Viernes, 29/1/2015: Lots of cultural events, Forest fire, Water rationing, and a carnival in Parque Paraiso

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

“Entre memorias y efémerides” (Between memories and an astrological chart or a calendar or diary. If you’ve got a translation that makes sense, let me know.) with the Marujitas is a dinner-theater show on 3 & 4/2 at 20:00 in the Café de la Vaca Cuenca (Av. Gonzalo Cordero y Juan Iñiguez). Cost: $20.00 including show and dinner. (I know, I know – 20:00 isn’t dinner time for a lot of you – it’s bedtime.)

Tienda artesanal – Fri. from 17–21:00 in the Tienda Imay. La tienda is a space for artists and craftspeople to sell their creations including woolen articles, artesanal soaps, tchotchkes, etc.

Festival de cine – “Chicos del este” showed Fri. at 15:30 in the Alianza Francesa (Tadeo Torres y Solano). “Fines de semana” (Weekends) will show at 18:30, and “Eden” will show at the Multicines del Milenium plaza (I think also at 18:30, if “y a esa misma” refers to the time).

Teatro familiar (family theater) – “No”, a teatro gestual (physical theater) work, by the La Metáfora group, will premier Sat. at 16:00 in el Sono (Pres. Borrero 6-83). Set in the 1920’s, the 4 characters share an old bench in a train station. Cost: $5.00. (That and the fact that it’s in Spanish mean you’re not going, no?)

Articles about –

A class – in classic Indian dance in the Bharatanatyam style in which your body and hand motions tell the story. There is a fee (unspecified – I have to say this or some of you will be writing and asking me what it costs) and if you’re interested, call 099 510 0148 and ask for Pepe Luna.

The closing performance of the Polifónico Festival de Músicas del Mundo Sat. at 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo with Álex Alvear.

The premier of “La Cruz el Diablo” (The Devil’s Cross) performed by the Cuenca Symphony, Fri. at 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo. You can buy your ticket at Pres. Borrero 7-47 y Pres. Córdova.

Painting – helps the rehabilitiation of inmates at the CRS (Centro de Rehabilitacioón Social). The teacher is an graduate in fine arts (did he get busted for selling fake Guayasamins?) If you are interested in buying the oils on canvas which run from $50-60, go to zeac@minjusticia.gob.ec.

A performance of “Pinocho. El reencuentro” is Fri. The play answered the question, “What happened to Pinoccio after he grew up?” (Don’t complain about my writing about events already over because I know I wrote about this in time for you to make plans. This is just a last minute reminder for newspaper readers who are not relying on my translations for their information.)

Otras cosas –

Titular – Confirman anomalías en contratos (Anomalies in contracts confirmed) Favoritism was reported in public works contracts with a few contractors (including the son of a council member – add nepotism to the anomolies.) monopolizing projects planned by various municipal businesses.

Fuega consumió 80 hectáreas de bosques (Fire consumed 80 hectares of forests) in Guachapala. Firefighters and soldiers controlled the fire, but fear it might reignite. (Californians among you might remember that the Oakland Hills fire of 1991 was due to a grass fire that wasn’t completely put out.)

Debates on cockfighting should deepen and include discussion on cultural and traditional aspects of the “sport.”

WHO fears that 3-4 million people could be affected by the outbreak of the Zika virus and is convening a meeting this Mon. to discuss how to treat this international emergency. Extreme temperatures due to El Niño favor the reproduction of the Zika carrying mosquito.

Unasur (La Unión de Naciones Suramericas) – will propose that human rights be put at the top of the fight against drugs. South America will be the only region to propose a decision made by concensus on the theme of drugs, and that the fight should be against organized crime. In the past the fight has been strong against the weak, and weak against the strong such as against those who engage in money laundering (like too-big-to-fail banks?).

The Department of Chemistry – at the U of Cuenca is working on a 3 year project to make hydrogen from biomass – waste from banana plants – through catalytic gasification in water at a supercritical temperature. (I think that’s what it said, but when science meets Spanish, my translations aren’t reliable.)

San Francisco Plaza – the last informational meeting will be this coming Wed., 3/2 at 18:00 in the Aula Magna “Mario Vintimilla” at the U of Cuenca. It will be for neighbors, representatives of the barrios and the public in general. (So if you’re interested, you should go even if you don’t speak Spanish because there will probably be pictures, videos and plans (if you can read plans.))

A talk on “La cueva de los Tayos y sus misterios intraterrestres y extraterrestres viviendo en el planeto.” (The Cave of the Tayos and its mysteries of interterrestrials and extraterrestrials living on the planet.) Nelson Pineda Brito will talk about the inhabitants of the bowels of the cave and extraterrestrials and their influence on humans. There will also be videos of images not previously seen about the arrival of man on the moon. (I include this because I’ve heard some of you have unconventional belief systems.)

A geoportal – which shows detailed maps of 105 contones is on line at www.sig-tierras.gob.ec.

Water rationing – from 16-4:00 for 6,700 users supplied by the Nero project due to the drought affecting the watershed of the Río Zhucay. This will affect residents in El Valle, Turi and part of Baños.

Taxis – taxistas are obligated to start the meter at the start of the ride, give the passenger change and a receipt showing the cost of the ride. Rounding up the fare is prohibited. You can complain to the taxi company but must supply the license plate or municipal registration number. (All of that info is on the taxi so you’ll have to do your own reading.)

Technicians from EMOV – will be doing road stops to check emissions and safety items including use of seat belts, your required safety equipment (And what are you doing driving without it? Probably the same thing as driving without a valid Ecuadorian license – being a scofflaw. Enjoy jail.), tires and general condition of the vehicle. (I hope that those smoke belching buses get stopped and sent to the mechanics with a “do not drive until fixed” ticket.)

Amenidades –

Carnaval de Sonrisas – Sun, 31/1 from 10-17:00 in the Parque El Paraiso with various performers; seasonal foods such as Mote Pata, Dulce de Leche and Dulce de Higos; and games and face painting for kids.

Deportes –

La Maratón 6k “Paute Corre por una vida sana” (Paute runs for a healthy life.) – will be on 21/2 at 8:00 starting from the patios of the Hospital Básico de Paute. Register (for free) at the office in the Ventanilla Única del Distrito de Salud, diagonal from the new Terminal Terrestre from l8-16:30, Mon-Fri.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne