Firefighting brigades need volunteers and donations; Colombia resumes electricity transfers; Drone use is restricted; Options for horseback riding near Cuenca

Domingo, 17/11/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

El “arte contemporáneo” de María Verónica León (The “contemporary art” of María Verónica León) – The Ecuadorian artist María Verónica León is one of 40 artists invited to exhibit in a collective show at the Galería de Arte Contemporáneo OFF (av. 10 de Agosto, 150 m. <west> from the Virgen de Bronce church). The Guayaquileña artist currently lives and works in Dubai. She represented Ecuador in the 56 Exposición Internacional de Arte in Venice and was the first Ecuadorian contemporary artist to have an individual show at a museum in Rome as well as an individual show in Doha, Qatar.

The Cuenca Emergency Operations Committee is asking the public for donations to help fight the forest fires near the city. (El Mercuiro)

Cabalgatas, un cara a cara con entorno natural (Horseback riding, a face to face with the natural environment) – The best means of transport in the countryside is a horse. There are 2 alternatives in Cuenca for visitors to have direct contact with nature and the animals. Fabian Izquierda’s hacianda San Juan, 19 km. from the center of the city, is in the Victoria del Portete Parish. There are 3 routes for guided rides around the 30 hectares of the hacienda: the forest route, the smuggler’s route, and the lake route. <I wonder what was being smuggled? Livestock?> Visitors have choices of horses including those muy mansos (tame/gentle – our word for the day). The cost to ride is $20/hr./person. There is also an option for a day in the country which costs the same but takes less time and includes lunch.

El Boquerón is the other option, located in Turi. Among those offering rides to the El Boquerón hill is Aquiles Cisneros who has 2 horses always available from the parking lot, next to the access to the hill. The horses belong to neighbors in the communities such as Trinidad, San Pedro, Monjas, Agua Santa and others. With reservations, they can prepare for rides with more than 10 horses any day of the week. Currently they have 2 services. The first is a horseback ride to the hill, and the 2nd a route via an old chaquiñan (path) and a 2nd order road to the El Verde sector. The cost to rent the horses is $5.00. At the high part of the hill is a gentle horse named ‘Clavel’ who likes children who can get on him and get their picture taken without problems. <If the owner allows, I bet that horse will be a friend for life if you bring him an apple or a carrot.>

Titular –

Lamentamos lo que provocamos (We regret what we have caused) –
Perú ayuda contraincendios (Peru helps with firefighting) – See today’s (domingo) article in CHL for story.
The cantonal Comité de Operaciones de Emergencia (COE) met and among the actions taken, it is asking for citizen help. If you are able to collaborate with the firefighting brigades, contact Javier Guamán, chief of Security for the Cuenca Fire Department at Station #5 on De Las Americas and Miguel Heredia. <I’m not sure how they would receive offers of help from seniors, no matter how fit you are.> Also needed are the help of all-terrain vehicles such as Polaris, Cuadrones, and motorcycles to transport personnel to the affected zone. Also needed are non-perishable foods and tools such as machetes, batefuegos (firebats), and shovels, but not cash.

Citizens can make these donations through ETAPA and the Fire Department. Access to the Parque Nacional de Cajas is restricted and use of the recreational areas is prohibited. Also use of drones is controlled, and only qualified responding organizations can use them after coordination with the Fire Department to avoid conflicts with helicopter flights. <So, rein in that impulse to get those dramatic Pulitzer Prize-winning pictures of the fires from above. You don’t want to be the owner of the drone that gets tangled up with a helicopter delivering a bambi bucket full of water.>

Nacional –

Energía de Colombia da un leve alivio al Ecuador (Energy from Colombia gives Ecuador slight relief) – The Ministerio de Energía y Minas of Colombia approved a resolution to resume energy exports to Ecuador which had been suspended el 30/9. Colombian businesses can only sell energy generated by thermal power plants that operate with liquid combustibles such as diesel or fuel oil. The resolution calculated that Ecuador’s energy deficit is 1,100 megawatts, but Colombia can only send 400 MW since that is the maximum capacity of the lines connecting the 2 countries. The decision to export electricity to Ecuador was also made because Colombian reservoirs reached a minimum level. If the water levels sink below 60% full, electricity exports will be suspended again to preserve power for local consumption. The weather forecast for Colombia is for intense rains with Inamhi in Ecuador not predicting any rain.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne