Miércoles, 17/2/2016: Illegal hostels, Tram construction goes 24/7, Big food festival at the mall, Afro-Ecuadorians recognized
Hola, Todos –
Pagina cultural –
Workshop – on digitally retouching photos, organized by El Foto Club Cuenca on Sat, 20/2. For more info, go to foco.proyectos@gmail.com.
Noche de poesía (Poetry night) – Thurs (18/2) at 19:00 in the Centro República Sur (Pres. Córdova 5-55 y Hermano Miguel) with 6 young poets presenting their work. (I think I’d need 5 more years of Spanish classes for this.)
Cine y diálogo (Film and dialogue) – Fri at 19:00 in the Sala Comunitaria in the Museo Pumapungo. The film “Implicados” will be shown with a dialogue with the directors after.
Obra de teatro (Theater work) – on Sat, 20/2 at 20:00 in el Sono (Pres. Borrero 6-83 y Pres. Córdova). “La noche del diablo” (Devil’s night) is a popular story in Azuay.
Articles about –
A new bookstore, the Librería Corredor Sur, opened in the Centro Cultural República Sur with more than 3,000 Latin American authors and 4,000 titles on art, social sciences, philosophy and more. Hours are 12-21:00, M-Tu, and 12-2:00 on Fri & Sat. (Maybe they’ll have Barbarismos which I’ve been looking for for 2 years.)
Chilean films from Wed to Fri at 19:00 in the Sala de Cine y Audiovisuales de la Casa de la Cultura. Thurs’ films are “Preapocalipsis” and “Así golpea la represión” (This is how repression hits). (They speak Spanish in Chile, too, you know.)
The philosophical side of Edgar Allan Poe is the theme of a book by Spanish professor of philosophy, Cayetano Aranda Torres.
Otras cosas –
Titular – Plan para aliviar tráfico (Plan to alleviate traffic) in the Parque Industrial sector. Part of it is to make a “circunvalación” (ring road) around the park to keep through traffic out of the area along with road improvements and parking.
Informal hotelry – is still proliferating in the city, mostly advertised on-line. Several organizations inspected along calle Larga, Hermano Miguel, Tomás Ordoñéz, and other areas. They found 28 locations of which 12 couldn’t show permit information. (All of you advertising that extra bedroom on AirBnB better get down to the city and get legal. Here’s another business opportunity for someone who wants to facilitate or hold a seminar on permitting.)
About 500 patrimonial buildings – in El Centro need work including wood restoration. La Escuela Taller Cuenca, run by the city, is training carpenters and cabinet makers in a 2.5 year program. There is also training in civil construction, gastronomy, beauty shops, bread making, decorating, pastry, and more. The free training is geared to teens, youth and adults in vulnerable situations. (Like unemployment?)
Tranvia work – to be speeded up (this is good news/ bad news for you Tranvia neighbors) – by working 24/7. The project comptroller said that of the 16 observations raised, 15 were administrative and only one technical. As for the cracks in the concrete, they’re being classified to see which are cracks from the setting which won’t affect the project. If the problems are from the soil, the comptroller would want the affected section dug up and rebuilt. (uh-oh – did they do much soil testing before they started shoveling? Did their foreign contractors insist on decent information to design the foundations by?)
The Afro-Ecuadorian community – is celebrating a decree that benefits the community in 3 areas – recognition, justice and development. Ecuador joined the Objetivos del Decenio International para los Afrodescendientes (2015-2024), promoted by the UN. The decree pledges the eradication of discrimination and violence against Afro-Ecuadorians which are 7.7% of Ecuador’s population. (Contrast that with the US trying to return Afro-Americans to slavery.)
A Festival gastronómico – to benefit FASEC will be this coming Sun in the convention center at the Mall del Río from 12:30. This international food festival will have foods from Chile, México, Taiwan, Spain, Ecuador, Switzerland, Japan, US, Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Italy as well as the School of Gastronomy in the U of Cuenca and the Association of Gourmets.
Year end reports – by the city, its various departments, and public businesses like ETAPA will be presented to the public on 29/2 starting at 9:15 in the Museo de la Ciudad. There will be 10 rooms, each with two departments. (Those of you who went to the Salud one with HappyDogs know what the drill is – power point presentations of the year’s accomplishments and costs.)
The landslide – on the vía Mendez-Morona-San José has been cleaned up and the road is open.
Intercultural –
An article on José Suconota who makes chaguarmishqui liquor and wine in El Rodeo. A bottle of Don Isacc costs $6. (And you’ll have to look for it yourself.)
Internacional –
Colombia – a truckers strike on 17/3. (Just in case you were making travel plans.)
Venezuela – Ramos Allup, Pres. of the National Assembly is talking about ways to speed the exit of Pres. Maduro. He proposes 3 constitutional amendments to cut the term of the President, Legislature and Supreme Court. (Just this once?) Also on the table are a revocatory referendum to remove the president and a Constitutional Assembly. (Sounds like they’re trying to make a whole new country since the old one wasn’t working.)
Deportes –
Paragliding in Paute – this Sat & Sun at 8:00 in the Terminal with the Festival de Accuracy Paute 2016. The public can watch and take tandem rides. $50.00. Two army Hummers will take people from the terminal to the takeoff area.
Motocross – this Sat from 8:00. in the Yamaha de Ayancay track.
Descuentos –
Hyundai – 10.99% credit with 30% down for 48 months – on the kind of trucks like U-Haul rents. $26,990 for a 3.2 ton up to 31,990 for a 6 ton truck. (Seems like with all the moving around gringos do, someone could start a moving business.)
And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –
Jeanne