Durada: 22 min

On July 12th, 1984, the first baby was born through assisted reproduction in Barcelona and Spain, but the road to motherhood is not always as linear and easy as portrayed. Fertility treatment is becoming more common throughout the world, and in Spain, one in every ten children is born thanks to this technology. This is due to three factors: increasing infertility rates, higher age for having a first child, and access to reproductive assistance for single parents and queer couples. But despite this, it often comes with a lot of stigma, secrecy, and shame. On this week's podcast, Cillian Shields and Lea Beliaeva Bander talk to Paula, Montserrat, Marta, and Violeta, four women who have all undergone assisted reproduction in Catalonia, about the ups and downs of fertility treatment, breaking stigmas, creating new family structures and much more. The Catalan phrase of the week is "A poc a poc i amb bona lletra, " meaning that things must be done calmly and patiently to work out.

Durada: 27 min

Forty years ago, on July 12th, 1984, the first baby was born through assisted reproduction in Barcelona and Spain. At the time, the news made headlines everywhere. Now, around 10% of all babies in Spain are born through assisted reproduction, and it has become available for free in the public healthcare system. Cillian Shields joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to chat about assisted reproduction, its evolution, and why it brings people from all over the world to Catalonia. We talk to Anna Veiga, the pioneering Catalan doctor and biologist who led the first IVF birth, and Federica Moffa, the medical director of the fertility clinic Fertilab, about reproductive tourism. And for the first time ever on Filling the Sink, this episode is the first of two dedicated to a single topic, so remember to stay tuned for the next episode, where we talk to four women about their experiences with assisted reproduction in Catalonia. This week's Catalan phrase is "donar a llum", which means "to give birth".

Durada: 21 min

This year marks the 74th edition of the world's largest motor racing event, the Formula One World Championship. Since 1991, the Spanish Grand Prix has been held at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit in Montmeló. However, this year could be one of the last times the Spanish race is held in Catalonia, as Madrid has signed a new ten-year deal with Formula One. To compensate, organizers brought the race to the heart of Barcelona, inviting fans to a spectacular road show on the central Passeig de Gràcia boulevard. Gerard Escaich Folch joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to chat about the history, present, and future of the Spanish Grand Prix.We join the excitement of F1 fans during the road show and hear from protesting environmentalists, and David Vàzquez, president of the Vallès Oriental Hotels Guild, who is worried about the economic consequences of losing the Grand Prix to Madrid. The Catalan phrase of the week is the Formula One appropriate "Fer una parada a boxes", which means to "make a pit stop."

Durada: 21 min

Barcelona's haute cuisine gem 'Disfrutar' has been named the World's Best Restaurant in the 22nd edition of "The World's 50 Best Restaurants." With this accolade, head chefs Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro, and Eduard Xatruch have added another star to the Catalan culinary sky, joining the ranks of El Bulli, el Celler de Can Roca, and others. The name "Disfrutar" means "enjoy" in Spanish and reflects the restaurant's philosophy of offering visitors an extraordinary dining experience that taps into their senses, emotions, and memories. Gerard Escaich Folch joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to chat about the restaurant's gastronomic success and its origins. We visit Disfrutar in the heart of Barcelona's Eixample district and catch up with Eduard Xatruch, who shares some of the secrets behind the exclusive eatery. This week, Xatruch brings us the Catalan phrase: "No diguis blat fins que estigui al sac i ben lligat," akin to the English "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."

Durada: 22 min

On May 30th, under sun, thunder, and lightning, Primavera Sound, the biggest festival in Spain descended on Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum for the 22nd time, kicking off this year's summer festival season in Catalonia. With a solid mix of Catalan summer hits, rock bangers, catchy pop tunes, and international names such as Lana Del Rey, Pulp, Deftones, and Troye Sivan, the 268,000 attendees were in for the party of the year. We talk to the up-and-coming Catalan artist Mama Dousha, whose infectious dance tune 'Rikiti' has everyone on the dancefloor, about what it is like being a new artist in Catalonia and his decision to sing in Catalan instead of English. Oriol Escudè Maciá joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to teleport listeners back to a weekend of music and fun, and to give a rundown of all the biggest concerts and festivals in Catalonia this summer. The Catalan phrase of the week is "Qui canta, els seus mals espanta", similar to "to sing away your pain."

Durada: 20 min

Since 1980, at the end of May, the western Catalan city of Lleida becomes the snail center of Catalonia, where hundreds of people come together to celebrate the annual Catalan Snail Gathering, l'Aplec del Caragol. Fans of the tiny mollusks unite for a weekend of gastronomy, competitions and much more. For this last edition, a whopping 15 tons of snails were devoured by hungry participants. Oriol Escudé Macià and Ona Van Dyck join the festivities at the world's largest snail-eating fest and return to Barcelona to chat about the experience with host Lea Beliaeva Bander. We talk to different 'colles' and attendees at the Aplec and get deep into all things snails, from how to cook and eat them to their health benefits and snail farming, and we answer the pressing question: Are Catalans the world's biggest snail eaters? The Catalan phrase of the week is, fittingly, 'enganyar com als cargols', which literally translates to 'to deceive like snails' and means to betray someone's trust.

Durada: 22 min

Finding affordable housing has long been a problem in Catalonia and Spain, and in March, the Spanish government introduced a reference index for rent prices to keep them from rising. But the new rent cap created loopholes and had the opposite effect of increasing prices on short-term leases, while long-term housing became even harder to find. In response, the Catalan government rushed through regulations but failed to garner the support to make it a permanent law. Cillian Shields and Ona Van Dyck join Lea Beliaeva Bander to explain the different housing laws and highlight the huge gap between the law and reality. We hear from Barcelona real estate agent Tine Mathiessen, and Carme Arcarazo of the Catalan Tenants' Union, as well as the experiences of Catalan renters. The Catalan phrase of the week is '- Què hem de fer? Vendre la casa i anar de lloguer', which means "What should we do? Sell the house and go rent" is a rhyming answer to a question you don't know the answer to.

Durada: 17 min

The Catalan snap election is over, and the voters gave the Catalan Socialist Party, PSC, a whopping 28% of the vote, which translates into 42 seats. But falling short of an absolute majority of 68 seats, the Socialists must now find new alliances to form a government. This episode of Filling the Sink was recorded bright and early on the first morning of the new political cycle. Gerard Escaich Folch joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to break down the election results and answer the question: who will govern Catalonia for the next four years? The election results also show that the pro-independence parties seem to have lost momentum, while the unionist parties are celebrating gains. The biggest surprise was the entry of the far-right pro-independence party Aliança Catalana, which won 2 seats in Catalonia. We will hear the reactions from all the major presidential candidates and talk about what coalitions we can expect. The Catalan phrase of the week is "colze a colze", which means arm in arm.

Durada: 24 min

May 11th marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Catalan artist Salvador Dalí. The surrealist painter was born in the northern Catalan town of Figueres, but spent most of his life in the coastal towns of Cadaques and Port Lligat. In this episode of Filling the Sink, we delve into the life and art of Salvador Dalí. From his contributions to surrealism to his meeting with the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, to his relationship with his wife and muse Gala, we will shed light on the many layers of this controversial Catalan. Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to explore some of the late surrealist's motifs, from melting clocks to eerie mountain landscapes. We talk to art historian Mariona Seguranyes about Gala Dalí and her role in the artist's life. We also take listeners inside the couple's home in Port Lligat and their museum theater in Figueres, where Oriol has a surrealist experience of his own. This week's Catalan phrase is "per art de màgia" which means "magically".

Durada: 24 min

The Catalan election season is in full swing - once again. On March 18th, Catalan President Pere Aragonès announced that he was dissolving the Catalan parliament and calling for a snap election on May 12th. The news came after the government failed to secure a majority to pass the 2024 budget. Calling for early elections in Catalonia is nothing new, as it has been 14 years since a government last served the full four-year term, and in the 21st century, the Catalans have only held two elections when they should have. On this week's podcast, Gerard Escaich Folch and Guifrè Jordan join Lea Beliaeva Bander to make sense of the political situation and explain the reasons why this term came to an early end. We look back at the last three years of political battles, get to know the main party candidates, and talk about the future challenges. This week's Catalan phrase is "déu-n'hi-do", roughly translated as "Oh my God!" in English, a common interjection used to express surprise.

Durada: 27 min

Sant Jordi or Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia, and April 23 is the day when Catalans celebrate love, roses, romance, and books. This week's episode is recorded from the bookshop Backstory in the heart of Barcelona. We explain what makes this day special and why people give each other roses and books. We learn about the legend of Sant Jordi and how this day became World Book Day promoted by UNESCO in 1995. We meet international authors Monika Zgustová, Hernan Díaz, and Sohn Won-pyung, talk to people on the streets of the Catalan capital, and hear from Vicki, co-owner of the English bookstore Hibernian as well as Kate and Abby, who opened Backstory in February of 2024. Lea Beliaeva Bander is joined by the entire Catalan News team, Gerard Escaich Folc, Oriol Escudé Macià, Lorcan Doherty, Cillian Shields, and Ona Van Dyck Colomer. The Catalan phrase of the week is the Sant Jordi appropriate "Hi havia una vegada", which means "Once upon a time".

Durada: 20 min

Lately, some of the beaches in Catalonia look like they have been swallowed by the sea. The reason is the recent storm Nelson, which hit the Catalan coast during Easter. Nelson caused an unprecedented loss of sand on some of Catalonia's beaches. However, this phenomenon is not new. Recent data show that two-thirds of the Catalan coastline has receded in the last seven decades. At the same time, other beaches have grown as a result of the construction of more ports or the expansion of beaches. Lea Beliaeva Bander is joined by Cillian Shields. We talk to experts Gonzalo Simarro of the Marine Sciences Institute and Jordi Pinyol of the Geological and Cartographic Institute of Catalonia. We share beach recommendations, from the rocky Costa Brava to the fun Barcelona beaches, the family-friendly Costa Daurada, as well as the windy Terres de l'Ebre. The Catalan phrase of the week is "Hi ha mar de fons," which is an expression used to express that there is tension or bad vibes.

Durada: 20 min

Barcelona's take on fashion week is the bi-annual event 080 Barcelona Fashion, which this season runs from April 9 to April 12. The event has been held at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site since 2013, and during the 33rd edition celebrated this week, a mix of 24 emerging designers and established brands presented their idea of what should be in vogue in 2024. Over the years, 080 Barcelona Fashion has gone from being a locally focused event to catching the eye of the international fashion world, thanks to its unique mix of Catalan textile tradition, sustainability, and diversity. In this episode, designers Eva Dimas of Simorra and Alejandra Valero of Hoss Intropia unveil their latest collections, and we also hear from 080 Barcelona Fashion's project manager Marta Coca, who explains how the event has evolved. Lorcan Doherty joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about all things fashion. This week's Catalan phrase is 'passat de moda', which means 'out of fashion'.

Durada: 21 min

The number of indoor climbing gyms in Catalonia has multiplied by four in just ten years, making climbing a lifestyle phenomenon and another way of connecting with people. At the same time, the mountainous landscapes of Catalonia have become some of the most visited destinations for outdoor climbing. In this episode, Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to chat about the Catalan bouldering boom, and we also discuss whether it's a sport that is accessible to all. We visit Sharma Climbing, the largest climbing gym in Spain, owned by American climber Chris Sharma, where climbers explain why they took up the sport. We also talk to Quim Hernández, the climbing manager of the Catalan Mountain Sports Federation about the growing popularity of climbing and how it is being received. The Catalan phrase of the week is "Fer una muntanya d'una gra de sorra" which means to blow something out of proportion, similar to the English expression "to make a mountain out of a molehill."

Durada: 22 min

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the opening of the notorious La Model prison, located in the Eixample district of Barcelona. The facility closed in 2017 and has since become a site for Catalan historic memory, open to the public. Behind its high beige walls lies the history of a prison that sought to be exemplary, but during the Franco dictatorship held thousands of political prisoners, many of whom were tortured or executed. Cillian Shields joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about the agonizing history of La Model and its impending transformation into a place of life. We speak with Isabel Centeno, historian and tour guide at La Model, and we hear from Gemma and Carme Puig Antich, the sisters of Salvador Puig Antich, the last political prisoner to be executed at La Model, and their lawyers, Maria Servini and Magda Oranich. The Catalan phrase of the week is "pagar justos per pecadors", in English to pay for the sins of others. Gràcies! Bona Setmana Santa!

Durada: 22 min

In January, the Catalan government joined other European countries in the fight to regulate the use of mobile phones by children in public primary and secondary schools. The idea came from the parent initiative Adolescència Lliure de Mòbil, A Phone-free Adolescence, which started in the Barcelona neighborhood of Poblenou in November 2023, and soon spread to other parts of the Catalan capital, then the rest of Catalonia and Spain. Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about the new regulations and some of the risks of children using smartphones. Lluna Porta, spokesperson for Adolescència Lliure de Mòbil explains how the group got started, and Jose Ramon Ubieto, a clinical psychologist and author offers advice on how to reduce phone time. This week's Catalan phrase is 'bufar i fer ampolles'. Literally, 'to blow and make bottles', it's used to express something easy to do, similar to the English phrase "piece of cake".