Ecuador and Honduras in UN dispute, Women’s project, Traffic restrictions, Houses for everyone

Lunes, 5/3/2018

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Today’s agenda events

XIV Salón de la Comunicación <I’m not translating this title because anyone likely to go can translate it on their own.> – This event started Monday in the Museo de la Ciudad.

Articles about –

Simón Astudillo Quintanilla – This 95 year old musician, poet and chemist was interviewed. He was one of the first graduates of the Conservatorio “José María Rodríguez.” <If it’s a recent picture, he looks all of 65 or 70.>

“Un libro por un dólar” (A book for $1) – This program will start in the Las Pencas school to promote reading and the distribution and circulation of local literature. The first project will be “Jazz,” a short story by Carlos Vásconez.

Women’s project – The inauguration of the “Mujeres entrenzando Paz y Armonía” (Women training Peace and Harmony) project in honor of the Diá Internacional de la Mujer will be el jueves a las 17:00 in the Museo de las Conceptas. The event will run until 15/6 and explore the themes of cloistered retirement <There are times that sounds really tempting.>, territorial ancestry, history, performances, expositions, and installations.

Economuseo – In honor of the Día Internacional de la Mujer, the Economuseo Casa del Sombrero will open a show el jueves a las 9:00. There will be hats made from paja toquilla (“Panama” hats) with “colibríes” (hummingbirds) painted on the crowns. Each is different. <Will this become the new “it” gringo tourist accessory – to with the sweater with llamas and the cloth “Ecuador” bag?>

Otras cosas –

Titular – Mayor regulación apunta reforma norma de grafitis (Better regulation aims to reform rules for graffiti) – In julio del 2012, the council passed an ordinance to promote and regulate the use of public space for graffiti and mural art. The goal was to provide a space for public art and maintain livability for its residents. The Cantonal Council is planning to improve it since walls and buildings have been tagged with lines and blots. 7 articles of the ordinance are planned to be reformed after an education and publicity campaign and discussions with residents, artists, and other interested people. Part of the new ordinance would include sanctions. <How about paint grants for owners – they get a gallon of free paint that matches their wall, but they have to paint out the grafitti immediately. They don’t paint, they have to pay for the paint on their next tax bill.>

Ecuador y Honduras – The two countries are in a diplomatic dispute over the candidates to direct the General Assembly of the United Nations (ONU – Organización de Naciones Unidas). Ecuador is proposing its Secy of State, María Fernanda Espinosa which took Honduras by surprise. Honduras thought that Ecuador has promised to support its candidate for UN President in exchange for Honduran support for an Ecuadorian judge on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The judge has been sitting on that court since 2016.

Flights suspended – An Avior plane on a flight from Barcelona, Venezuela “salió de la pista” <I love this wording – it left the runway.> last night in Guayaquil during heavy rain. It stopped a buffer zone. There were no injuries. <And that’s why you should wear sensible shoes on flights – you might have to deplane onto wet grass.> Flights were suspended for 3 hours while the plane was towed. <I wonder if the Guayaquil airport is now going to have to resurface its runway.>

New oil field – The state oil company, Petroamazonas will start extracting crude from Bloque 61 “Auca” Orellana. The Tortuga Sur exploration well showed a potential production of 1,200 barrels/day.

Traffic restrictions – Starting mañana and for about 10 days, traffic will be restricted in the redondel at the Feria Libre area in the south to north direction. Traffic will be rerouted with signs and transit officers. The detour will be Las Américas to Remigio Crespo, left on Edwin Sacoto, left on Calle Del Batán and back onto Las Américas.

Farmasol – With the opening of a store in El Vecino, this municipal company now has 30 branches with 19 in urban Cuenca, 9 in rural zones, and 2 in Azogues. The company is doing market studies to see if pharmacies will be feasible in the communities that have requested them. It is also looking at manufacturing pharmaceuticals – medicines.

“Casa para todos” (A house for everyone) – Patricia Huiracocha, director of the technical office for MIDUVI (Housing and Urban Development Ministry) announced that to date, 58 lot have been identified for the Casa para todos project. 8 are type A, meaning they meet al the conditions of the plan. Three of them have advertised for proposals from the construction and real estate sectors. The ministry would like to identify at least one lot in each canton in Azuay.

Abandoned animals – The Guardia Ciudadana was told that there were cardboard boxes full on animals in the Terminal Terrestre area. Officers found 25 puppies, 3 turtles, and a number of “aves de corral” (yard birds) – mostly chickens and geese for a total of 205 animals. They are working with the Comisión de Gestión Ambiental (CGA – Environmental Management Commission) to get the puppies adopted. <The photo shows what looks like part of the back yard of the Guardia Ciudadana headquarters. It’s partitioned off and full of puppies – cute, fluffy, little puppies. Puppies who need a home.>

Hornado de Azogues – A vendor in the mercado Polibio Romero in Azogues was the second place winner in a national hornado contest held in Chimborazo every year. Her recipe starts with a 3-5 month old pig, raised on the coast. She washes it, and seasons it with garlic, cumin, and salt which she leaves on for 1-1/2 to 2 days. She prepares the clay or adobe oven by burning eucalyptus for 2 hours. The wood is moved to the sides and the pigs (from 4-5) are put in and the oven covered for 2 hours. At 2 hours, she checks to make sure the pigs aren’t on fire and leaves them another 12 hours. Usually she puts them in about 6 pm and takes them out at 7 am the next day, ready to eat. <So now all you foodies know where your hornado comes from and how it’s cooked.>

Mujeres Cuenca – This facebook group with 5,035 members, is holding a feria el 8, 9, 10, & 11 de marzo de 10-18:00 in the Mansión Vizcaya. It will be a business networking event with furniture, decoration, fashion, beauty, gastronomy and more.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne