The quest for an excellent cup of coffee continues. Now we’re in the lab working to get rid of impurities by threshing and selecting the best coffee beans.

In Colombia, costeño y cachaco are almost opposite terms. Costeños, that is de la costa, people from the Coast, are usually depicted as festive, noisy, and colorful people who really enjoy killing time. Cachaco is usually the name given to people from the capital, Bogotá, and they’re characterized by elegance; they’re always dressed up and in control of their emotions. One group is seen as lazy, the other as boring. Regional differences aside, Bomba Estéreo is a fresh musical mix of both regions.

You can almost smell the coffee as Part 3 of our documentary takes us through the roasting process.

We’ve already seen some interesting, fabulous and downright curious things in the “mercado de pulgas” (flea market). But what about the people in there? They’re as colorful, amusing and charming as the goods in any stall.

After all the bean sorting, cleaning, grinding and toasting we witnessed in our previous segments of Una Historia de Café, it’s finally time to boil up some water and do a little tasting, or “cupping,” as it’s known in laboratory circles. You might want to fire up your percolator; we have a feeling you’ll be craving some caffeine any moment now!

In Bogotá’s flea market, children help out in their parents’ businesses. We stop at a stall of handcrafted wood figures and chat with the artisan’s daughter.

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Fonseca is known for his letras pegajosas (sticky lyrical hooks) and happy rhythms. Fonseca became a sensation after attending Berklee School of Music in Boston—a move that he claims gave him the ability to stand out among his musical peers.

The most famous Colombian hips belong to Shakira. In this video we see a lot of the sensual dance and catchy music that have made Shakira’s name known throughout the whole world. Beware the full moon when this lovely she-wolf is on the prowl.

This video smells good! Meet Miguelito who is going to introduce us to the rich flavors of Colombian food. Run to your kitchen and get some garlic, tomatoes and onions -essential ingredients in Colombian cuisine!

Lo hecho está hecho means “What’s done is done,” and what’s done is another international hit from the bilingual diva from Barranquilla. The English language version is called “Did It Again,” and what it did was to give Shakira her 10th consecutive top-40 hit in the UK.

Come and enjoy the best of Colombian food with our friendly chef Miguelito. In this episode we’re learning how to cook a delicious traditional dish. Don’t be shy, pay attention, and soon your friends will be enjoying some Pollo Sudado.

Bring a fork and knife to this video because our “pollo sudado” is almost ready. Chef Miguelito is putting the last touches on this delicious recipe that’s good enough for the whole family!

ChocQuibTown is the most important Colombian hip-hop band of the moment and they have been pretty busy exporting their music around the world. From Argentina to Texas, people are dancing to their rhythms. But even as the band travel, ChocQuibTown hasn’t forgotten where they all come from. On the contrary, they are inspired by their Colombian roots.

The old saying goes “Hijo de tigre, sale pintado”. Literally, it means the baby tiger is going to bear the same marks as his father. But it also means that there are some things we inherit and carry with us. Here, Aterciopelados is singing about leaving some inherited, violent habits behind.

Shakira certainly knows something of the change-up life. A Colombian, she lives in the Bahamas, dates an Argentinian, switched to English, was a brunette, is now a blonde. In this video for “Gitana” (Gypsy), watch her flirt with Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal as she tells us what fans already know.