Lunes, 2/1/2017: Renovated museum prepares to open, Two opera performances, Lots of New Year babies, EU trade deal

Hola, Todos –

Un buen año nuevo a todos, and I hope you all survived without a trip to a hospital to treat crotch burns.

Pagina cultural –

Ongoing agenda event –

GOD/ART – The first independent magazine specializing in cinema was presented in the CCE.

Articles about –

Museo Remigio Crespo – The physical work on the museum is almost complete. Building systems are being tested and include the elevators, electrical, fire protection (nice to know that a building with a lot of wood in it is going to have sprinklers – at least I hope “contra incendios” would include sprinklers), security, voice and data, and plumbing systems.  The museum has remained open and will have a grand opening in abril.  The museum and house has 5 floors in more than 2,000 sq. m. The cost of the project is about $2.4 million.  80% of the building will be for exhibits, there will be a cafetería open to the public on the lower level and accessible by elevator (I’ve met a lot of knees here who say they’ve given up going up and down stairs.), and administrative offices.  The museum (Calle Larga 7-07 y Borrero – I think everyone has a picture of that building from their first visit to Cuenca.) was the house of don Remigio Crespo, patriarch of Cuencan arts and letters in the first half of the 20th Century.  The museum was born in 1945 when some of the councilmen (I doubt there was a woman on the council back then, but let me know if you know better.) had the idea of creating a public museum for the city.

Museo Pumapungo – The museum has a Departamento de conservación y restauración (Hey – you’re reading Spanish already!  But you need to know how to pronounce it.) and it is the only one in the Ministerio de Cultura y Patrimonio.  They are currently conserving the archeological collection, with 300 pieces in the workshop which were removed from and will be returned to the Tomebamba room.

Opera – The first two performances of Pasíon a Dolores were a success with 320 attendees on the two nights in spite of pouring rain.  Two new performances have been scheduled for 12 & 13/1 in the Teatro Sucre.  (Oops, sorry – I thought that they had not performed in Dec. and were rescheduling the premier.)

Novedades de 2017 – There will be biographies of David Lynch, Julio Cortázar, Che and Carlos V, and a reissue of the 1st volume of Dylan’s autobiography.  History books include WWII, the Spanish Civil War, and the Russian Revolution.  (Why am I even writing this?  It’s not like there are more than a handful of you buying books in Spanish.)

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Virgen de la Nube fue coronada hace 50 años (Virgin of the Cloud was crowned 50 years ago) – The image was carried from the Santuario Franciscano to the stadium in Azogues yesterday.  Thousands came to remember the anniversary. It rained some and a helicopter dropped rose petals.  (Now there’s an idea for the next celebrity wedding.  But is there a quieter aircraft that could still drop rose petals and have them land on the wedding and not in the next county?i)

Babies – 10 babies were born in the “Vicente Corral Moscoso” Regional Hospital on the 1st, 1 naturally and 9 by Cesarean section.  (I just reread the article and that’s what it says.  But I took another look at the the lead on the front page, and it said 1 Cesarean which sounds more likely.)

Concurso de Años Viejos 2016 – The winner of the contest was the barrio El Vergel with “El Trumpazo con la rueda de fortuna y …algo mas” (Trumpazo with the wheel of fortune and … something else).

Trade agreement – The agreeement between Ecuador and the EU  took effect yesterday and will allow 99.7% of agricultural products and 100% of industrial and seafood products to be imported into the EU with 0% duties.3m,  (So what are Ecuador’s industrial products – that Europeans would be buying?)

UN – Bolivia will be one of the rotating members of the Security Council for the next two years, replacing Venezuela.  Uruguay will continue for one more year as one of the 2 Latin American and Caribbean representatives.  This will be Bolivia’s 3d time on the Security Council.  Pres. Morales said, “Desde el Consejo de Seguridad, Bolivia será la voz de los pueblos del mundo y luchará por construir un planeta sin invasores ni invadidos.”  (From the Security Council, Bolivia will be the voice of the peoples of the world and will fight to build a planet with neither invadors nor invadees).  (Relax, that’s not going to be your word for the day.)

ANT (Agencia Nacional de Tránsito) – ANT will be open tomorrow after closing on 30/12 for the NY holiday.  (So you can go and check “get driver’s license” off your list of NY resolutions.)

Deportes –

Club Sangay – The 2017 schedule for the climbing club has been released.  Go to www.elmercurio.com.ec for the article or Google the club.  There are 2 outings for children (and out of shape seniors?), one on 19/3 to the Cascadas de Rodeo in Oña and the other on 30/7 to Chorro de Giròn.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne