Miércoles, 27/1/2016: ‘Strings of Cuenca’ concert, More funding delays, Indigenous oppose oil project, Carnival celebrations

Hola, Todos –

I think it’s time for a reminder about these translations. Please do not write me to get more information as I have neither energy nor inclination to do research for you. Once I translate the paper, it goes into recycling and I forget everything I’ve just read. I bring things to your attention and if you’re interested, getting the details you want is your job since you are an adult with access to a computer. The newspaper’s site is www.elmercurio.com.ec. (Don’t forget the ec or you’ll wind up at El Mercurio in Santiago, Chile which is misleading since it’s also in Spanish only the articles don’t pertain to Cuenca which isn’t immediately evident.)

Pagina cultural –

A book, “José dela Mar y Cortázar. El Mariscal de seis esclavos” by Simón Valdivieso was launched Wed. at 19:00 in the Seminario San Luis.

French Film Festival – 3 movies were shown on Wed. at the Alianza Francesa (Tadeo Torres y Solano). See the complete schedule on Facebook: Alianza Francesa Cuenca.

Facultad de Artes – a theater work with improvisation techniques will be staged in the central patio of the Facultad de Artes at the Yanuncay campus on Fri from 10-11:00. The play is “Pinocho. el reencuentro.” (Pinocchio. The reunion)

Articles about –

The bandolín and “Cuerdas del Ecuador” (Strings of Ecuador), a concert Thurs at 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo with the familia Viteri. The bandolín is a 15 metal stringed instrument that looks like a guitar (to me anyway – to a musician, maybe not.) The sound of the instrument is very Ecuadorian.

Tibetan sacred music Wed. at the Teatro Pumapungo with Techung, singer to the Dali Lama. (The paper has his picture, and he looks a lot like a Cuencano, only the clothes and his eyes aren’t quite the same.) Get your tickets to the Polifónico performances at Borrero 7-47 between Córdova y Sucre.

A workshop, “Traducción: La huella invisible” (Translation: The invisible footprint), was given Tues. The two Argentinean translators of literature from Portuguese or English to Spanish, said that it’s fundamental to know both languages and that you have to translate into the culture of the 2nd language a well. (I can see I’ve got a lot to work on. A better command of Spanish, first, and not forgetting my English which is already starting to happen. More cross word puzzles in my future.)

CIDAP is already planning for the Fiestas of Cuenca from 2-5/11. They are calling for national and international (I don’t think I’ve ever seen a US artisan at that festival. Maybe it’s only South or Latin American exhibitors.) artisans interested in exhibiting to submit a form and mail it to festival_artesanias@cidap.gob.ec. You can also go to www.cidap.gob.ec for general information.

CCE is opening its first extensión (I think it’s another location.) in Sígsig this Fri., and the new president will visit Paute and Gualaceo to talk to local governments about CCE sites in their cantons.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Suspensión de obras por falta de recursos (Suspension of projects for lack of means) due to the financial crisis or “deaceleración” (deceleration) (Decelerating seems like it should hardly be a crisis unless you decelerated by hitting a stone wall.) Affected projects include several schools.

The Sápara people are opposing oil exploration and extraction in Blocks 79 & 83. They announced that they would not permit oil companies on their territory. They said the contract favors the Chinese company, Andes Petroleum, and that the area was explored in the 70’s and no significant reserves were found. They will defend and protect their territory, its biodiversity, etc. (It’s a long quote.) (I wonder if the constitution gives them legal standing to protect the rights of nature?)

More nature – the coasts are getting hit hard by El Niño with lots of rain leading to “derrumbes y deslaves” (landslides and mudslides – your words for the day.), flooding and evacuations, and road blockages including one between Pedernales and Muisne blocked by a slide 12 m. wide and 18 m. deep.

Semaforos (traffic lights) – will be installed on high traffic routes along with painting pedestrian cross walks and lane dividers.

Tranvía – the bridges over the Yanuncay, Tomebamba and Milchichig are built to support a 50 ton Tranvia train. Work on the Yanuncay bridge was delayed for several reasons. They couldn’t demolish without polluting the water, and “una grua” (a crane – also a tow truck (or as Google said, a breakdown lorry)) they wanted to bring from Guayaquil couldn’t get through on the roads up to Cuenca. (Must have been a honking big crane – the kind that can lift whole sections of freeway. No wonder it wouldn’t fit. Remember the movie “The Long, Long Trailor?)

Carnaval celebrations – in El Valle this Sun. at 9:00 in the Parish cemetery. (Dancing on the graves?) They expect 10,000 people. Oña will also have a celebration, theirs on Sun, 7/2 at 9:00. The day will include a mass, food and crafts fair, comparsas contest, traditional dance, the Cuarteto Obrero group, a DJ war, prize ceremony and el gran baile carioca with Ritmo Caliente. (big carioca dance with Hot Rhythm.)

Internacional –

Colombia – Colombiatex (a trade fair with 510 exhibitors from 24 countries,11,000 buyers from 40 countries, and $300 million trading hands during the fair) is looking at markets to replace Venezuela and Ecuador. Some of the reasons Ecuador will not be a big market are the import taxes, devaluation of the Colombian peso against the dollar, and the effect of low oil prices. (I think Venezuela is self explanatory.)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne