Martes, 17/11/15: New movies, cattle drive in the Andes, photo exhibit

Hola, Todos – 

Pagina cultural –

Música – “Ladrillo de Cristal” (Crystal Brick) will be presented this Fri at 19:30 in the Museo Pumapungo with musicians Juan Diego Arias, Bernardo Arias, Juan José Bermeo and Ricrdo Sánchez.

Exposición – the work “De polo a polo” (From Pole to Pole) will open Thu. at the Sala Proceso de la Casa de la Cultura.  By Miler Lagos and Natalia La Reina, it´s about their experiences in the arctic and antarctic.  (Like bundling up in a snow suit every time you go outside?)

Libro – A book launch this Thu at 18:00 of  “Ecuador cara y cruz.  Del levantamiento del noventa a la Revolución Ciudadana” (Ecuador heads or tails.  The second part unintelligible to me and to Google – something about the lifting of the 90 and the Revolución Ciudadana)  (Cara y cruz is your phrase for the day. Pretty soon I’m going to be throwing you sentences for the day, and in a few years, your book for the day.) by Uruguayan writer and journalist Kintto Lucas.

Articles about –

4 flims from Ecuador will premier today in La Orquídea film festival.

A minute of silence for the victims of the French attacks was observed yesterday at the Alianza Francesa.

“Encuentro de Danzas de Tradicionales” (A meeting of traditional dances) will be from 19-21:00 on Thu and Fri, and from 9-13:00 on Sat and Sun in the “Victor Manuel Albornoz library of the Ministerio de Cultura y Patrimonio. The event will incorporate other elements such as the music, ritual as a motive to dance, the symbolism in the costumes, and the cosmovision of the people and of their culture and identity.  (And you thought it was just movin and groovin to the beat.)

A book launch today at 19:00 in the Sala de Conciertos de la Casa de la Cultura Del Azuay of “La música y las formas, un recorrido por la cosmovisión andina” (Music and its forms, travel through the Andean cosmovision.)

A play, “El Retorno” (The Return), based on a novel by Aquiles JImbo, will premier in Loja and then tour the country.

Otras cosas –

Titular – La Tricolor se juega el invicto ante Venezuela (The Tricolor goes against Venezuela unbeaten.)  (So is Ecuador going to the 2016 Mundial in Rio?  Someone should start a pool.)

A new water treatment plant – in San Pedro del Cebollar in Racar, was activated yesterday to serve 25,000 abonados (subscribers, another word for the day) in 27 sectors and barrios in the NW part of Cuenca.

Transition proposal – to prohibit the sitting president and assembly members from seeking reelection in 2017 if the referendum for indefinite reelections passes, might not be able to be incorporated into the referendum because of the lack of a first debate.

El Niño is intensifying and may be one of the strongest in the last 65 years.  In Ecuador and Peru, there might be the same damage as during the 1997-1998 El Niño with 10 times normal rainfall causing inundaciones (flooding – I found that word useful when a gutter overflowed into my living room.  You might try it out on your landlord when the roof starts leaking again.  Or not, if you don´t want to be thought of as the kid who cried wolf.)

200 head of cows – to improve the genetics of local cows, was sent from the Guaraní International Airport in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay to Guayaquil…..on foot.  (Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’.  A cattle drive in the Andes – at least it´s mostly downhill.  What?  You thought they were going to put 200 cows on planes and fly them?)  This is the 5th shipment, since Ecuador was pleased with the previous shipments of Brangus and Bradford heifers.  This type of cow is completely adapted to the Ecuadorian climate. (I sort of hope that they´re cows given to putting on fat.  It would be fun to get the route and timing and watch a cattle drive.  (I´d never seen one live until I almost rear-ended a herd in Colorado.  I misread all the piles of poop on the highway as dirt that had falled off a dumptruck and was even wondering where in that wilderness the construction site was. Stupid gringa.)

The first food delivery app – in Cuenca for your Smartphone is called MegaBite. There are 22 registered restaurants.  After you download the app, you´ll get a list of restaurants to choose from and then you pick from their menu.  The restaurant will confirm your order with the cost of the food (not including delivery charge), and time to delivery.

Legal tourism – if you want to get legalized, you need to get permits from SRI, the Ministry of Tourism of the City and of the Municipal Foundation of Tourism for Cuenca, etc.  You need to get a RUC or RISE number.

A wi-fi zone –  in the central plaza in Baños was inaugurated over the weekend.

Call for volunteer firefighters – (your snippet of life article here) until 23/11 for men and women between 18-35 at www.bomberos.gov.ec.  There are 200 places in the 5 month long training session and a lot of screening to pass.

Internacional –

Venzuela – has the highest inflation rate in the world with 204%, an unemployment rate of 18%, and a failing economy. The pres. of the Parliament called the US imprisonment of 2 of Pres. Maduro´s family members on charges of trying to import a ton of cocaine a “kidnapping.”  (So was it a no bail thing?  I don´t think they´ve been convicted of anything. But I also doubt they´d stick around if they weren´t in the clink.)

Argentina – held a presidential debate with accusations flying in both directions.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne