Martes, 12/4/2016: Bus line changes, Panama Papers, Cuenca celebrates

Hola, Todos – 

Tuesday’s special foundation of Cuenca issue is a fat 5 section paper with 54 pages instead of the normal 3 section, 22-24 page paper.  Section D has articles about maiz (corn – your word for the day, and all of you should know that already.) and food, and E has a lot of articles on culture and history that you’ll have to go to www.elmercurio.com.ec to get for yourself. Those ain’t in my job description.

Pagina cultural – 

Upcoming events – 

Concierto – by the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad de Cuenca with a program of movie soundtracks – Wed. at 11:00 in the Facultad de Artes, and Thu at 20:00 in the Catedral Vieja.

Teatro – The Teatro Barojo is presenting “Cuenca en Cuentos” (Cuenca in Stories) in the Teatro del Bolsillo el Sono (Pres. Borrero 6-83 y Pres. Córdova).  “Carlitos de la bicicleta” (Carlitos of the bicycle?) is Wed. at 20:00 and will include bits of “Juana de Arco”, el “Negrito Valentín”, “María la guagua” y “Atacocos.  Cost: $5.00.

Ongoing or finished events –

Diablada de Pílaro – a stage demonstration of the Diablada de Píllaro Tues. at 18:00 in the Plazoleta del Herrero.

An article about – the founding of Cuenca on 12/4, 1557. Geography had a lot to do with choosing this location – it’s distance between Quito and Lima for strategic and political purposes and the availability of water for agriculture. (And lots of pre-hispanic stone structures to loot for building materials – up to the 20th century.)

Otras cosas –

Titular – Cuenca celebra su fundación (Cuenca celebrates it’s foundation).

Panama papers – investigations will be carried out by the Comisión de Justicia (Justice Commission) rather than the Attorney General’s office to find out if Ecuadorians who formed corporations in Panama did it in good faith and complied with their tax obligations in Ecuador.  These include presidential hopefuls, a mayor, and an assembly person.  The Attorney General gave an explanation of why he created Madrigal Finance.  (I think it was created to hold a property in Quito, and that is the only activity of the company, but I understand money about as well as I understand technology, so take it with a grain of salt.)

San Francisco Plaza – Merchants are protesting to change the design of their spaces to fixed rather than movable.

Park remodeling – Parque El Vergel is the first of 19 parks that will be remodeled with financing from the Development Bank of Ecuador to EMAC EP.

Phase 2 of “Solo un ratito” (Just a little while) – will educate drivers to not block sidewalk handicapped ramps, stop on the zebra crossing and ignore the yellow “no parking” lines.  EMOV will visit educational institutions, broadcast radio spots and use other methods but not issue sanctions at this time.  (I guess I’ll have to stop driving on the sidewalk.)

Bus line changes – Due to Tranvia work around the redondel Chola Cuencana.  Lines 2,7,10 y 27 that normally use Huayna Cápac will be detoured to Octavio Díaz to García Moreno and then take Vicente Rocafuerte back to Huayna Cápac.  Lines 6, 10, 19, 28 y 100 will change from Sangurima to Vargas Machuca to Manuel Vega to Pío Bravo then to Huayna Cápac and Dávalos.  Line 50 also changes.  (I hope this makes some sense to those of you riding these routes.  For me it’s just street salad.)

Gold crown – A gold crown donated by Remigio Crespo Toral to the Virgen Morenica del Rosario will be exhibited in Nov. in the newly restored Museo Remigio Crespo Toral.  It has been held by the Dominicans for the past 86 years.

Internacional – 

Venezuela – The supreme Court declared the Amnesty Law unconstitutional. This law was passed by the Parliament to free political prisoners.  (So was the Court appointed by Maduro?)

Argentina y Chile – The two countries signed an agreement to build Paso Las Leñas, a tunnel through the Andes which will (would?) connect Mendoza Province with the port of San Antonio in Chile.  This would make a year round drivable connection between the two countries.  (If the tunnel under the English Channel is the Chunnel, would this one be called the Annel? Use a long A.)

Discuentos –

Today’s ads are heavily real estate so here are a couple – mostly so you can see what advertised prices are and maybe avoid paying gringo prices.

Buenaventura – condos on km. 3 via Ricuatte – Ochoa Leon next to the Ciudadela Colegio de Arquitectos – open house and financing fair – Sat, 16/4 from 10-18:30 – financing at 4.87% for 20 years with payments from $299/mo.  (No price given. Maybe you can back into it with one of those fancy financial calculators.)

Torre Piamonte – project on Gonzalez Suarez y Calle del Retorno (next to Rio Sol), office at Miguel Morocho y Gran Colombia, Ed. Dali – 282-7003, 202- 6714, email: piamonte@grupotosi.com or www.grupotosi.com – 2BR apts from $112,200 with 30% down until 30/4.

Crocs – sale on selected merchandise – 1-30/4.  (That’s all they wrote – if you have to ask where to get them, you don’t deserve to have them, I guess. I’d try Hermanos Bermeos which I can find, but can’t tell you how to get to except that it’s near the post office.)

Superstock – weekly specials – Mon, 10% off dairy, wine and snacks (I guess wine is mother’s milk to some of you.) – Tue, 15% off on baby stuff – Wed, 15% off on shoes and fashion – Thu, 20% off on fruit and vegetables – Fri – 10’% off on seafood and processed meats (is that because seafood comes in on Sat so they have to get rid of the old stuff?) – Sat – 15% off on toys.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne