Jueves 31/3/2016: Extraterrestrials live in a cave, Classic cars parade, Sign up for the rodeo, ‘El Loco’ sues Ecuador, Radio Francia

Hola, Todos – 

Pagina cultural – 

Becas (scholarships) – for musicians to study abroadjn.  go to www.latingrammy.com/es/fundacion-cultural-latin-grammy.

Muestra pictórica (pictorial exhibition) – “Cuencaricaturas, el arte con humor”  (Cuencartoons (luckily English lends itself to the same play on words as the Spanish), art with humor – but you really didn’t need me did you? Every American knows “con” from “chile con carne.”  Or maybe you didn’t.) opened yesterday at the Galería de la Alcaldía.  Architect and cartoonist David Jiménez Landivar has drawn for El Mercurio and Vistazo Magazine.

Radio Francia – Radio Francia Internacional has launched a new site for online radio. The site will have all of the news and programming “en redifusión” (I think it means rebroadcast. Google translate didn’t know either.)  Go to www.espanol.rfi.fr to listen. (Don’t know if it’s in French of Spanish – if you’re interested, you’ll find out.)

Articles about –

“Miss tetas lo dicen todo” (Miss titties tells all), a monologue by Monserrath Astudillo will run from today to Sat. in the Teatro Pumapungo, all shows at 20.00. Her stand up routine talks about the hard path after a birth, including her postpartum depression.

UFOs – (did I get the attention of all you conspiracy theorists?) and their relationship with the Cueva de los Tayos will be the subject of a talk by Nelson Pineda Brito on Fri at 18:30 in the old building of the Catalinas (Mariscal Sucre y Hermano Miguel). Extraterrestrials supposedly live in the cave.  (If you know enough Spanish, it sounds like it could be interesting.) Cost: $5.00.

Reopening – of the Pedro Páramo bookstore will be today at 19:00 with a poetry recital from 3 local poets.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Disputa de espacios en la feria libre (Dipute over spaces at Feria Libre) – two groups each wanted to occupy the same space in front of the transfer station at Feria Libre.  Police controlled the situation before it got physical.  The city plans to start an itinerant commercial area in Narancay.

Planta de asphalta – will be inaugurated today.  The plant will be able to produce 300-400 cubic meters of asphalt daily.  The market price of asphalt is $120, and the plant can make it for $100.  This will lower the cost of paving projects by 20%.  The city is also getting a fleet of 12 dumptrucks, a roller and a paving machine.

Abandoned dogs and cats – were found around Feria Libre yesterday. Several had been dumped in trashbins.  Municipal Police took the puppies and kittens to the station at Feria Libre. The abandonment problem is worse on Wed & Sat.

Realtor license – the Asociación de Corredores de Bienes Raíces (ACBIR) and the U of Azuay signed an agreement for a course leading to a Realtor’s license.  The course will run from 31/3 to 14/6.  Register at the ACBIR office on Ordóñez Lazo 5-55 y Los Cedros.  Call 407 5807 for more info.  (So now you buyers and renters can ask if your “realtor” is licensed.  You might be pleased to hear that ethics is one of the subjects.)

Your sliver of life article for today is – about stonecutting which is still done by hand on the skirts of Cojitambo hill.  About 40 stonemasons work to order and cut stone to size for building facades, stairs and walls. ´

Ex-president Abdalá Bucaram (the one known as El Loco) – is suing Ecuador for torture and political persecution.  He’s suing for an apology and monetary damages. (I wonder if he left with suitcases full of Sucres which became worthless and now he needs more money.  And is he suing here, or from his residence in Panama.)

Classic cars – The Club de Autos Clásicos will have a parade on Sat, 9/4 at 10:00 in the av. Solano sector.  (I should go and see if a big Healey I saw once will be in the parade.  I want to hear the sound of that engine, and hope the owner hasn’t stuck a little Chevy V-8 in the engine compartment as an “improvement”.)

Fiesta agendas – available on line at the city website – www.cuenca.gob.ec.

Minga de los Ríos – on 8/4 is part of Founding of Cuenca events. It will be at 9:30 starting on 24 de Mayo y Rayoloma with 1,000 students who will clean the banks and plant trees.

Ecoparque Industrial de Chaullayacu – is 80% occupied.  Of the 72 lots, only 16 are still available.  The available lots are about 1,000 sq. m. costing $180.47 per meter. The park is located in Tarqui Parish, 7.5 km south of Cuenca.

Deportes –

“Cactus Rodeo” – this Sat. from 14:00 at the estadio Severo Espinoza.  It’s a semi-professional rodeo and riders can sign up on Facebook: Cactus RODEO for $50. You must be over 18 and have some experience.  Tickets available at Espuela Brava (24 de Mayo) and Cactus Licores (Remigio Crespo).

Freestyle – motorcycle acrobatics on Thu, 31/3 from 18:00 in the Mall del Río.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne