Miércoles, 25/5/2016: Presidential race, Some airport restrictions lifted, Argentina week, El Centro congestion mitigation

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming and continuing events –

Rotofest 2016 – The program for Rotofest which will be held from 2-4/6, is at www.rotofest.com.  Invited musicians include Franck Roger, Tiger Stripers, Brian Cid and La Femme.

Exhibit – Cristian Carrillo is showing “Visiones Pictóricas” in the Galería de la Alcaldía.  The 20 paintings are of “los rasgos propios de la cuencanidad” (features/characteristics belonging to the state of being a Cuencano – I’m including the Spanish for those of you who are fluent and can probably figure out what that phrase means better than I can.)

Exhibit – Pablo Cardoso´s show at the MMAM (sector San Sebastián) will continue until 17/6 and includes large scale paintings of water, trees and land.

Alianza Francesa – The Alianza is offering workshops in French including creative writing, theater, cromática (color – would that be how to swear in French?), conversation, games and phonetics.  Go to pedagogía@afcuenca.org.ec for more info.

Articles about –
 
Artes Escénicas – Awards were given in various categories for the performances in the 14th edition of the high school performing arts festival.

La Semana Internacional de Argentina (International Week -Argentina) – The 11th in a series of international weeks starts Thu., runs for 4 days and features Argentina.  (I shouldn’t even have to say what country is featured, but some of you don’t read very carefully.)  The activities are to familiarize Cuencanos with other countries.

II Festival de Charangos de América – There will be a concert today at 20:00 in the Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz at the U. of Cuenca.  Cost: $10.00.  The 5 days of the festival will also have Latinoamerican folk dancing, a foto exhibit, and a luthería exhibit (instruments made by luthiers – look it up yourself if it’s a new word for you.  Just because you retired doesn’t mean you have to start a new life as a vegetable.)

Otras cosas –  
 
Titular – Correa habla de ‘decada ganada’ (Correa talks about a winning decade). Read the article in Wednesday’s CHL for more details.

Airport – La Dirección General de Aviación Civil (Department of Civil Aviation) issued a new notice that until 18:00 on 23/8, the airport can operate when the runway is wet, but only with category A & B planes which are smaller than the one that went off the runway.  This category includes the TAME turboprop plane ATR 42 500 between Cuenca and Guayaquil.

Congestion mitigation – Parades, marches, and races will not be allowed in El Centro and the paid parking along Bolívar has also been eliminated.  According to the Dirección Municipal de Tránsito, 30,000 cars circulate in El Centro daily and 30,000 on Las Américas which has been reduced to 2 narrow lanes.  An exception to the no parades is the Niño Viajero and events after 19:00 when traffic has diminished.  (I hope that the exception for the Niño Viajero won’t be needed – that’s not until 24/12 and the Tranvía work in Centro had better be long finished by then.)

“Primaries” – The Alianza PAIS, Pres. Correa’s party, has 3 possible candidates under consideration – VP Jorge Glas, National Assembly President Gabriela Rivadeneira and former VP Lenin Moreno.  The party convention will be on 10/8, delayed from 5/6 due to the earthquake.  Correa raised an issue that there should be an ethical pact in the country to reject candidates with money in tax havens, a reference to CREO candidate, Guillermo Lasso.

Your sliver of life article today – is about a project by the Tomebamba Rotary Club which, in conjunction with 44 Canadian ophthalmologists and volunteers, is providing free eye exams to people of limited means.

Cuenca earthquake – The epicenter of a 4.9 tremor yesterday was in (or under) La Unión and occupants of tall buildings and schools in Cuenca were evacuated.  The depth of the quake was 74.56 km and was felt in the cantons of Camilo Ponce Enrique and Pucará. No damage was reported.

Festival in San Fernando – The canton celebrates 30 years from 27-29/5.  Saturday’s schedule starts with opening the agricultural, gastronomic, crafts and tourist fair at 9:00, presentation of the “gran queso” (big cheese – your words for the day) at 10:00, horse and burro race at 10:30, rodeo and bucking broncos at 11:30, election of the Cholita Sanfernandense at 12:30, a show at 15:00, ecuavoley at 16:00, and Noche Fernandense at 20:00.  Sunday’s activities start with a parade at 10:00, a solemn session at 12:00, sports in the pm and a noche de confraternidad with the Vacantao group at 19:00.  San Fernando’s main tourist attraction is the Laguna de Busa.

Intercultural –
 
Ponchos – Besides keeping the wind off, the colors and styles of mens’ ponchos tell where they come from.  There are different ponchos for different occasions and different ponchos for leaders.  Originally made from lamb’s wool, most now contain orlon.  (It’s an interesting article, but too long to translate.)

Amenidades –
 
Magic show – Uruguayan magician, Max Dellepiane, will perform 2 shows of “Ilusionarte” Thu. at 19:30 and at 21:00 in the Teatro Sucre.  Cuencano Mateo Jimbo will open the show.  Get tickets at the Almacenes La Victoria.  Cost: $15.00.

Internacional –
 
Brazil – Interim Pres. Temer is proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the growth in public spending to the inflation rate of the previous year. (Sounds like a foot through the “austerity” door.  When do you think the average Brazilian is going to start wishing they had Dilma back?)

Discuentos –

Decameron – Promotional prices on beach vacations – Mompiche, $69/night/person; Punta Centinela, $69; Punta Sal, $82 – until 30/6 – call 1800 DECAME (332263) or go to www.decameron.com.ec or ventasweb.ecuador@decameron.com.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne