Cuenca prepares for the holidays; Noboa qualifies for election; Parks get upgrades; Vegetarian options in Cuenca; Local universities rate high in region

Martes, 8/10/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Compra de entradas para concierto tendrá fin social (Purchase of concert tickets will have a social purpose) – The first big show to announce that it will be coming to the fiestas of Cuenca is an international concert with the Colombian group Piso 21, Panamanian Aldo Ranks, and Cuencano Javier Neira. The concert will be el 2/11 a las 20:00 in the “Alejandro Serrano Aguilar” stadium. You can get tickets through an exchange that will finance the purchase of non-perishable items.

With the Guayaquil holidays this weekend and the Cuenca holidays later this month, there are a wide variety of concerts and cultural events on offer. (El Mercurio)

The Empresa Municipal de Desarrollo Económico (EDEC EP) will assemble food packages to deliver to families in need. You can get the “tickets” from the Red de Farmacias Solidarias (Farmasol EP). The Zona Box costs $20, Palco – $12, Tribuna and Pista – $8, Preferencia – $7, and General – $4.00. The goal is to assemble 10,000 kits. The first 6,000 people who buy tickets will get a manilla (wristband?) for a raffle with winners getting an opportunity to meet the performers.

The agenda to celebrate the 204th anniversary of the Independence of Cuenca will be available el 21/10. There will be over 170 events of all kinds including 2 more city organized concerts, ferias, scenic arts presentations, noches cuencanas, traditional games, and more. There are also events for the 9 de octubre (Independence of Guayaquil). That holiday will start this coming viernes with culinary and cultural activities, ferias and more.

Edgar Segarra se inspira en riqueza natural del Austro (Edgar Segarra is inspired by the Austro’s natural richness) – Artist Edgar Segarra has returned to Ecuador after 6 years after showing his work internationally, marking an inflection point in his career. Inspired by nature in the south part of the country, he has painted large scale works which are at the Museo de los Metales (Av. Solano 11-83 in the Tres Puentes sector). Hours are lunes a viernes from 9:00 – 13:00 and from 15:00-19:00.

Tienda Artesanal (Handicraft Shop) – The crafts shop, “Mujeres que dejan huellas” (Women who leave their mark) was opened on the weekend in the Casa Patrimonial Chaguarchimbana. The space is dedicated to the promotion and sales of arts and crafts created in the workshops taught at the site <I hope of a higher caliber than macaroni glued to soup cans and sprayed with gold paint>. The initiative has the goal of reactivating the popular economy and solidarity thereby strengthening artistic, cultural, and patrimonial education in its not formal and informal forms.

Titular –

Rechazo al apagón industrial (Rejection of the industrial blackout) – See the article in Tuesday’s CHL for story.

Cuenca –

De El Mercurio del lunes, 7//10/2024 (1 article):
Mejoras en 4 parques (Improvements at 4 parks) – The Empresa Municipal de Aseo de Cuenca (EMAC EP) has renovated the children’s play structures at 4 parks: 3 lineal parks along 24 de Mayo, Pumapungo, and 1° de Mayo, and at the parque Paraíso. 75 children’s games were purchased for $363,000 and include stations, climbing walls, slides, carousels and bio-healthy games. <I saw one set from my dentist’s office. It made me want to go down and play on them. The last time I tried playing on a kids’ game at parque De la Madre, a park guard chased me off. Probably wondering what is that old dingbat thinking? That she’s 8 years old again? Her family needs to supervise her when she goes out.>

Tema –

De El Mercurio del lunes, 7//10/2024 (2 articles):

El camino verde: beneficios y desfíos del vegetarianismo (The green way: benefits and challenges of vegetarianism) – The article describes vegetarianism and its variations, reasons, roots in different cultures, benefits, and challenges. It also has a list of the best vegetarian food in the world from Taste Atlas, the name and origin of the dish, where/when it’s eaten, and its ingredients. <Of course you can differ and offer your own favorites or alter the ingredients listed, keeping in mind cooks make the same dish using different recipes. And I bet those of you commenting most stridently on the correctness or not of a dish are the ones who can’t even boil water.>
1. Calentita – street food – Algeria – garbanzo flour, vegetable oil, eggs, cumin, salt, black pepper.
2. Falafel – street food – Egypt – broad beans, onion, leek, garlic, cilantro, parsley, dill, and cumin.
3. Diri ak pwa – rice plate – Haiti – rice, beans <like cristianos y moros here? or rice and peas in Jamaica?>
4. Maakouda – appetizer – Morroco – potatoes, parsley, garlic, wheat flour, salt, black papper.
5. Yudofu – appetizer – Japan, magnesium, calcium, soy drink <Sounds like ingredients for home made tofu.>
6. Guacamole – dressing – Mexico – avocado, lemon, onion, serrano chili, cilantro, salt.
7. Gemistá – vegetable dish – Greece – tomato, peppers, olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mint, parsley.
8. Muhammara – dressing – Syria – peppers, olive oil, walnuts, lemon juice, molasses, garlic, salt.
9. Shahi paneer – stew – India – paneer (Indian cheese), onion, almonds, salsa de tomate <catsup or tomato sauce depending on if you’re Ecuadorian or gringo>, cilantro, naan or roti or puri (Indian flat breads).
10. Tempe goreng – stew – Indonesia – Soy tempeh, garlic, onion, salt.
<Can I add colada morada to the list? Beverage – Ecuador – too many ingredients to list.>

Variedad de alimentos andinos (Variety of Andean foods) – The Andean region offers a variety of nutricious and traditional foods that are ideal for a vegetarian diet <or is it a life style?>. They are rich in proteins, fiber and essential nutrients; they are an important part of the local cuisine, and have a low environmental impact. The list includes quinua; potato; oca which is a tuber that is smaller and sweeter than a potato; chocho, a legume high in protein similar to soy beans <you can find them near the green beans and corn in the refrigerated section of SuperMaxi — a healthier snack than potato chips>; corn; amaranth which is another very nutritious Andean pseudo-cereal; camote. These foods can form the basis of a balanced vegetarian diet by contributing proteins, essential vitamins and minerals.

Sucesos –

De El Mercurio del lunes, 7//10/2024 (1 article):
Intendencia suspende fiesta clandestina con 200 menores (Municipality suspends clandestine party with 200 minors) – Last weekend, the National Police suspended a party, supposedly to celebrate the 15th birthday of the organizer’s daughter. But this was ruled out since it was treated as a Halloween party and had a cost to attend. Authorities verified that there were minors between 12 & 13 and the existence of alcoholic drinks. The invitation was through a chat group including students in various high schools in Cuenca, and especially worrisome was the offer of a “barra libre toda la noche” (“open bar all night” – your words for the day, and for some of you a real attraction at an event.) Bottles of liquor were seized. The teens found were placed under orders <not sure what that means> and later delivered to their representatives. Authorities said that 90% of the parents didn’t know what type of party their kids had gone to, but there were 2 or 3 who opposed or criticized that the authorities intervened. The police said they didn’t close the location since it was a private house which had been borrowed for the event.

Marcela Neira, an educational psychologist, suggested that it is necessary to promote a healthy environment to prevent the consumption of alcohol by minors. There should be open communication and an honest dialogue about the risks of alcohol. <It would be easier if there were an aggressive sloppy drunk in the family that no one wants to be around to point to.> She suggested promoting alternative healthy entertainment activities such as sports or art, and keeping young people busy to reduce temptations. Parents should know who their childrens’ friends are.

Nacional –

CNE califica la candidatura de Noboa (CNE qualifies Noboa’s candidacy) – The presidential candidacy of Daniel Noboa is firm and was ratified by the Consejo National Electoral after 3 days in which no objections were received. <I don’t think a letter sent to the CNE saying (in English or Google Spanish) that you think he’s done a s**y job counts as a legitimate objection. That’s why you’re going to vote, right?> His vice presidential candidate is María José Pinto González Artigas. <I hope he’s picked a VP he can get along with and won’t have to banish to Israel in the middle of a war.>

Other parties and teams guaranteed participation in the 9/2/2025 elections are Unidad Popular (Jorge Escala y Pacha Terán), Partido Sociedad Patriótica (Andrea González y Galo Moncayo), and the CREO movement (Francesco Tabacchi y Blanca Sacancela). As of yesterday the CNE also qualified another 10 teams from the PID movement, the alliance with the Revolución Ciudadana-RETO, the Partido Social Cristiano, Avanza, the Amigo movement, the Partido Socialista Ecuatoriano, Democracia Sí, and Construye. Approval is on hold for SUMA (Jan Topic y Mishell Calvache) who were objected to by the Partido Sociedad Patriótica and Pachakutik (Carlos Rabascall y María Alejandra Rivas). The Centro Democrático movement asked to correct requirements, did so, and is in the process of a new analysis by CNE.

De El Mercurio del lunes, 7//10/2024 (1 article):
3 universidades azuayas en top de América Latina (3 Azuayan universities in the top of Latin America) – The Consejo de Educación Superior (CES) announced that 23 universities and polytechnical schools were highlighted in the QS Top Universities de América Latina 2025. On the list were 3 institutions in Azuay: the University of Cuenca at number 7, the University of Azuay at number 14, and the Universidad Católica de Cuenca at number 19. The list was topped by the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, followed by the Politécnica del Litoral and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE). A revised article today (martes) added the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana to the top universities at number 9.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne