Sombrero museum offers weaving classes; Autopista construction reroutes traffic and changes bus routes

Talleres gratuitos <free – your word for the day. And a favorite word for gringos always looking for a better deal – for example, those of you who will consume a gallon of gas to drive somewhere to save $.79 on a bottle of shampoo.> sobre tejido habrá en Museo – The Museo Municipal de la Paja Toquilla y el Sombrero will hold free classes in basic straw weaving starting next week at different venues. The classes are aimed at people of all ages interested in learning this patrimonial craft.

Classes will be at the museum headquarters (calle Rafael María Arízaga y Luis Cordero) and at at the Casa del Migrante on los martes from 14:00-16:00 and on los sábados from 10-12:00. Classes in Sinincay will be at the Biblioteca Municipal on los lunes y miércoles from 14:00-16:00. Classes in Victoria del Portete will be el miércoles 7/8 from 10-12:00 and 14:00-16:00. For more information go to the Museum’s social networks.

Learn to make your own Panama hat in classes offered by the Museo Municipal de la Paja Toquilla y el Sombrero.

18 de agosto cerrará autopista – The autopista is expected to be partially closed el 18/8 to start work on the first of 2 elevated sections which will form a new interchange at Monay-IESS. Work will start in the Azogues-Cuenca bound lane, with preliminary work such as detour signage, widening lanes, and adding barriers already in progress. The redondel at the IESS hospital will remain open as long as possible, probably for the next 8-10 months. The first elevated section will be ready in about a year, after which work will start on the opposing lanes. Each of the 2 elevated sections will have 3 lanes as well as two surface streets <frontage roads?> for entry and exits. There will be a redondel under the elevated sections and a new widened road to access the IESS hospital.

The project budget is 36 million and expected to be finished in 24 months. <Good luck if you have a medical emergency that necessitates a trip to the IESS in the next 2 years.> Roberto Luque, the minister of Transporte y Obras Públicas, said that in the next 2 months, advertising for bids for the next two interchanges will be published on Sercop. These interchanges will be at av. 12 de Octubre and at Gapal.

3 líneas de bus cambian rutas – 3 urban bus lines will change their routes because of the construction of a new interchange at Monay on the autopista. The lines affected will be line 4 (Narancay – Feria Libre), line 13 (Tejar – Hospital del IESS), and line 16 (Mutualista Azuay – Hospital del IESS). The buses will use other streets to serve passengers going to the IESS Hospital and surrounding neighborhoods.

Line 4 buses going from Azogues to Cuenca will exit the autopista at calle Cuzco, behind the IESS hospital, and turn onto 1° de Mayo, continue to the redondel at Max Uhle, and head back to the autopista where it will join its normal route. Lines 13 & 16 will take the same route as the #4 from Azogues to the IESS hospital. For the Cuenca-Azogues direction, buses will take av. Max Uhle, enter the autopista on the Azogues-Cuenca lane which will reverse directions during the interchange work. They will exit at calle Quiteño Libre, turn right onto El Zurriago which turns into Popayán and connect to Washington where it makes a jog putting the bus back onto 24 de Mayo and its regular route. <Confused? Me too, and I had a map to look at. Anyway, if you live out there, be prepared for a search to find your new closest stop.>