Lunes, 11/1/2016: Hat weaving courses, Road closures, 2016 forecast, Pope will visit Mexico

Hola, Todos – 

Pagina cultural – 
Música – A guitar recital, “indigenismo contemporáneo ecuatoriano” (contemporary Ecuadorian indigenism) opened the II Festival Internacional de Música Contemporánea Monday 11 at 20:00 in the Museo de Arte Moderno.

Exposición – An exhibit, “Hierro forjado del pasado y del presente” (Wrought iron of the past and present) will be at the Museo de la Casa de Chaguarchimbana until 31/1.

Cine – the movie Martin (Hache) will be shown on 13/1 at 19:00 at Lakomuna (Coronel Tálbot y Pdte. Córdova).  (I think that’s the first time I’ve seen Presidente abbreviated that way.)

Articles about –

An interview with Iván Petroff Rojas, List 1’s candidate for presidency of the (CCE) Casa de la Cultura.  (And if you think I’m going to try translate an interview you’re nuts.)  (Besides – this is an election, no? And this is a political speech, no?  So why should I bother translating?)

The Bienal has extended the deadline for entries for 2 more weeks. Entries are due at 00:00 on Fri, 29/1.  Email comunicacion@bienaldecuenca.org for more into.

Hat weaving courses – will be given at the Economuseo Municipal del Sombero y Paja Toquilla starting on 18/1, and last 2 months.  There will be two classes of 25 from 8-12:00 and from 15-18:00.  The goal is to certify 500 new weavers this year including courses planned for children. Foreigners have participated in the classes. Go to the museum to register (calle Rafael María Arízaga 7-95 y Luis Cordero.)

Otras cosas –

Titular – Semana electoral en la U y CCE (Election week at the U (of Cuenca) and the CCE).  The first is electing a rector and vicerector and the second a president.

On-line tax filing – started last Fri for employees who have to present el “anexo de gastos personales” (some kind of personal expenses – an “annex?” – I bet it’s a schedule of expenses.) and who earned more than $10,800 in 2015 and whose expenses exceeded $5,400.  (I think – this was a hard one for me since I know nothing about the tax laws here – that the declarations are tied into the electronic factura system.)

3 economic analysts – feel that the financial situation in 2016 will be the same as in 2015.  The price of oil will remain low and the dollar high. (And the rich countries have rigged the game in their favor.)

II Festival del Mote Pata (2nd Mote Pata (animal feet) Festival) – (now that I’ve got your appetite worked up – oh, did you not think that mote pata was a food?) will be in Tarque on 31/1 just before Carnaval.  (To set your mind and stomach at rest, mote pata is a soup made from mote (the big white corn kernels), pork, peanuts or peanut butter, onions, garlic, spices and milk (opt).)

Roadwork – on the vía a Machala.  Watch out for construction machinery and oncoming traffic.  (You might want to remember this if you’re planning a Peruvian beach vacation and doing your own driving.)

Road closure – for traffic to Loja and Machala – a stretch of E35 around Cumbe will be closed for a major sewer project from Wed, 13/1 to Wed, 27/1.  There is a detour to E80 and then reconnecting to E35.  There will be a second closure of one lane only from 11/2 to 29/2.  (It will be open during Carnaval – which as far as national travel goes, seems to be a lot like Thanksgiving. People driving and flying all over the country to visit family.)

More road work – there are slide repairs and retaining wall projects on the vía Cuenca-Grión-Pasaje which itself is getting rehabilitated.  (Sounds like any direction you want to take to get out of Cuenca is going to have some road work in the way. Except, so far, if you’re driving north.)

Employment contracts – are mandatory.  If you’re interested, the article talks about what needs to be in the contract.

Your sliver of life article today – is about the Urban Plan for Cuenca and how to plan growth so that the city doesn’t wind up a chaotic sprawl. (Cuenca as the LA of the Andes just isn’t that appealing a vision.)

San Francisco Plaza – there will be a meeting on Wed. at 17:00 somewhere with unions (hopefully the vendors’ guild will be included). Representatives from the chambers and 3 universities will also be there.

Amenidades – 

An ad for “Impresionante Gigantes de la Prehistoria” (Amazing Prehistoric Giants)  (I bet that triceratops parked in front of the New Cathedral a few days ago is part of this show.  And I bet they parked it there on purpose to generate interest.)  It will be at the Complejo Deportivo de Totoracocha (av. Los Andes y calle Del Condor) until 14/2. Hours are M-F from 12-20:00 and Sat, Sun and holidays from 10-20:00.

Internacional – 

México – the Pope will visit in Feb.

Argentina – Pres. Macri has finished his first month in office and has used executive decrees to appoint two provisional Supreme Court Justices, to not renew government contracts, and will renegotiate contracts with government employees.

Perú – Keiko Fujimori, leader of the Fuerza Popular party threw her hat into the ring today as a presidential candidate in the elections this 10/4. (Now would that be a fair trivia pursuit question?  When are the Peruvian presidential elections?)

Deportes –

The Club A Correr – had its annual mountain run yesterday.  It is looking to increase its membership (but didn’t give any contact information).  The president is Pablo Zenteno.  (So if you’re in interested runner, you´ve got two leads for a Google search. Don’t expect me to do this for you since I have absolutely zero interest in any pace faster than a brisk walk.)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne