Viernes, 28/4/2017: El Centro street changes direction, IVA refunds on line, New magapark, May holidays, Airport budget

Hola, Todos –

I will be off from tomorrow through Sunday, May 14.  <The news stand at Cordero y Bolívar has El Mercurio if you want to try reading it for yourself.>

Pagina cultural –

Today’s (Fri.) agenda events –

CIDAP – CIDAP presented its 2016 financial and activities report along with it’s future projects on Fri..

Upcoming agenda events –

Seminar – The CCE, Asociación Ecuatoriana de Archiveros and the UDA have organized an introductory seminar into archivalry. <I don’t think that’s the word for the activity of being an archivist, but I’m losing my English.  Maybe archivism?>  It will be on 6/5 from 9-17:30 in the archives of CCE (Pres. Córdova 7-89).

Museo Municipal Remigio Crespo Toral – The museum reopened Friday with 5 floors of exhibit spaces, a cafetería, and special exhibit galleries.  It was founded 70 years ago on 3/3/1947 by the then mayor, Luis Morena Mora.  <Are Alfonso and Miguel brothers or other relatives?>

Articles about –

Matilde Hidalgo Prize – Two Cuencanas received this prize from the National Assembly – Sara Vanegas Coveña, a writer; and Jannet Alvarado Delgado, a composer.

Review – The French group “Voilaaa” played el pasado miércoles.

Teatro – Las Marujitas performed at the teatro Pumpapungo Fri. with “Entre Violetas y Braguetas” with their characters, Abrilia from Cuenca and Encarna from Manabí and their comical take on love, romance, betrayal, fidelity, jealousy, platonic love, and friendship.

Exhibit – The religious Easter exhibit at the Museo de las Conceptas closed with a talk.

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Cambian sentido de circulación en la Mariano Cueva (Circulation on Mariano Cueva changes direction)  The Tranvía is causing a lot of changes in El Centro.  Starting 2/5, sections of roads will be closed including Hermano Miguel between La Mar and Sangurima, and Sangurima between Mariano Cueva and Vargas Machuca will be pedestrian only.  Bus lines 24, 22, 100 and 10 will change as well.

The ambulatory vendors will also be “desalojarán” (dislodged) along Mariano Cueva and surroundings.

Public Notice Map – Mariano Cueva will change direction on martes, 2/5 and go north from Gaspar Sangurima to Rafael María Arízaga.  Between Rafael María Arízaga and Av. Heroes de Verdeloma, traffic will be 2 way.  Traffic on Arízaga will run west. There will be restricted traffic on Sangurima between Mariano Cueva and Vargas Machuca.

Megaparks – The contract for the 6 hectare parque De La Luz on Yanacauri hill should be signed el próximo jueves.  The Parque Ecológico de Icto Cruz is just entering the public contracting process.  Also in the planning stages are the 30 hectare Parque De La Musica in El Plateado which should go into contract next year and the 22 hectare parque Del Agua in the Tablón de Miraflores sector.

“Terrorist” freed – A campesino accused of terrrorism was free yesterday after 6 months in the Turi jail.  His crime was participating in a road block protesting a decision by ANT that affected the tax that supports road improvements in rural areas. <Aren’t roadblocks a time honored way for Latin Americans  to show displeasure at unpopular government decisions?>

Public notice – The whole of page A2 is a public financial report for some entity called Sociedad Financiera del Austro S.A. FIDASA.

Holidays – May will have 2 national holidays, May 1, the Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) and the Batalla de Pichincha (Battle of Pichincha) on 24/5.  Since the 24th falls on a Wednesday, the obligatory day off will be on Friday, 26/5 giving everyone a 3 day weekend.

Airport – CORPAC had a budget of $7.5 million in 2016 and only $3.4 million in 2017 which is a bare subsistence budget that doesn’t even seem to allow for much maintenance.  The ex-director of CORPAC said that eliminating the fuel subsidy was a problem since it reduced the flights to Cuenca which were profitable when the airlines could “gas up” at reduced prices in Cuenca.  <Why is Cuenca so unprofitable a route?>

Chonta – The 2nd Amazonian Shuar Festival “Danza de la Chonta y la Culebra” (Dance of the Chonta and the Serpent) starts tonight at 8:00 in Gayzimi in Nangaritza canton, Zamora Chinchipe Province with a purification ritual.  The choncha fruit has high nutritional values.  The simplest preparation is cooked with salt although it can be accompanied with cheese for more flavor or made into colada, chicha, liquor and ice creams.  <It was at the Thu. market at the Mercado 27 de Febrero so I bet the bigger markets like Feria Libre and 10 de Agosto might have it daily during the season.  I was told you don’t eat them out of hand.  Is that the same chonta palm the edible grubs live in?>

Buses – Transit cops are riding the buses as part of a proposal to improve services and safety.  The cops are asking passengers if they experienced irregularities such as speeding, verbal abuse, not respecting stops, etc.  The cop informs riders that buses should stop in a way to reduce the risk of accidents <like not in the middle of the road, 4 feet away from the curb?>, keep the doors closed when the bus is moving so people don’t get flung off, and drivers shouldn’t use their phones while driving.  <I’d like to train a whole new class and start firing the drivers who rack up the most complaints.>

IVA refunds – Starting this month, disabled persons can apply for their IVA refunds on line.  The maximum amount is $150.00.  You have to get an electronic password at SRI, and a bunch of other paperwork.  <So if you go this route plan on at least one physical visit before you can do it from home or where ever.>

Amenidades –

Movies – as usual, go to www.multicines.com.ec for show times and locations.  The following movies open this week.
2D Guardianes de la Galaxia 2 – Esp. y Sub.
2D Ozzy, Rápido y Peludo – Esp.

The following movies are continuing.  All are in Spanish.
2D & 3D Rápidos y furiosos 8
2D Jefe en Pañales
2D Un golpe con estilo
2D Los pitufos 3
2D Nunca digas su nombre

And that´s all for today so Hasta el lunes, 15/5 –

Jeanne