Viernes, 13/1/2017: Heavy rains cause flooding, Brief history of Cuenca newspapers, Classes at Senior U., More Bienal exhibits

Hola, Todos –

Stay out from under ladders and don’t spill salt.

Pagina cultural –

Today’s agenda events –

Concierto – The OSC performed Fri. night in the Teatro Pumapungo with violin soloist Santi Abril.  The program included works of Weber, Saint Saens y Mozart.

Articles about – This is also your sliver of life article today.  Today is the Día del Periodismo Azuayo (Azuayan Journalism Day).

On 13/1/1828, Fray Vicento Solano founded and circulated the first newspaper in Cuenca and the region, “El Eco del Asuay” (sic – The Echo of Asuay).  This was when Ecuador was part of Gran Colombia and not a country yet.  The first weekly publication was La Alianza Obrera, and El Progreso, El Mercurio, and Diario del Sur were newspapers that followed.

The first issue of the Alianza Obrera on 22/11/1905, had thoughts of French journalist Louis Veuillot about the necessity of staying independent.  It also “defendían la necesidad de la higiene (entonces Cuenca no la tenía)” (upheld the need for hygiene (then Cuenca did not have it)).  (I wonder if peeing in the streets is a holdover from the days when Cuenca was such an unhygienic city.)  El Progreso hit the streets on 16/4/1915 with a 4 page paper.  That first issue reported the alliance between France and England and the lottery in Guayaquil where first prize was 2,000 sucres.  The last page was advertising.

On 19/7/1928, the Diario del Sur started, also with 4 pages, and reported news from Guayaquil, and had advertising for the Hotel Patria and Papelería Guayaquil.  El Mercurio started on 24/10/1924 with an editorial “Nuestro programa” (Our program) that took on the challenge of defending the interests of the region.  It called for the provision of clean water and complained about the lack of electricity on La Mar and the Cruz de El Vado.  (And La Mar is still having problems with utility shutoffs for the Tranvía.)  Publications before then had cultural notes, literature, and political controversies.  At that time Cuenca was very isolated.  It took 5 days to get to Guayaquil and 2 weeks to travel to Quito. (There could be wars fought and won in two weeks.) Telegraph service in the late 19th and early 20th centuries broke that isolation.  (So the airport shutdown was just a small taste of what life was like 100 years ago.  I wonder what the “roads” to Guayaquil and Quito looked like then – maybe a lot like the the landslide story pictures.)

Bienal – The Museo de la Medicina is another venue for the Bienal with a French and a Mexican artist exhibiting.

Ópera – The “Pasión a Dolores” played Fri. in the teatro Sucre.  It’s about the poetess Dolores Veintimilla de Galindo who did not do what society expected of her and who committed suicide in 1857.  (A lot more freedom for women nowadays.)

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Más afectaciones por las lluvias en varias provincias (More inpacts by rains in several provinces) – The overflow of the río Casacay between the Pasaje and Chilla cantons in El Oro left 40 families isolated.  MTOP is installing a Bailey bridge este sábado on the vía Loja-Zamora.

Obispos (bishops) – The Catholic bishops in Ecuador issued a Pastoral Letter “ayer” (yesterday – another word on hour list to memorize – I hope I remember that.) calling for citizens to vote responsibly for the candidates that make a promise of ethics.

An ad by the Municipality – Registrations for the Universidad del Adulto Mayor will be from 16-31/1 with classes starting on 3/2. There are also workshops in singing and guitar, stimulating the memory, dance, and gastronomía morlaca (local cooking). Hours are from 8-12:30 and 14:30-18:30.  Call 2850 471 for more info. (I think the University is located on Estévez de Toral north of Bolívar.)

Social network – The “Participa Inteligente” (Participate Intelligently) network, created by several universities in Cuenca to follow the presidential and National Assembly elections.

International –

Colombia – Negotiators for the Colombian government and ELN are meeting separately in preparatory sessions in Quito today.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Domingo –

Jeanne