. In the department of Áncash, two famous rings are the Monumental Plaza de toros in Huari and the Plaza de toros Monte

The Huaraz Telegraph Pablo Juárez when he was still very little

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Well as you know there are different stages or acts in bullfighting, which are called tercios (thirds). During these tercios the bullfighters are observed by a judge who calculates the trophies we obtain. For example, the lap of honour at the end of a bullfight, the number of ears we get hold of and the maximum trophy is two ears and the tail. Before the fight, we have to ask permission to the judge to change stages, meaning going from the first tercio to the second, and finally to the third but he is the one that is sort of the referee. Can you make a living of bullfighting or do you have a part-time job alongside your profession?

The Huaraz Telegraph Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros after a victory

Carmelo located in Huallanca-Bolognesi. Smaller rings can be found in Ticapampa, Caraz and Carhuaz. Nationwide newspaper El Comercio calculated that in one year at least 650 bullfights are held and around two and a half million Peruvians attend at least one bullfight per year. There is no other spectacle in Peru, not even the national football league uniting, that so many Peruvians of different classes and backgrounds attend. The Huaraz Telegraph talked to Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros and asked if he made a living out of it and what his friends and family thought about him being a matador. Ever wondered what a matador feels when they kill a bull? We dared to ask Pablito this question, who was surprised with our interest in him and his profession, but at the same time he was happy to answer the questions. Our first question was how he got into bullfighting.

My father and grandfather were bullfighters so you could say that I come from a dynasty of matadors. When I was eight years old, my parents were firmly against me becoming a bullfighter. Maybe because of the difficulties of the profession or the high risks that are involved. Maybe it was to protect me, that they didn’t let me practice it. Anyway, I went to the Bullfighting School of Lima in Acho after my regular classes. Often I had to lie to my parents telling them that I went to play football. In May 1999, I had to fight a smaller brave female bull so my qualities and skills could be evaluated. My uncle informed my parents and my father showed up that day in Acho at the ring and when he saw me for the first time dressed as a bullfighter he started to cry. This was an emotional moment that I remember very clearly, and from that moment on, my father started to help me with my career. I integrated with a group of kids that were fighting with bulls between one and a half and two years old. This is bullfighting but without the killing part. The school took us around all bullrings in Peru and we attracted many spectators. When I was thirteen years old, I killed my first bull in a place called Caravelí, which is in the department of Arequipa. From that moment and on, I

became a novillero, achieving a degree in bullfighting. And, on October the 10th 2010, I became a professional bullfighter having passed all categories from becerrista (one who fights calves) aspirant novillero, novillero, novillero with picadors and finally bullfighter. At the moment, I am the only professional bullfighter in the history of Áncash. I feel lucky to have seen the ins and outs of Peru because of my profession. I have fought many battles in inhospitable places that have shown me the good and the bad things in life. Could you explain exactly why you wanted to become a bullfighter? The reason is probably because from being very little, I have always seen my father getting dressed up before a fight. My mother was talking about bulls in our home. There were pictures of bulls on the wall. Although my father didn’t want me to become a bullfighter, he did take me to some bullfights in our area. My mother always wanted me to study administration, as my parents are the owners of a touristic ranch near Huaraz. How famous are you in Peru? Well, statistically, and you can check this in the El Comercio newspaper, I am amongst the ten best bullfighters in Peru. I am sometimes ranked fifth, sometimes a bit lower on a national level. During the year, our stats are sent to the national press; on, for example, where we participate, how many victories and how many ears we obtain, for example. According to this, they come up with a national ranking. I believe in Huaraz most people know who I am. As a Spanish proverb says; Nadie es profeta en su tierra [a prophet is without honour in his own land]. I believe I am more famous in the south of Peru than in Huaraz itself. When I was still a novillero, I did most of the bullfights in Cusco, Puno and Arequipa and I have been to the smallest places that had a bullring. Honestly, if you ask the right person in Cusco or Puno, they will know who I am. But if you ask a random person who doesn’t care about bullfighting, that person will have no clue.

My family runs the Posada de Yungar, which is a recreo, a sort of local ranch where we offer local and traditional food. Additionally, we also offer lodging and horseback riding. I help my family with their business and this helps me financially a little bit too. However, the bullfights pay very well, I can´t complain. It´s a risky profession as we are risking our lives and that´s why there are decent financial rewards. The reward depends a lot on the ring you´re at. When you´re fighting at a first category plaza, you get paid more than when fighting at a third category plaza. The plaza in Acho is first category; Caravelí will be in the second category and the smaller towns with bullrings, such as Jangas or Catac, are rings in the third category. Normally, the entrepreneur that organises the bullfight is the one that has to pay you for participating. To give you an indication of what we get paid. When it concerns a bullfight with the bull killed, we receive between 1,500 U$ and 2,500 U$ for our work. But this is not what I make; I have to share this money with my two bandilleros and other assistants and another part goes to transportation and lodging costs. The bandilleros are very important because those are the guys that are distracting the bull and are basically protecting me if something goes wrong. What type of clothes do you use for the events? Bullfighters normally wear the same style of clothing, what changes are the colours. I have a couple of suits, for example a black one with silver and lilac one with jet black. The colours depend on the matador´s preference. You can choose your own colours. If you fight at a first category plaza you will have to wear an expensive looking suit. There are no shops in Huaraz or Lima where we can buy the suits but there are a couple of tailors that specialise in making the suits. All suits are handmade. Additionally, the shoes are very important. They are very light weight because a matador needs to be able to move quickly and make short moves and passes. They look a bit like flat slippers similar to what ballerinas wear and are secured with a bow. The complete suit is called a suit of lights and contains a short and rigid jacket, two pairs of socks and pants that we wear underneath the suit itself. It takes us toreros (bullfighters) longer to get dressed than it takes a lady. Continue reading on page 16

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Controversies

16

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

Continuation of page 15

It sometimes takes up to an hour and a half to get dressed. Understand that this is like a ritual. When we arrive at a hotel we first put out all our cloths, then we pray together and direct some words to God. Then we slowly get dressed, as each piece needs to be treated carefully and one by one. We get help from a mozo de espadas; who is the man attending to the matador during the development of the bullfight by providing all the accoutrements he needs (like capes, crutches, swords, and even handing water when it´s hot). We try to arrive up to five hours before the actual fight begins. How do you train for your sport and how important is good physical condition? That´s very important. The training we do is partly physical and technical. For example, this morning my team left at seven to start running to Hatun Póngor, which is on the road towards Casma. From this site we walk to a piece of land where we practise the toreo de salón. This is the learning and improving of gestures of bullfighting without a bull to improve our techniques. I consider bullfighting an extreme sport. Many people think that bullfighters are not afraid but I can tell you that this is not true at all; we fear the fight. The fear starts in the hotel when we start preparing for the fight. How can you not be afraid of a 500-kilogram enraged bull that wants to destroy you? Training is fundamental because one needs to be prepared, mentally and physically. That is why the practise during the toreo de salón is so important. Even though we practise without a bull, the person who gets dressed as the bull helps to improve our techniques. Mentally, it takes a lot to believe that it is a real bull but it works. We sometimes have up to ten people during the training. At cattle ranches we practise with cows, as the bulls are only used for bullfights. And as I mentioned earlier, the physical part is important because a bullfight can be very exhausting and a small mistake can cost you an injury or worse. Bullfighters normally don’t go to gyms because we will create muscles

The Huaraz Telegraph Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros in action

and we will lose elasticity and we need to be flexible. Apart from running we do stretching too. In 2015 you were hospitalised in Víctor Ramos Guardia, what happened? You are very well informed! On October the 11th in 2015 I had an accident. In general, 2015 and 2016 were sad years for matadors as three colleagues died while practising their profession. Apart from Víctor Barrio in Spain, the Peruvian novillero Renato Motta Del Solar got gored by a bull and died. Rodolfo Rodríguez ¨El Pana¨ a famous Mexican bullfighter died at the age of 64 after 32 days of hospitalisation following an accident during a bullfight in Ciudad Lerdo, Durango (Mexico). I am very aware, and always have been, that these things can happen, and so it did in October last year. I got gored in my belly and the wound was between seven and nine centimetres deep. Luckily it appeared to be a clean wound and no organs

were damaged. It was a traumatising experience and I have been unable to practise bullfighting for eight months. I could easily have died, not because of the wound itself but because of the terrible circumstances of the hospital in Huaraz. I was at the emergency department at 5 pm and was operated on the next day at 4 in the morning. I felt useless and frustrated, but anyway. I have been practising again and in seven days I will face the first bull since my accident. The accident happened in Yungar, which is the town of my mother and family, but fortunately she didn’t witness the accident. Many people were crying actually, and there wasn’t even an ambulance present. I have no more complications and feel ready for my next bullfight. In January you refused to kill a bull in the arena of San Antón in Puno, how did this happen? Let me explain to your readers what happened. Before we start with a bullfight, a contract is signed. The contract has the conditions of the event but also with a couple of clauses. One of these clauses stated that if a bull has participated in another event a couple of days before the fight, I have the option to leave the fight. You should understand that this bull goes straight for the matador and there will be no tercios because the bull will go straight for a kill. So in Puno I noticed that it was not a fresh bull and I decided not to kill the bull. I played a bit with the bull but left the arena. Later in the press they stated that because of a caprice I would have rejected to kill the bull. So I had to release a letter to the press stating what really happened. Additionally, it was raining a lot that day and that made the sand heavier, which makes it even more dangerous. Bullfighting being a controversial sport, have you ever received threats or intimidations on social networks?

Pablo Miguel Juárez Oliveros is announced on a flyer promoting a bullfight

Quite a lot honestly. If I were to show you my Facebook messenger, you´d be surprised. Sometimes I get introduced to

someone at a restaurant or other public place and they tell everyone that I am a matador and then they immediately start a discussion. Some start to offend and touch me, which is not nice. Well, luckily, I have always known how to manage these situations and I always respect if someone thinks differently. I guess it doesn’t affect me much because I am really well aware that this is, just like you mentioned in your question, a controversial topic. My point of view on bullfighting is simply a different one. People that are looking to intimidate me are normally always focused on the blood and death involved in the spectacle. Or as they call it, cruelty. But they might not understand what´s behind the whole game. For example, there are more than 50 dances in Peru that are directly related to bullfighting. In Peru there has been bullfighting for 5000 years, and Áncash is a very popular place for bullfighting. The whole Callejón de Huaylas has bullrings or has organised bullfight events, starting from Ticapampa, Catac, Huaraz (Challhua),Recuay, Toccla, Jangas, Yungar, Anta, Taricá, Carhuaz, Tinco, Caraz etc. Not all those places organise events to really kill bulls, but they all have (had) their events with bulls, buffaloes or cows involved. Pablo Ruiz Picasso did many paintings with bulls in them. Furthermore, Peru has a long tradition with Peruvian Paso or Peruvian Horse breeds and cockerels that are used in spectacles as well. Both these animals, as the Spanish bull used in bullfighting, are not domestic animals and cannot be domesticated. A passionate bullfighting fan will observe, for example, the aesthetics during the fight. I am sure that these are things that an anti-bullfighting activist doesn’t take in account. They invent things such as putting Vaseline in the bull’s eyes or something. In whole my career, I have never seen this done to a bull, I wouldn’t like it either. The bull needs to be psychically well. I believe it´s not right to compare a cat with a lion or a zebra with a domestic horse. The Spanish fighting bull (Toro Bravo or Toro de Casto) is not a domestic breed but is selected primarily for its mix of aggression, strength, energy and endurance. An anti-bullfighting activist believes that if all the bullfighting would stop, the killing of the bulls would also stop. What they miss is that this breed will become extinct because it cannot be used for something else. I also know a lot of people that like bullfights but detest the fact that the bull is killed. But, little do they know that the bull or cow, either way it will end up in the slaughterhouse. And the people organising the bull runs or bullfights offer the meat to all visitors at the end. But returning to the topic of the threats, most threats I receive are via Facebook. And these people don´t threaten me anonymously, but often have their entire profile visible. Regularly, they are from Lima or somewhere else, but not from Huaraz. The more I think about it; mostly these are insults, not that many threats but still. It bothered me in the beginning but not anymore. In the beginning I would start a discussion to defend what I do, but in the end I have to respect that they think differently and I will not be able to make them change their minds. I normally read the first couple of sentences and when I

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016 see that this is someone insulting me, I stop reading and delete the message. I remember that you contacted me on Facebook even though you were not a friend, so I read the first couple of lines and saw that you were genuinely interested in contacting me, and that´s why I replied, and the result is that you are sitting here interviewing me. What do your friends and girlfriend think of the fact that you are a matador? Haha, well I am single so don’t have to worry about that. My parents and family obviously support me in my profession because they know how much it cost me to get where I am now. I had a relationship for seven years with a girl who was antibullfighting. The moment we met, she told me this straight to my face. She said she would respect my profession but didn’t want to know anything about my job. In seven years she never asked me how I did at events. I turned 30 earlier this year, but you may write down that I am still 28, I won´t get upset [laughing out loud]. Could you describe what it feels like when you´re in the centre of a bullring? Fear. A lot of fear. The three things I feel are fear, tension and responsibility. There is a lot of pressure on the shoulder of a bullfighter when he or she is in front of a big crowd. But when the bull is released, this is when this all slides off your shoulders and you have to concentrate on the fight. You can have a bad stomach, or a broken fingernail at the start, but all this should belong to the past because when the bull comes out, it´s between you and him. How do you feel when you come to the point of killing a bull? Is there a red button I can push to skip this question? This is the question I get asked the most, maybe a thousand times. What people mostly ask is if I feel grief when killing the bull. I will be honest with you. When I was young, I knew very well that killing is part of the game. I don´t like an animal to suffer, and believe honestly that its death should be swift. I feel a huge responsibility to kill it quickly without having it punctured over and over again before it finally dies. Maybe the best part is when we are able to spare one’s life, although this doesn’t happen that frequently. When a bull is really strong and brave, the audience has the option to ask the juez de plaza to spare the bull´s life. This bull is not killed afterwards but is taken to the stables again and will be able to enjoy the rest of its life in the field. And a true fan of bullfighting won´t be upset of not killing the bull because they will be able to recognise the qualities of both the matador and the bull. Every year there are many bulls whose lives are spared by the matador. I can´t recall the number of bulls that were not killed by me, but I am sure that there are many videos on YouTube. Like I said, I don´t mind the question, but normally these are girls asking this question. At la Posada de Yungar we have many animals such as geese, horses and guinea pigs. I have adopted a couple of street puppies as well, and this is something that might surprise people. They think that because I am a bullfighter, I am also killing guinea pigs or geese daily. I wouldn’t be able to

Controversies kill a domestic animal that is unable to defend itself. The bull is able to defend itself and save it´s own life. I believe we´re living in a world with many double moral standards. Nowadays we try to humanise the animals. I have a dog that is not a human being. I haven’t taught it to pee in the toilet or to sit next to me on a chair when I am having lunch. It´s an animal and I respect it for being my best friend and this doesn’t mean that I am mistreating it, does it? The dog is one of the noblest animals in the world, but we human beings should not try to humanise it. Let me tell you another small family anecdote. My mother has insisted many times that I should learn to slaughter guinea pigs. I have had the knife ready five times, but I couldn’t cut its throat. I really can´t, I can´t even watch it, when my mother prepares guinea pigs, I am off. I would never kill a harmless animal.

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If Peru decides to ban bullfighting tomorrow, what would you do? This is not as easy as it seems. Politically seen, I think that 80% of the Peruvian congress go to bullfights. The most known politicians are taurinos. For example, expresidents Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo, but also the current president of Peru Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has been spotted at bullfights. I believe the only ex-candidate to the presidency openly against bullfighting has been Veronica Mendoza [Mendoza was the presidential nominee for the 2016 general elections running with left-wing party Broad Front for Justice, Life and Liberty (Frente Amplio in short and Spanish)]. All the others go to bullfights. If one day Peru decides to ban bullfighting, this won´t depend much on the anti-taurinos or on the pro-taurinos. It´s pretty much a political item but also an economical item. Earlier this year, in January, the congress approved the Animal Protection Act, which punishes animal abuse up to five years of prison. However, neither cockfighting nor bullfighting were included in this Act. Now I wonder why that would be? This is because bullfighting is a massive business for many people. Like I said before, my family has a business so it won’t be the end of the world but I believe that the fiestas in Peru would not be the same without the bull activities. When not being a bullfighter, I would probably dedicate my time to organising events. I also am capable of singing a bit. I don’t know if you might have seen a video of me but I really like to sing. When I was 12 years old I won a singing contest becoming the best 12-year-old singer in Áncash.

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I am open for discussions with antibullfight activists too, they have called me in the past for meetings but I have never done that. But I am happy to answer all questions as you have seen today and defend my point of view. I have to admit that you were very well prepared and I liked your questions. I have been interviewed before by a local magazine and they asked me how many bulls I had killed. Questions should give a view on both sides. I like the interview and would like to thank you for your interest. I believe that there are many questions that I have never been asked before and I promise that I have answered all questions frankly and truthfully.

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Environment

18

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

The growing threat of Lake Palcacocha

Four years ago the Ministry of Environment (Minam) launched the implementation of adaptation measures to climate change (IMACC) project in the basins of Alto Mayo, San Martin, and the Quillcayhuanca sub basin in Ancash. At a cost of a million dollars, the project was implemented with various institutions in both regions to look into the recovery of wetlands near Palcacocha Lake, as well as the modelling of a possible flood of glacial retreat in the lake of Palcacocha. Recently, the INAIGEM (National Institute for Research in Glacier and Mountain Ecosystems), during a three-day forum held in Huaraz, spent valuable time on the possible threats of Palcacocha.

Most citizens in Huaraz know about the possible danger of Lake Palcacocha, including the authorities. Local newspapers, radio and television stations, however, prefer not to touch this delicate topic but how come? It´s believed that it´s better not to speak about it because people would only get scared and tourists might flee away from the city, so we are informed when we asked around in town. Others believe that there is no real danger. Little do they know about the real (precarious) situation. There are, however, people who are seriously concerned and confirm that something has to be done before it´s too late. The reason for us to write about this topic again is because public safety is at stake. A second reason is because the Centre for Research in Water Solutions, together with the Bureau of Engineering Research of the University of Texas published a very interesting online report in March in 2014 presenting the inundation modelling of a potential glacial lake outburst flood in Huaraz. Are we really waiting to close the stable door after the horse has bolted? In other words, why wait for a possible outburst, the problem has been analysed and identified and solutions are available at first hand. Two years ago, the former municipal manager of Huaraz, Carlos Tarazona, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor during that year´s elections, confirmed on local TV channel three that the situation was completely under control. He was referring to the fact that the lake is being kept under surveillance. When asked if he was referring to that one guard with an old radio phone who was permanently stationed at the lake, Tarazona confirmed that this was the case, also admitting that this is probably not enough and that more

The Huaraz Telegraph Lake Palcacocha in 2014 with Palcaraju (6274 m) on the left and Pucaranra (6156 m) on the right in the background and the 1941 GLOF breach below the lake. Picture Google Earth and M. A. Somos-Valenzuela et al.: Modelling a glacial lake outburst flood process chain

could (but more rather should) be done to monitor the situation. Summarised, it basically means that the lives of 120,000 citizens of Huaraz and Independencia depend on one person. If this one person, who apparently is in constant contact with the National Park in Huaraz, cannot make the frightening phone call for whatever reason, people have just one hour to save their lives and belongings, so confirms the Centre for Research in Water Solutions in a conclusion written by Marcelo A. SomosValenzuela, Rachel E. Chisolm, Daene C. McKinney and Denny Rivas of the Centre for Research in Water Solutions. Last month we got tipped off that Rachel E. Chisolm was in town, so we met and asked her about the new findings on a potential Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) from Lake Palacocha. But before we get to that, we will share some excerpts from the report, which describes an analysis of the processes involved, the behaviour and consequences of a potential GLOF from Lake Palcacocha, and the resulting inundation in Huaraz. The process cascade starts from an avalanche falling into the lake resulting in a wave that overtops the

Longitudinal profile of Lake Palcacocha and its terminal moraine. Graph by M. A. SomosValenzuela et al.: Modeling a glacial lake outburst flood process chain

moraine causing a breach and ensuing downstream flooding and inundation in the city of Huaraz. Not all passages of the report are published as some contain some very difficult calculations such as the Governing Equation of Mass Conservation, the Prediction of Wave Height as well as Roughness Coefficient Values are, among others, left out of this article to keep it more or less readable. Lake Palcacocha poses an increasing glacial lake hazard in the Cordillera Blanca. In 1941 a GLOF occurred from the lake that flooded the city of Huaraz, killing more than 5,000 people (according to best estimates) and destroying infrastructure and agricultural land all the way to the coast (Carey, 2010). In recent years, Lake Palcacocha has grown to the point where it is once again dangerous. Avalanches from the steep surrounding slopes can now reach the lake directly, creating the potential for generating waves that could overtop the moraine dam and reach the city of Huaraz (Hegglin and Huggel, 2008). In 2010 the lake was declared to be in a state of emergency because its level exceeded the height deemed safe (Diario la Republica, 2010). Siphons have been installed at the lake recently to temporarily lower the water surface about three meters, but lowering it 15 m or more is recommended for safety now and in the future (Portocarrero, 2014). The lake’s damming moraine could possibly fail if an avalanche generated wave overtops the moraine and abruptly releases a large volume of water from the lake creating a flood wave and/or debris flow (Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil, 2011). Local authorities and people living in Huaraz are concerned about the threat

