Cuenca news today, written for expats

The Ministry of Infrastructure is building a major retaining wall at kilometer 50 of the Cuenca–Girón–Pasaje route, where a sinkhole and ongoing landslides have hammered the road. Expect four months of work — and route delays — starting now.

Orchestra concerts, Alice Through the Looking Glass at the Teatro Sucre, a Latin American horror film series, a book launch, and a sculpture inauguration. Here's the rundown.

The retailer commissioned local artist Javier 'Dieztro' Flores for a public mural titled 'Cuenca, Atenas de luz,' ahead of opening its new store at Mall del Alto on May 21. The mural features a cholita cuencana surrounded by city landmarks.

Two spectacled bears have been spotted along the highway that connects Cuenca to the Amazon in recent weeks. Biologists say food scarcity and habitat loss are pushing them closer to the road — and drivers are now part of the story.

Pumapungo Museum is hosting a free workshop Thursday on 18th-century Andean kitchens — the food, the tools, the household rhythm. If you've ever wondered what mote-and-pork actually replaced, this is your event.

Local artist Jaime Lara painted 53 watercolors of birds from Cajas National Park, printed them onto a deck of playing cards, and launches the first decks today at Casa de la Lira in El Vado. The deck is $30. Yes, the condor is in there.