Getting In
I finally left for Huaraz 5 days later than I had originally planned after my detour to Oxafest. It’s interesting how quickly the landscape changed from big city Lima to desert nothingness. It doesn’t take long before you feel like your in the middle of nowhere. The bus stopped halfway for lunch, which was nice because otherwise I was just eating nuts. The second half of the trip we really started getting into the beautiful Andes landscape. Crazy how high up we were even though we weren’t that far from the coast. As we got closer to Huaraz, the towering mountains of the Cordillera Blanco started showing off their beauty.
The City
Sitting at just over 10K feet high and within miles of so many mountains over 20K feet, Huaraz truly is an outdoors lover’s paradise. The city is located nearby Huascaran National Park which lies in the heart of the Cordillera Blanca range, the world’s highest tropical mountain range. The park has a handful of mountains reaching over 6000 meters (19,685 feet) including Peru’s highest mountain, Mount Huascaran which has a summit of 22,205 feet making it the 4th highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. Along with the spectacular mountain range and picturesque mountainous landscapes, the park features 300 glacial lakes, tremendous U-shaped valleys, and at least 660 tropical glaciers. This makes the national park the largest tropical glaciated area in the world.
Huaraz was probably my favorite city in Peru (with Cusco coming in a close second). It was the first time having the feeling of being deep in the Andes and I absolutely loved it. You don’t even have to leave the city for the incredible mountain views although the allure of exploring deeper and going higher is too strong to stay stagnant. Huaraz is an incredible jump off point for some of the best and most beautiful hiking in the world; as well as many opportunities for mountaineering and climbing. The town isn’t very big and after my stay here for over a week (with some of those being on treks), I felt very at home walking around the city. I started having thoughts about a future me owning a home in Huaraz…maybe one day.
It’s actually very lively in the streets with vendors and people walking around. Almost every building in the heart of town is either a restaurant, tour agency, or a shop selling outdoor gear, clothing, shoes, watches, phone accessories, and about any other good you can think of. I loved sitting in the square people watching and soaking in the vibe of the town. I ended almost every night with a good 10-15 minute bench sitting session in the square. The town also has a number of nice, small parks to sit and relax in. While it’s a popular destination amongst backpackers, you really didn’t see many in the streets and the city felt very local (this is the big advantage it had over touristy Cusco).
The Food
Up to this point I had been spending a lot of money on food (relatively speaking) and Huaraz is where I discovered the menu del día and there was no turning back. This became my go to move for the rest of my time in Peru. For anywhere from 7-15 soles ($2-4) you could order a soup and an entree (and sometimes even tea/fruit juice). The soup was usually a decent size and contained noodles and a bit of chicken; and the entrees were usually lomo saltado, fried trout, chicken milanesa, carne, or some other specialities served with rice, French fries, and a small salad. It was always equally as good as going to fancier restaurants and way cheaper! The more the place looked like a hole in the wall, the better. As long as there was a lot of locals eating there then you knew it was going to be good. And the best places brought out your soup before you even ordered. They just knew you were there for whatever was written on the menu del día chalkboard outside, no menu necessary.
I was also a big fan of chifa, which is Peruvian Chinese fusion cuisine. A large number of Chinese immigrants came to Peru in 1849 to work in railroad construction and sugar plantations and there was a large influx for the rest of the century. Chinese food is only called chifa in Peru. Lomo soltado is made with marinated strips of sirloin tossed with fried potatoes, tomatoes, yellow chilli peppers, onions, soy sauce and served with steamed rice or french fries. Arroz chaufa literally means ‘fried rice’ in Cantonese, and you’ll find this dish served with everything. It’s also often served as a main dish and you can have it with pork, chicken or even fried fish, Tallarín saltado is chow mein made with yellow egg noodles stir-fried with vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and onions, and meat like chicken. Aeropeurto is a mixture of both arroz chaufa and tallarín saltado. Gallina TipaKay is sweet and sour chicken that tasted even better in Peru. The portions are huge and you get these massive plates for 12-15 soles that were really big enough for 2 meals but I would somehow always finish the whole thing. And it came with either wonton soup or fried wontons! Unfortunately I took no photos of my crazy big plates of Chifa.
There was also some nice bars in town that me, Joe, and Lorna would end up at night time for a beer and some good conversations. Since the food was so cheap I would usually spend as much money on 2 beers as 2 meals. My first night I had posted an Instagram story that I was in Huaraz and Dan, an Irish guy I met 6 weeks before in Minca, messaged me saying he was also in town so we grabbed a beer. Interactions like this were a big reason I started posting Instagram stories. It really is a good way for other backpackers to reach out if they are in the same town, and visa versa. I also tried Inka Kola which is a popular soda in Peru but I found it to be terrible. I ended up having it a few more times and it got slightly better but still nothing I would ever order.
The Lodging
I spent my time in 2 different hostels because I stayed longer than I originally thought and my first place booked up. My first 3 nights were spent at Vacahouse Huaraz B&B and even though I booked a 4 person dorm I ended up in a 2 person, which was really nice. My roommate, Marguerite was a super cool Belgian girl and while we didn’t book any hikes/treks together we always ended up doing the same ones on the same days. She had a really strong hiking pace like me so we spent a lot of time together on the trails having some great convos. People from Belgium are lucky when it comes to languages since it’s such a small country that has multiple different languages spoken and she spoke 4 well – Dutch, French, Spanish, and English. My friends Joe and Lorna, a couple from England, who I met at Blink School in Medellin were also in Huaraz at the same time (we had been communicating about it) and happened to be staying in the same hostel, so I spent every day with them hiking and every night grabbing dinner and a night cap beer.
My 2nd hostel was Lhotse Hostel B&B and the private rooms were so cheap that I figured why not get one and have my own space. There was a small TV and at night time I would watch movies and shows for Spanish practice.
Both hostels were very local. The family running each one lived in the back of the building and had kids running around (or babies in their hands at all times) so it was another opportunity for good Spanish practice; they knew little to no English. It was not like your typical hostel solely catered to backpackers where you could speak to the person at the desk in Spanish but they likely knew English. So when I got info on the tours and made my reservations it was all Spanish.
Hiking
I will go into a little detail about the hikes but a picture is worth a 1000 words and that classic corny statement is especially true for the hikes just outside Huaraz. It can be hard to describe but once you see it, then you believe it. There truly is such a magical energy to hiking in the Andes beyond just the beautiful landscapes. Maybe it’s the crazy high altitude but you truly feel something more powerful drawing you to hike in the mountains and you start craving more. I could have easily spent a month hiking in this area alone; and maybe someday in the future I will. It truly was my happy place.
Lake Wilcacocha (4.6 miles, 1978 feet elevation gain, in and out)
Before you start hiking the real big boys in the surrounding area, it’s essential to acclimate to the crazy high altitude. Joe, Lorna, and I did this short, morning hike together and it was quite easy to get to without a guide. We just took the $2 colectivo from nearby the center of Huaraz and a quick 25 min drive had us dropped off at the trailhead. It was hard at first getting used to altitude and the trail also started out super steep. The first 20 minutes were a real challenge and it made me question my readiness for high elevation Andes hiking. A lot of hikes start out like this where you wonder how your going to keep this up for multiple hours but then you get in the zone and everything starts becoming more of a rhythmic pace.
We walked through some little “villages” in the middle and it’s pretty amazing to think people actually live this far away from society in the mountains. I had to double check AllTrails frequently and still an old man in town pointed us in the right direction. We discussed how crazy it used to be traveling internationally before smart phones trying to hike or get around and always getting lost. But also it must have been nice because it forced you to talk to locals and actually be resourceful. We had some great convos throughout the hike. I love chatting with Joe and Lorna for the jokes but also serious stuff.
Me and Joe’s humor is cut from the same cloth; our jokes almost always land. Really good people that I plan to remain in touch with throughout my trip since we’re going to a lot of the same places and I hope to visit in England someday. The Laguna wasn’t great (which we had read online) but the views were phenomenal. This was a good, short hike for acclimatizing and getting a taste of Andes hiking; and I was already excited for me.
Laguna 69 (8.4 miles, 2726 feet elevation gain, in and out)
While this trip is done through a tour because you need to take a bus, the guide acts more as a safety net than a wealth of knowledge. He walked behind everyone to make sure we all made it to the top but otherwise wasn’t needed. The bus picked me, Joe, and Lorna from the hostel with an early 5am departure. It goes around to all the different hostels and I was half asleep in the back and the guy that sat next to me looked super familiar but I didn’t want to start a convo at 5 in the morning. Once we got to our breakfast stop before the hike, we both recognized each other fully and he was an Israeli guy I had met 6 weeks prior in San Gil…small world.
This hike is definitely best represented through photos. The beginning was a flat meadow with snow melt streams flowing every which directions. It was a magical feeling walking between the massive Andes mountains. I am in love. The clouds get caught in the mountain peaks but we still had some incredible panoramic views.
After a few miles, the trail slowly started winding up the mountain. The switchbacks starting getting steeper toward the end of this section and the altitude really started to factor in as we reached over 13 and 14K feet high. I stopped for an orange break and actually found it more difficult to catch my breath again after resting. It was easier to just keep going with a slow stride than to stop entirely. Rhythm and pace is everything in high altitude hiking.
The trail flatted out for first the little laguna and it was a chance to appreciate just how high we were, and yet the mountains still towered above us. The insane mountain backdrop with steep cliff sides and pointed peaks was an absolutely incredible sight to see. What a place!
After a bit more steady uphill, the last half mile was switchbacks into a steep final incline. This was certainly the most challenging part of the hike and I just kept focusing on my breathing with each step keeping up my pace. The people below looked like ants compared to where I was at. While it was very difficult I was pleased that I felt totally fine with the altitude. I felt acclimated and knew I could do more hikes in this area at this elevation.
I made it to the top at 15,104 feet high and was one of the first people of the 2 buses to arrive so it was nice to have the laguna with less people before the crowd showed up. The color of the water is a stunning shade of blue that looks fake. Then you throw in the giant mountains behind it and you’d swear that it was all a dream.
Absolutely stunning landscape and such a feeling of accomplishment to complete my first 15er. And all things considered it really wasn’t too hard. I think it was more challenging to do a 14er in Colorado but also totally different terrain when you climb to a mountain peak and scramble along the rocks. Laguna 69 was a just stop off, not a peak. Since I arrived so early it gave me more time to chill at the laguna and enjoy the scenic view. When Joe and Lorna got to the top we ate our sandwiches and soaked it all in. I had various other conversations with people from the bus as everyone was in good spirits at the top. The clouds were continually moving this high up and we got to see more of the mountain peaks as time past.
At last it was time to head down, in which we got to continue to enjoy the incredible landscape; this time looking in the other direction. And the lighting was actually better since it was now early afternoon instead of the early morning haze. Me and Marguerite had some really good convos on the way down. When we got to the bottom I did have a slight headache due to the change from being over 15K feet to about 12K. Nothing too bad but it was interesting because you normally worry about the going up part, but actually going back down to lower altitude can have a strong impact on your body too. What a day! I would recommend this hike to anyone and everyone. It was one of my favorites that I’ve ever done.
Santa Cruz Trek (3 days, 28.1 miles, 7562 feet elevation gain, 9000 feet elevation loss, point to point)
The People
It was a very diverse group of people with a German couple (Sofia and Alex), a Dutch couple (Isa and Marek), 2 French girls (Kenza and Nadège), 1 Japanese girl (Yo-Yo) and me. I was the only native English speaker yet it was the common tongue so that is what we spoke although each pairing would take to each other in their mother tongue. By the first night we had a very strong group chemistry and really got to know each other. My energy was buzzing from the beautiful hiking so I earned my typical reputation as a goofy jokester. Every night we would play this fun card game for hours. Kenza couldn’t remember the name so I called the game “No Recuerdo” it because it was a memory game. The first night we also played a fun game I made up where each person said a word in their language and we had to guess it. We would narrow it down with good questions: Is it a place? Is it a food? Etc. Since everyone knew English I thought of slang words.
In an effort to practice my Spanish I would talk to our guide Hernan in Spanish whenever I could. It was really good at times but also sometimes I just wanted to switch back to English. I like to practice for 30 min to an hour but 3 days is a lot. I didn’t always understand his questions or response but Hernan and I did have some good conversations. Every night he would give each of us 2 Quecha words to remember and quizzed us the next day so that we learned a little more about the culture and language. Some of my word that I will never forget are 1-2-3: Hook-ishkay-keemsay. Quechua is the most widely spoken indigenous language in Peru and was once the lingua Franca of the Incas. It’s spoken so widely in South America that there are now 45 dialects within the Quechua language family. It’s one of Peru’s official languages and is used as the main everyday language in many rural areas. Quechua is most commonly spoken in the southern and central highland areas of Peru. For most people in the mountains it’s the first language they learn before Spanish.
Getting In
I got picked up at 5am from my hostel by the mini van and was the 2nd one in the van before picking up the others. Everyone was quiet and tired on the way up so not much group connection to start, but that changed pretty quickly once we started hiking. We went past where we hiked for Laguna 69 and the squiggle road up had the most insane views of the Andes. It took a few hours to go a short distance as we carved our way around the mountain. Snow capped with peaks above the clouds, bright blue lagunas, jagged cliffs, steep valleys. It was pretty amazing they could even build roads up here. The road was built terrace style where you slowly make your way higher. Dating back to Incas and probably further, Peruvians have always been ingenious at building in the mountains. This rundown old van can somehow still make it up. I give a lot of credit to the drivers of the tour as they handle these narrow mountains roads with such ease. Whenever another car was heading the other direction, one of the cars would have to back up and find a spot to pull to the side with just enough room for both cars to fit. After a solid 7 hour drive we finally made it to our starting point at Vaquería.
Day 1 (6.6 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain, 800 feet elevation loss)
We had mules to carry our extra clothes and only had to pack day bags which was nice given the altitude. The trek started with a downhill path into village road through pueblos. It’s pretty incredible that so many people still live this deep in Huascaran National Park 10,000+ feet high and miles away from civilization. After a quick lunch break there was a slight uphill along the road that eventually narrowed to the size of a hiking trail before we entered the countryside. Now the true beauty of this area showed as we hiked through the meadow surrounded by mountains on both sides. Alex who was a geologist provided some insight about how the valley was formed from glaciers melting and pointed to where you could see the former glaciers. We had 2 dogs that followed us the whole way (and continued to follow us until the end) that we decided to name since clearly they were part of the group.
After about 4 hours we arrived at our campsite in the valley called Paria and sitting at 12,665 feet high. Unlike the Ciudad Perdida which had sanctioned campsites with beds, we helped Hernan and the chef setup the tents that we’d be sleeping in. Yo-Yo and I were roommates since we were the odd pairing of countries. There was two additional tents that were much larger – one for Hernan and the chef to cook in and the other for us to eat in/play cards games and hang out. There was also a little “bathroom tent” setup with a hole dug for obvious reasons.
We had snack and tea time and played No Recuerdo and my language guessing game I described above. The dinner wasn’t nearly as good as lost city trek but props to Hernan and the chef for cooking meals for 8 people while camping. After Hernan taught us each our 2 Quecha words to learn, we were in our tents to sleep by 8:30. Everyone was exhausted after the 5am departure from Huaraz, a long car ride, and a few hours of hiking. It was cold and rainy that night so sleeping in a tent was tough even with a nice sleeping bag.
Day 2 (7.6 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain, 2500 feet elevation loss)
It was still raining when we woke up and after breakfast we decided to hit the trail because who knows how long we would have had to wait out the rain. After about 30 minutes the rain stopped but it was still incredibly grey and cloudy. While you couldn’t see the surrounding scenery very well there was a mystical nature to the fog that provided this sense of tranquility. We continued along a slight uphill trajectory for the next hour before hitting a fork in the trail and reaching the steep uphill section that would last for over an hour to get to top of the mountain pass.
Kenza was a very slow hiker and way behind the group, which Hernan allowed for, so I decided since I’m way faster I’ll just zip ahead of the group. It’s safer to have someone way ahead than way behind since we were all going to the same place. It was a bit disappointing not to have the views on the way up but hard to complain when trekking through the Andes. The experience was still very magical and I was in my happy place; views or not. At this point I was way in front of the group, all alone, and just focused on my tranquil thoughts and my breathing as I reached over 14K feet then over 15K. It was a switchback staircase of rocks out of the valley before walking up the face of the rock following whatever seemed most like a path. The fog made it hard to see exactly where I was going but as long as I was going up then I knew all was well. Plus I had my AllTrails going so I wasn’t ever going to get too lost. I did a good job acclimatizing being in Huaraz 4 nights and doing Laguna wilcacocha and Laguna 69; I didn’t actually feel the altitude that much. Just got into my stride and made my way up the mountain at a good pace.
I made it to the top of the mountain pass which was called Punta Union and was 15,584 feet high. Unfortunately there was no view, fog as far as the eye could see. I ate my lunch and a light rain/light snow mixture started so I found a spot that was slightly covered. Once that stopped I laid on a rock and relaxes until the group arrived. From the time I got to Punta Union, I ended up waiting for an hour for the group to show up. Wow glad I powered ahead by myself. The uphill section was challenging both steepens and the high altitude but I’m so glad that I just went at my pace rather than with the others. It’s actually easier just to go at your own speed – whether it’s slow or fast.
We could finally start to see some of the blue lagoon and mountains behind although it was still cloudy. Eventually we were able to see the valley as well. Not the views it should have but it was something. We stayed at the top for a bit hoping it would continue to get better but after 45 minutes it was time to keep moving. After Punta Union the rest of the trek was downhill from here. It started with a steep rocky switchback into the valley where it was important to be careful and not slip. Hernan and I ended up running way ahead of the group again because he wanted to start cooking lunch and I just have a fast pace. “Colin, caminas siempre muy rápido.”
Once inside the valley, the sky was the bluest it had been all day so we were finally able to see some more of the mountains – although still lots of blockage from clouds. The scenery was like something out of a nature documentary; just absolutely stunning. There was mountains 20,000+ feet high in all directions surrounding the valley in a circular formation. It felt like we were in the center of a football field with the mountains acting as the stands. The clouds get trapped in the mountains so it’s hard to see the peaks but just the sheer magnitude of it all was an indescribable feeling.
Our campsite was Taullipampa and 13,944 feet high, and this time it had already been setup for us by Hernan and the chef. That afternoon/evening we played more no recuerdo, had our Quecha quiz and learned a new word, and had lomo soltado for dinner. Once again we were all super tired and went to bed by 8. This night was even colder and rainier than the one before. It was really hard to stay asleep in such cold weather.
Day 3 (13.9 miles, 200 feet elevation gain, 3900 feet elevation loss)
We woke up and it was cold and wet that the group decided to walk all the way back and just do the trek in 3 days rather than 4. Everyone struggled to sleep in the freezing cold the night before and was just ready to be back to civilization. If the group energy was different I could have done another night of camping but also was totally fine to just get back to Huaraz that night. The day started with an open, flat plain that had beautiful flowers and a cloudy mountain backdrop.
The weather today was a little nicer but still a bit grey and not sunny. The whole day was either flat or downhill so that part was easy, but we hiked a lot of miles. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous along the way and my soul was content to soak it all in. After passing a Laguna we started to walk along the river and all the sudden it was a totally different landscape and flora. It felt more desert-like as we started getting to lower elevation. The last bit was steep downhill switchbacks and I ended up hiking it with my Belgian friend Marguerite that I always ran into (she was doing the trek at the same time but with a different group so we continually ran into each other over the 3 days). The trek finished in the town of Cashapampa which was a completely different landscape and elevation than where we started just a few days before as we had traversed over 25 miles in the backcountry of Huascaran National Park.
The weather on the trek was shitty but the overall experience was still incredible. The landscapes that we could see were phenomenal; I got that sense of accomplishment for hiking over 15K feet; and there really is nothing better than the feeling of hiking in the Andes. Once again I was lucky to have a really awesome group of people with strong chemistry. By the end it felt like we were all best friends with inside jokes and strong connections. The hostel was surprised to see me when I got back a night early but I had told them how it was too wet and cold so the group decided to finish the trek in 3 days instead of 4.
Since we had finished the trek a day early, the group met up in Huaraz the next day for lunch and drinks. The group chemistry was still strong and it was fun to hang with everyone again. We went to a cocktail bar and it felt like were the first people the bartender had seen in ages because he described every special drink on the menu in detail for nearly 20 minutes. Also he took photos of us with our drinks and he put it on his Facebook page. To his credit, he was actually playing some jams. I was the oldest person in the group and usually you don’t really notice/care about age differences when backpacking because everyone is pretty mature and worldly traveled. But the one time you do is with generational gaps for things like music, movies, historic events, etc. A song came on and I was like I remember when this came out my senior year of high school. Well the rest of the group was 21-23 so they were like I was 8 when this came out. Okay now I feel the age difference…
Nevada Mateo (1.8 miles, 1339 feet elevation gain, in and out)
I got my one day of rest after ending the Santa Cruz trek a day early so I was ready to get right back at it. Once again I am chasing the views and Mother Nature won’t be allow for it giving me wet and cloudy weather. But this experience was absolutely insane, the snowy weather made for one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve ever had. Move over rafting the Zambezi river, there’s a new top extreme adventure in my life.
The pick up time for this one was brutally early at 3am. Hernan had given me his friend’s contact, Nilton, to do the mountaineering experience to the top of Nevada Mateo. The day before Yo Yo and I went to his office to be fitted for our boots and get the rundown of the experience. The group was me, her, and Nadège – members of the Santa Cruz crew getting back together for another outdoors experience. And once again Marguerite was also doing the same excursion but with a different group.
In the morning it was lightly snowing but it kept seeming like it would split and blue skies would come. The way up was a rocky scramble and while I thought this was kind of hard and dangerous, it paled in comparison to the way down. There was a few sections where a small misstep would have you tumbling down the mountain so the slippery conditions made it a little extra scary. My heart was racing more from this than the altitude. Once we got toward the top the snow only got heavier and any semblance of blue skies was gone.
We strapped on our crampons and Nilton tied the rope into our harnesses for the ascent through the deep snow up to the peak. I was in the back making sure to keep my distance from Yo Yo because you don’t want the rope to touch the ground. As we made our way up the steep ascent, we were just inches away from crazy drop offs that would not lead to a happy ending. The altitude was an after thought as the brain focused more on not slipping and not falling down the side of the mountain. I continually kept thinking how crazy this was as the snow continued to dump on us and the visibility remained poor. It was a one step at a time type of affair with all focus being on the next step. There was no thinking, just doing. My heart was racing the entire time from the adrenaline and the altitude.
It took us 25-30 minutes to make it to the top but holy shit we did it…5150 meters high (16,896 feet)! Unfortunately you couldn’t see a damn thing but I’m sure this view is normally absolutely insane. After getting some photos and resting for a minute we started our descent. This time I was in the front since I was in the back before. The steep downhill with crampons was super exhausting on the ankles and my group was going way too slow which caused me to have to continually stop at an angle and wait. But when your all roped together you have to work as a team. Once again we had to go around some parts where just a few inches meant a steep drop off that would lead to serious injury or worse. No biggie.
After we got past the crampon part I felt relieved but that feeling didn’t last long. Now the real insanity began, we had to make it down the rock scramble which was completely covered in snow at this point. Everything was snowy and slippery as we made our way down the rocks having to constantly use our hands or sit on our butts to avoid slipping. On top of all that waterways from the snowmelt were forming in the middle of the path. This was probably some of the hardest and scariest hiking I’ve ever done. Multiple times Nilton strapped the rope into our harness and had us slide down on our butts smacking into rocks and just trying not to slide over the edge. Streams of water were rushing down the path as the snow melted. There was one part where a waterfall had formed in the path requiring us to basically repel down.
This adrenaline rush and crazy experience made up for the lack of views. It wasn’t until the very end when we finally made it to flat ground that we could take a sigh of relief. Words cannot describe how crazy those 5 hours were. The extreme weather conditions made the experience so much more wild. I’m so glad that I did it but boy was it hard and scary. I’m not sure if it made me more and less excited about the prospect of doing Cotopaxi in Ecuador, which requires 5 hours each way in crampons. We’ll see if I end up doing it. But I’m glad to say I now know what it feels like to mountaineer and it’s fucking crazy. A whole different type of experience than hiking.
Final Thoughts
Huaraz is such an amazing and authentic mountain town that I will definitely revisit in the future. The surrounding area has the best hiking and most beautiful landscapes that I have ever seen. I was a bit sad that I didn’t do the 8 day Huayhuash trek with Joe and Lorna but it’s just all the more reason to come back again. That trek is now toward the top of my bucket list. There’s also so many other hikes and mountaineering experiences that I didn’t do. I couldn’t recommend this area enough to anyone that loves hiking. It is one of the most magical places on earth.
This was a really great post Colin! Huaraz sounds like a wonderful place. Thank you for sharing it with us.