posed by Lake Palcacocha, and they have requested technical support to investigate the impacts that a GLOF could have on Huaraz and methods to reduce the risk. Study area Lake Palcacocha is located at 9°23′ S, 77°22′ W at an elevation of 4,562 metres in the Ancash Region of Peru and is part of the Quillcay watershed in the Cordillera Blanca. The lake has a maximum depth of 73 metres and an average water surface elevation of 4562 metres. The outlet of the lake flows into the Paria River, a tributary of the Quillcay River that passes through the City of Huaraz to the Santa River, the main river of the region. Prior to the 1941 GLOF, the lake had an estimated volume of 10 to 12 million m3 of water (Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil, 2011). After the 1941 GLOF, the volume was reduced to about 500,000 m3. In 1974, drainage structures were built at the lake to maintain eight metres of freeboard at the lake outlet, a level thought to be safe from additional avalanche generated waves. Because of the growth of the lake in the up-glacier direction, the lake volume increased to about 17 million m3 of water by 2009, exceeding the level that is safe (Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil, 2011). The siphon system has been able to reduce the level of the lake by three to five metres providing a total free board of about 12 metres. Methodology The report considers a chain of events that could result in an avalanche triggered GLOF from Lake Palcacocha and assess the potential inundation of Huaraz from such an event. The assumed trigger

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The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016 for the GLOF is an avalanche from the Palcaraju or Pucaranra glaciers located directly above the lake. Three different avalanches sizes are considered: small (0.5 million m3), medium (1 million m3) and large (3 million m3). When the avalanche enters the lake the resulting wave 10 can overtop the damming moraine, which has 8-12 metres of freeboard, and initiate an erosive breaching process that could release considerable amounts of water to the Paria River and potentially inundate densely populated areas of Huaraz. The process chain from avalanche to inundation was simulated using several models: potential avalanches were modeled using RAMMS (Christen et al., 2010), lake wave dynamics were modelled with FLOW-3D (Flow Science, 2012), hydrographs of the potential GLOF discharge from the moraine breach were generated using MIKE-11 (DHI, 2001), and propagation of the flood wave downstream and inundation in Huaraz were calculated using FLO-2D (O’Brien, 2003). Different executions and calculations of simulations The researchers used an exclusively 5 metre x 5 metre horizontal resolution digital elevation model (DEM) for this work (Horizons, 2013) using high-resolution Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) techniques, which provide vertical accuracies of up to seven centimetres. A set of ten Ground Control Points (GCP), temporarily established to support the LIDAR flights, allowed control, calibration and adjustment of the LIDAR data, and orthocorrection of high-resolution aerial images. A drainage line dataset created by the Geographic-Military Institute of Peru was used to verify the DEM information and provide the streamline of the Paria River, which drains from Lake Palcacocha as well the Quillcay, and Rio Santa streamlines. The Unidad de Glaciologia y Recursos Hidricos of Peru’s National Water Authority (UGRH) carried out a bathymetric survey of Lake Palcacocha in 2009 that was used to represent the elevation of the lake bottom in the DEM (UGRH, 2009). The original document also demonstrates calculations of an avalanche simulation, a lake simulation when the avalanche (100% chance) hits the lake, a moraine breach simulation, a hazard identification and an inundation simulation of Huaraz. Moraine breach model There is no data of an actual breaching event to compare the results of the simulations with or calibrate the model. Instead, the simulation has two objectives: (1) to reasonably validate the peak flow and failure time values estimated by the empirical equations, and (2) to produce the hydrographs that those empirical equations are not able to provide. Because the investigators lacked the precise geotechnical and erodability characteristics of the Lake Palcacocha moraine, they followed two main criteria to define the potential shape and depth of the breach. First, they assumed that the easiest path for water to flow through will be the path defined by the 1941 GLOF. That breach remains and it seems reasonable that a new flood will flow in the same

Environment

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way as the 1941 flood. Second, though the breach depth may vary somewhat, due to the magnitude and continuity of the trigger mechanism (avalanche generated wave overtopping), the worstcase event is the most appropriate scenario for planning possible mitigating measures (Laenen et al., 1987). Likewise, in the absence of bedrock and given the presence of low cohesion materials are unlikely to prevent large-scale breaches from forming in the Lake Palcacocha moraine (C. Portocarrero, 2013, personal communication). There is some uncertainty about the depth to bedrock at the moraine and they had assumed two different levels of possible moraine erosion (56 metres and 22.5 metres, see graph on this page) as discussed below. The figure below shows the cross-section through the moraine based on the lake bathymetry and the DEM. The profile in the figure also shows three elevation layers associated with different moraine dimensions and impounded water volumes. The surface of the upper layer (0-22.5 metres depth) is immediately exposed to erosion, and it is comprised of materials with less cohesive properties that increase its susceptibility to failure. In order to reach the bottom of the second layer, the breach must go to a depth of 56 metres, longitudinally erode over 985 m of moraine material, and be able to drain 16.4 x 106 m3 of water. There are no estimates of the probability of the latter event, but uncertainty on internal conditions of the moraine structure does not allow us to reject the hypothesis that such an event might actually happen. Therefore, two potential breaches have been considered due to a large avalanche event and associated wave, one that erodes the moraine to a breach depth of 56 m and a smaller one that has a breach depth of 22.5 metres. The breach depth of 56 metres is the worst-case scenario. If the third layer of the moraine were to be exposed, a relatively small volume of water would remain – 0.8 x 106 m3 or about 5% of the entire water volume. To release that volume, which the investigators consider very unlikely, over 1700 m of moraine material must be eroded in the longitudinal direction, extending the breach 700 metres longer than the length developed in the second layer. For the 56 and 22.5 metre breaches, the depth of the water is not equal to the depth of the breach since the depth of breach includes the freeboard at the top part of the moraine above the invert of the drainage structure. The difference is 6.3 m because the overtopping wave discharge does not include the entire avalanche volume, 0.5 x 106 m3 of the wave volume is retained in the lake and 2.5 x 106 m3 is released in the overtopping discharge. Therefore, the residual lake volume increases both the volume (by 0.5 x 106 m3) and depth of the lake (by 1.7 metres) before the erosive process starts. In the overtopping, they assume that the top part of the moraine (8 metres above the drainage tunnel invert level) is instantaneously destroyed. The erosion rate is uniformly distributed below that level. The volume of impounded water released in the breaching process increases once the wave passes through

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Brief News

20 Continuation of page 3

The event was composed of four themes: Risk glaciers and mountain ecosystems, Water resources in glaciers and mountain ecosystems, Biodiversity and sustainable use of mountain ecosystems to ensure food security, and the funding mechanism for the management of mountain ecosystems. Additionally, there were 11 interesting lectures and 34 speeches. The participants made three study field trips to LLanganuco, Palcacocha and Pastoruri to learn about the effects of climate change, research initiatives and sustainable management in these areas. The opening ceremony of the event was in the charge of executive president of the National Research Institute in Mountain Ecosystems Glaciers and Benjamin Morales Arnao, who stressed on the importance of these ecosystems for sustainable development and tackling climate change. After the opening ceremony there were lectures by Cedomir Marangunic (Chile), who spoke about the current and future state of glaciers. Enrique Flores from Peru spoke about the relationship between glaciers and grasslands food security. Stephan G. Evan of the University of Waterloo spoke about the geological hazards in glaciers, and finally Carlos Fernandez Jauregui of the Water Assessment and Advisory Global Network spoke about the outlook and importance of water resources in glaciers and mountain ecosystems. At the beginning of the second day of the forum, Mark Bryan of Ohio State University made a keynote presentation on glacier retreat and hydrological vulnerability in the Peruvian Andes. He stressed that groundwater accounts for 30% of water systems and as a result of climate change and glacier retreat, livelihoods are changing. He stated: “There is less seasonal water in times of drought, while there is greater variability.” He also said that “one of the challenges is to understand how you can take advantage of agro-biodiversity resilience to climate change and food security”. Meanwhile, Karl Zimmerer of Pennsylvania State University spoke about the relationship between climate change, agricultural biodiversity and food security. In this regard he indicated that although 70% of agricultural biodiversity is located in the mountains, food insecurity levels can reach up to 80% in Andean communities. On the other hand, Kenneth Young of the University of Texas spoke about the risks that climate change generates in mountain ecosystems. He noted that in the Andes there is much diversity and dynamism and that the temperature rise is generating some processes of ecological succession. He warned that the sites that were previously covered by ice are now available for the colonisation of some plants and species that are not able to adapt to this process will disappear. Finally, Gena Gammie of Forest Trends gave a presentation on financing mechanisms for the management of mountain ecosystems. She said there is a tendency of increase in investments for restoration. The third day saw interesting lectures by

Jeffrey Kargel of the University of Arizona, Benjamín Orlove of the Universidad de Columbia and Juan Torres of the National Agrarian University La Molina. Jeffrey Kargel presented a study on the geological hazards induced by the 2015 Himalaya earthquake and vulnerabilities of glacial lakes from seismic activity. He indicated that Peru and Nepal share similar problems regarding landslides, glacial lakes and earthquakes, noting that their investigations concluded that the number and severity of geological hazards induced by earthquakes depend on the details of the earthquake, the specific geometry of the read slopes of the mountains and glacial lakes on all epicentres of the earthquake. For his part, Benjamin Orlove distinguished that in the Anthropocene, a new geological era in which human beings have major impacts on natural systems, priorities are placed in vulnerable islands, the Arctic and glaciers. Finally, Juan Torres stressed the need to recognise and value traditional knowledge to address climate change through a scientific–peasant alliance. During the three-day workgroups, the following conclusions were shared: glaciers and mountain ecosystems are indispensable as sources of water for the welfare of human beings. Water is important for its quality, quantity and ecosystem services it provides to the populations of mountain ecosystems. Risk management is key to tackling climate change and deglaciation, which are irreversible. Applied research is a priority. We need to generate more information as a basis for making decisions and formulating appropriate public policies. Collaborative arrangements should include public and private entities, academia and civil society at local and national levels. It´s urgent to produce water information to design appropriate water infrastructure. The promotion of financing mechanisms should continue in order to strengthen management and glaciers in mountain ecosystems. At the end of the forum the Declaration of Huaraz was read; a document summarising the recommendations and guidance produced by the exchange of information achieved during the three days of the forum for the conservation and sustainable management of glaciers and mountain ecosystems in the context of climate change. Campfire found in Huascarán National Parque at Laguna 69, but who is responsible? There is no question that Laguna 69 is one of the most stunning lakes in the Cordillera Blanca. The day hike that takes between two and three hours from Cebollapampa can be booked at any agency in town. Recently, however, it seems that 90% of the guides that are leading tourists towards the lake, are not really guides. These are often the drivers of the vans that take the tourists to Cebollapampa, or some youngsters to earn some extra cash. This information was confirmed by professor Ronny Álvaro Díaz Gómez and member of the Asociación de Guías Oficiales Especializados en Montaña – Huaraz Ancash (AGOEMA).

