Domingo, 12/2/2017: Cuban cinema, Correa’s election weekend plans, Papá Cafe, U.S. pianist plays the Jazz Cafe

Hola, Todos –

I will be taking a couple of days off next week – jueves y viernes, and be back on domingo, 19/2.

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming and ongoing agenda events –

Piano at the Jazz Society – North American pianist Sam Farley will play on 24 y 25/2 in the La Viña Restaurante (Luis Cordero y Juan Jaramillo).

Articles about –

Cine Cubano – The CCE along with the Cuban Embassy and Redes (Networks – a good word for the day – Redes sociales are social networking sites and red can also be a net like a fishing net.) Cineclub del Ecuador will present a series of Cuban films la próxima semana.  All films will be at 19:00 in the Sala de Audiovisules at the Casa de la Cultura (CCE), Luis Cordero at Pres. Cordova. On el miércoles, 15/2, Conducta will be shown.  On el jueves it will be Hojo del Canario; and on viernes, 17/2 it will be Meñique y el Espejo Mágico (Meñique and the Magic Mirror).  (These movies will be a test for those of you whose Spanish is pretty good – the movies are actually 3 hour movies that only run two hours because everyone talks so fast   And you’ll wonder where the “s’s” went.)

Club del Libro – The Club del Libro is a book club of English speakers reading literature in Spanish.  The group meets on viernes a las 10:30 for two hours with Juan Neira who also teaches the club about Ecuatoriana and Cuencana culture. The last meeting for this cycle is el próximo viernes, and a new cycle will start in mid marzo. You need to be at an advanced level of Spanish to participate. (After all, you’re going to be reading a whole book.  Expats Su. T. and Denise M. are mentioned with photos in the article.)

Quiosco Cultural – This space, created by the CCE, allows artisans to sell directly to the buyer.  You can buy silver jewelry, hand woven ponchos, art from recycled materials, hand embroidered shawls, scarves, etc.  There is also a snack bar.  It is located at Cordero y Pres. Cordova next to Movistar.

Today’s political cartoon – “La Mano Negra de (Chevron – Crossed out in the cartoon) Capaya (written under the crossed out Chevron).  Capaya (currently out of the country due to his role in the Petroecuador scandal) appears in a computer screen, throwing black sludge at people running away.

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Invierno daña las vías (Winter damages roads) – The 3 roads with the biggest problems are Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalme:  El Descanso-Lumagpamba-Gualaceo and Gualaco-Plan de Milagro-Limón.  A bus driver who covers the Cuenca-Naranjal route said all along the route, rocks are falling and that there was a slide at km. 71 that left large rocks on the pavement as well as mud.  MTOP has 3 loaders, a mini-loader (like a Bobcat?), 4 dumptrucks and another machine on site. Last year a slide in the same location fell on the machinery and drivers are warned to avoid driving at night.  (If you’re planning a road trip, better make sure that the road you want is open.  Although it might not still be open when you get on it.)

Cooking drugs – 600 kilograms of cocaine and marijuana were incinerated in the ovens at Guapán.  (This is the concrete company, so they have to bake cement in ovens that heat up over 1000 C.)  The drugs were brought to the Anti-narcotics Unit in Azogues after confiscation during various anti-narcotics operations in Azuay in 2015 and 2016.  Representatives from Consep and the National Police witnessed the destruction as part of the chain of custody.

Shrimp packing plant – A plant in El Oro was closed after a leak of dangerous material was reported.  62 people were affected and treated at nearby clinics and hospitals. The response included personnel from the Fire Department, Ministry of Public Health, the National Police, the Armed Forces, IESS, and the Ecuador Commission of Transport.  The Fire Department is assuming the leak was carbon monoxide generated by motors outside the plant and coming in through a window. (It’s Ecuador – not so good at keeping sources of noxious/toxic substances outside, but very good at responding to the emergency.)

Ear surgery – Free cochlear implants were installed (I think there’s a better word than installed, but I can’t remember it.) in children under 5 with deep hearing loss and some adults who lost their hearing after age 5.  The surgeries were done in the Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital at no cost to the patients.

Election weekend – Pres. Correa announced that he will not give his “sabatina” this Saturday.  Starting at 00:00, 17/2 campaigning stops.  Also, “la ley seca” (dry law) will be in effect.  You won’t be able to buy alcohol after noon on viernes and you’re not supposed to be drinking at all until after the elections.  (So if you drop in at your local bar on Sat, be prepared to drink sodas.)

Actualidades –

Articles about –

Artisans who make the little houses in plaster that are sold to tourists (and restaurants).

Sports and health – Hormonal activity and physical exercise – Part 1.

Coffee – The writer went on a road trip to Loja in search of coffee for the Museo del Sombrero which wanted to serve a high grade of coffee, “uno con nombre y apellido” (one with a first and last name).  They found it on the land of Angelino Abad in Olmedo canton, 96 km. from the city of Loja.  His brand, “Papá Café” won the Arábica Golden Cup National Competition in 2009, 2013, and 2014.  Abad grows aromatic and fruit plants intermixed with the coffee and has a variety of bees which also produce honey.  He also sells under the Pancho café, Papá Café, Angelino café, and Geisha or Café Champaña labels.  You can get it at the Museo del Sombrero.

The Cañari – The article talks about the territorial extent of the Cañari nation, the Cañari under the Inca, and the Cañari origen stories.

Amenidades –

Show – Singer Fausto Miño from Quito will give a Valentine’s concert on 14/2 at 20:00 in the Sajsana restaurant.

Ad – Carnaval Gualaquiza 2017 – from 24-28/2 – La Perla de la Amazonia te espera (The Pearl of the Amazon is waiting for you) – sightseeing tours, ancestral knowledge, rafting, canyoning, customs and traditions, bicycling championship, sports events, and more.  (Just make sure that the road to Gualazuiza is not involved in all the landsliding going on.)

Discuentos y compras –

Tía – A no sales tax sale on stuffed toys and candy – 13/2.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne