Not only did poor Manuel Rosales lose the election for president, but winner Hugo Chavez’ supporters are trying to knock him out of his post as governor of Zulia. In a faux futuristic recounting of a would be history, this wildly hopeful presidential campaign ad (disguised as a movie trailer) not only dared Venezuelans to vote for change, but dared to sell a bearskin before actually catching the bear.

Ibiza is a wonderful holiday destination any day, but the summer solstice presents an opportunity to partake in an ancient tradition and celebrate all night long. Let’s join Tatiana for a cruise on a beautiful velero to visit some secret swimming spots and then we’ll head into town for la noche de San Juan.

Arume studies filmmaking in her native Spain. She talks about what life is like for her now that she has graduated from high school and is out on her own.

Enrique Iglesias discusses his record Cosas del Amor, and calls it the best recording he’s made in his career so far. He also discusses tricks for sneaking cheat notes into an exam and flirts shamelessly with the interviewer.

Natalia reflects on her first real experiences with acting and modeling. As a young girl she was drawn to the stage, performing in many of her high school’s chorus and theatrical productions. Her mature stage presence and passion for the art soon landed her a number of roles in paid advertisements. She was well on her way to becoming a star.

Natalia was quickly growing up. Like most teens, she was anxious to explore the world. At thirteen she began to go out dancing with her best friend, Rosa. Ivan, the high school hunk, was to become her first love.

Winning the Xuxa Paquita contest convinced her to move to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately for Natalia, it wasn’t easy to be sixteen and out on her own. She was lonely, and she struggled, but pride and her fierce ambition kept her from quitting.

The showbiz life can be cruel, even when you’re young, talented and beautiful. Though she came from nearby Uruguay, Natalia’s Argentine peers in their native Buenos Aires weren’t afraid to let her know she was a stranger infringing on their turf.

Carolina talks about different accents and styles of speaking Spanish, particularly those found within Spain itself. Carolina is from Andalusia, in the South, and she contrasts her accent and common expressions with those of people from Barcelona and other regions.

For nearly 50 years the Pérez Terradillo family has served vinos and pinchos, wines and snacks. Jose takes us on a tour to see the kitchen and the folks and gear behind the scenes of this celebrated restaurant in Burgos, Casa Pancho.

The verb pinchar means “to prick” or “to poke” and pincho is a spike or a skewer, so it’s not surprising that in the world of tapas (small portions that can be shared) pinchos (also spelled pintxos) either have toothpicks through them or can be eaten off the plate with one.

Daily exposure to wood smoke can really wreak havoc on the body. It affects the eyes, the skin, and, of course, the lungs. With small material investment, kitchen smoke is minimized through a cleverly designed, well-ventilated, stove.

Continuing their trip through Nicaragua, Planas’ film crew stops in San Nicolás and discusses the lack of potable water. A group of Spaniards have offered to remedy the situation. Why does the problem still exist? Could the elected officials actually be standing in the way of progress?

The film crew met with a team from Ayuda en Acción, and it appears that its organizational heart is in the right place. Yet, despite the presence of over five hundred NGOs working to improve the lot of Nicaragua’s poor, their plight worsens every year. Many local activists and intellectuals do not trust the non-profits, and accuse them of having their own enrichment as concern numero uno.

She loves Barcelona, but lovely Tatiana’s accent quickly gives her away as a colombiana (from Bogotá, to be precise). Until the Olympics came to town and spurred a facelift, Barcelona wasn’t really living up to its potential. But now it is fully exploiting its great location on the Mediterranean Sea.