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016

The Huaraz Telegraph The Puya Raimondi can produce a flower spike with more than three thousand flowers

What is really worrying is that at the lake itself, traces of campfires have been found. Every tourist and guide knows that setting a fire within the park is strictly forbidden and you don’t have to be a genius to understand that a small fire can cause a huge fire. This raises the question of why the national park guards are not controlling who´s entering in the morning and who´s leaving in the evening, and why are they not checking who´s staying overnight at the lake? Are the guards too lazy to walk to the lake at the end of the day, or do they simply not care? Recently, there have been many forest fires in the Huaraz region, which have burned down many hectares of nature and protected areas. Chavín de Huantar might lose World Heritage title given by UNESCO Edwin Valverde Valverde, president of the regional association of official tourism guides in Ancash (ARGOT) stated that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have warned the Ministry of Culture that Chavín de Huantar might not be a World Heritage site much longer. UNESCO has indicated a number of points to improve. One point is the access road towards the archeological site, which is far too close to the temple itself. Another critical point is the lack of a plan explaining how tourists should behave within the archeological site. During the public holidays around Independence Day (28th of July), the temple was visited by over 5,000 people, and this has caused damage to the site. Neither the (very few) park guards, nor the director of the site knew how to handle the huge tourist numbers, which resulted in tourists walking on parts that are off limits to the public. A third critical point observed by the UNESCO is the fact that children are working as guides within the archeological site of Chavín de Huantar. The children are not qualified to work as guides. On Monday the 5th, the president of the ARGOT organised a meeting with all the people associated to the archeological site to analyse its conservation. While Jose Antonio Salazar Mejía, director of

the decentralised direction of culture in Ancash did not take part in the meeting, Alejandro Espinoza Noceda (Assistant of the Conservation of the Archaeological Monument Chavín), Milagros Moreno Cotrina (Director of the Archaeological Monument Chavín) and Maria Moreno Suarez (member of the decentralised direction of culture in Ancash) did. The people present agreed to work out a plan that should improve the visitor experience of Chavín de Huantar and prevent UNESCO from taking away the title of World Heritage. Around 20 Puya Raimondi plants were set afire during festival in Cajamarquilla Local Peruvian press called it an attack on nature. While the authorities and guests celebrated the start of activities of the yearly festival of Cajamarquilla, 30 metres from the stage someone wanted to sabotage the launch of the festival, leaving more than 20 Puyas in ashes. During the festival, the District Municipality of la Libertad - Cajamarquilla signed an interagency cooperation agreement with the National Institute for Research in Glacier and Mountain Ecosystems (INAIGEM) and the National University Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo (UNASAM) to survey the tourist inventory and thus convert the area into a new route concerning mountain ecosystems and climate change. As mentioned before, the festivities were sadly interrupted by some unscrupulous morons who set fire to the largest species of bromeliad. The Puya Raimondi is a protected plant in Peru and is also known as queen of the Andes. It dies soon after flowering but can reach three metres tall, and can produce a flower spike with more than three thousand flowers and six million seeds in each plant. Beatriz Oncoy Visitación, Mayor of La Libertad said there were no words for the terrible actions of some individuals. She stated: ¨We are very shocked on how people can be so malicious by destroying our resources while we authorities strive to do something for tourism; these are malicious people who do nothing good but only harm our area.¨

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Environment

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 2016 Continuation of page 21

the lake. The figure shows static conditions before the chain of processes starts. Results of simulations The resulting maximum flood depth within Huaraz for the 22.5 metres event is shown on the front page of The Huaraz Telegraph. The deepest areas are near the existing channels of the Quillcay River and the Rio Santa. The highest inundation depths occur at the south side of the river, where most of the commerce is located in Huaraz. Considering the 56 metres breach event, within the city, the area where the depths are small (<1 metre) is limited to 0.13 km2 in a narrow band ranging from 20 to 60 meters in width along the outskirts of the flooded area. The area flooded to a depth between 0.2-1 metre covers an area of 0.51 km2 and the area flooded to depths greater than 1 metre covers an area of 4.5 km2. The area near the channel of the Quillcay River shows depths of 5-10 metres in a band approximately 350 metres wide in the east side of the city and up to 500 metres wide in the west side of the city near the Santa River. In comparing the two events, one can see that areas that had inundation depths of 1-2 metres in the 56-metre breach have depths of 0.11 metre in the 22.5-metre event. Likewise areas that show 4-6 metres depth in the 56-metre event reduce to 3-4 metres depth in the 22.5 metre-event, and 8-10 metre depth areas reduce to 6-8 metre depth in the 22.5 metre-breach event. Considering the 56 metre-breach event, within the city, velocities in excess of 8 m/s occur only in the narrow river channel in the canyon and in small isolated areas in the city. Velocities between 5-8 m/s occur in the areas where the inundation depths are between 5-10 metres. In the outer area velocities of 0-2 m/s occur in areas with depths lower than 5 metres. Velocity reductions for the 22.5-metre breaching event, compared to the 56-metre event, follow the same pattern as the inundation depths discussed above. Conclusions The chain of processes triggered by an avalanche into Lake Palcacocha were simulated to assess the level of hazard for the city of Huaraz. Avalanche simulations were carried out to determine the height and velocity of the avalanche material entering the lake and it showed an avalanche height of 20 metre and a velocity of 50 m/s entering the lake. A three-dimensional hydrodynamic lake model was used to simulate the movement of the resulting impulse wave across the lake and the overtopping of the terminal moraine. The overtopping wave discharge hydrograph released a volume of 2.4 x 106 m3 of water. The moraine erosion resulting from the overtopping was simulated to provide a combined hydrograph of the released water and debris. Two scenarios of moraine erosion were simulated: a worst-case event of a 56-metre breach and a smaller 22.5-mertre erosion event. The combined discharge hydrograph released a volume of 19.8 x 106 m3 for the 56-metre event and 12.3 x 106 m3 for the 22.5-metre event. These hydrographs were used as input to a two-dimensional flood model

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(water and debris), and the hydrographs was routed downstream reaching the city of Huaraz 1.06 and 1.20 hours after the avalanche for the 56-metre and 22.5-metre events, respectively. The inundation in the city is extensive in both breaching events with depths exceeding 1 metre in many areas, especially near the channel of the Quillcay River, and the velocity of the flood exceeding 1 m/s in most of this area. Because of the inundation depth and the velocity of the flow, most of the area of the city that experiences flooding will have a very high hazard level, putting both lives and property at risk. Update 2016 As mentioned before, we had a small chat with Rachel E. Chisolm from Centre for Research in Water Resources, University of Texas at Austin, USA one of the authors of the document to discuss the document published in 2014 and see if there were any updates. According to Chisolm, there has been a lot more modelling done (mainly on the moraine breach) and more scenarios have been analysed in terms of what could happen. It turns out that a complete breach to drain the complete lake is extremely unlikely. This reduces the hazard area a little bit but it´s still very significant. The prelaminar hazard map contains three hazard levels, although the Peruvian Government requires four, so there are still a few steps to take to produce the final hazard map, which is needed to create the early warning system and the evacuation plan. The chain of processes is still the same; an avalanche falling in the lake, generating a large tsunami-like wave that will overtop the lake-damming moraine, and then cause flooding downstream. Palcacocha is not the only lake that poses a potential threat to the city of Huaraz, there are two other lakes (Laguna Cuchillacocha and Tullpachocha) that are a possible danger. Although the modelling on Cuchillacocha and Tullpachocha is not very detailed, it does give an idea of a hazard from all three lakes. The technical part is finished and that´s when the political process starts, like getting the early warning system installed and having proposals funded. How worried are people in Huaraz and Independencia? It depends a lot on how much they know. The people aware of the hazard are very worried. There is at least more awareness compared to three years ago. The most important thing is the installation of an early warning system because that can save many lives. The hazard level cannot be reduced to zero, and the early warning system can save lives, but it can´t save infrastructure and buildings. People are talking about lowering the level of the water, but I don’t know how long that will take. My impression is that people are seriously thinking about it a lot more. The possible damage for a small avalanche to happen isn’t really that small but enough to cause flooding in the city. With the installation of an early warning system, it will take probably between 30 minutes and 1 hour for the water to reach the city, depending on the size of the flood. Considering other type of disasters, such as hurricanes, 30 minutes is not much time at all to evacuate.

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22

Tourist Information

The Huaraz Telegraph SEPTEMBER 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 SEPTEMBER 2016

Tourist Information

TIP OF THE MONTH SEPTEMBER: HUARI

The small town of Huari, capital of the province of Huari, is located in the Conchucos Valley at 3149 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l), some 150 kilometres from Huaraz. Huari was founded by the Spaniards under the name of Santo Domingo on the ruins of Huaritambo, an Inca town of which only little remains. Its name means “untamed” in Quechua, maybe because of the surrounding mountains that are not easily accessible. The most important festival in Huari is that of the Virgen del Rosario in early October, which lasts eight days and is also known as Fiesta de los Gatos (feast of the cats) because locals have a tradition of eating miche broaster (roasted cat). Nobody really knows where this tradition comes from, but it is thought to have originated when there was an insufficient harvest period and locals had to find other sources of protein and thus the habit of eating cat was introduced. The town of Huari is nothing special and only offers very basic amenities to visitors, but there are plenty of very interesting sights only a short drive away. One of them is Lake Purhuay, located seven kilometres northwest of the town of Huari at 3580 m.a.s.l. It is one of the largest lakes in the region being three kilometres long, with a depth of approximately 130 metres. Its waters have a blue-green colour and are surrounded by much vegetation, including quenual trees and many medicinal plants. There is also abundant birdlife, including many species of hummingbirds. There is a picnic and camping area, and locals sometimes offer boating services. There is a lovely trail going around the lake, from where you can fully appreciate the flora, fauna and majesty of the lake. Along the trail there are some very well preserved pre-Inca ruins called Llamacorral. Unless you come at the weekend or during the holidays, when locals like to visit, you are unlikely to see anyone else. Despite being located inside the Huascaran National Park, there is no fee for visiting the lake. Another interesting site is the 300-metre-high Maria Jiray waterfall, which is located at 3400 m.a.s.l only three kilometres from Huari and is accessed from the village of Acopalca along a beautiful one-kilometre-long trail. Nearby there are also the little-known, fantastic pre-Inca ruins of Marka Jirca, located at 3800 m.a.s.l at the top of the mountain of the same name, above the village of Chinchas (25 minutes’ drive from Huari). From Chinchas it takes two hours on foot to reach the archaeological complex, which dates back to 1200–1474 AD and belongs to the Huari culture. Despite its good state of preservation, historical significance and offering majestic views of the Cordillera Blanca, the site is very seldom visited. So a visit to Huari is well worth it as it offers a good blend of natural and historical sights, as well as an authentic insight into traditional rural life.

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.

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. 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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