Most English speakers have at some time in their lives heard Donovan sing “The Hurdy Gurdy Man,” but how many knew what such a man did? The woman in this video talks about a musical family that used to play the sinfonía, and indeed this is the Spanish name for the hand-crank organ known as a “hurdy gurdy.”

Fuengirola, is an extremely popular seaside destination on the Costa Del Sol, in the province of Málaga. Not only are there five miles of sandy beaches, bars and hotels, but also you can find the remains of a genuine Roman Villa and a medieval Moorish fortress. Arume dropped in before summer itself became history.

Francisco’s little Taller Arte is guarded by the ever-vigilant Señor Coco, who never sleeps and sees all! Taller means “workshop,” and, as in English, this word can have a range of meanings, such as a place where artisans create, a place where things are fixed, or an event where people get together to work on ideas.

Chober and his buddies are building a little club on the beach that is aiming to provide services to beach goers and visitors, while at the same time providing events and opportunites for community members, particularly young people. Like his friend Francisco, Chober is concerned with the environment, and finding uses for discarded materials.

Francisco sees potential for creation and innovation in a wide range of materials: drift wood, shells, seeds, goat skin, even plastic debris. He is speaking with the governor about creating a tallerr, or workshop, that can be used to teach artistic skills to the young people of the area, as well as to showcase the work of other local artisans.

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.

A fishing village like Adícora can be a place of work and industry for locals, but also one of rest and relaxation for travelers. Chober comes from a fishing family and knows the trade, but he recognizes the growing importance of tourism. His generation realizes that the survival of both ways of life necessitates better care of the environment and increased ecological awareness.

Maria Lionza is said to have been born in 1502 to an Indian Chief in the Yaracuy region of Venezuela. Today she is revered throughout the Caribbean by followers of the syncretic cult which is named after her, but artists too find her an irresistably mystical symbol alluding to history, race, and sex. Her painting hangs on the wall of Francisco’s taller in Adícora.

Vela, a word often used for “candle,” or “sail,” can also mean “wakefulness,” as in “vigilance.” It’s related to the verb velar, “to stand watch.” The name of the port city of La Vela de Coro refers not to the “sails” of merchant ships (as many assume) but rather to this town’s role as a “lookout” point for marauding pirates. One-eyed peg-legs are now less common, but the carnivalesque annual festival of Los Locos continues on.

Malaga gets over 300 days of sunshine every year, so it’s no surprise that Arume has chosen it for her vacation. She’s been studying hard and learning a lot over the past year, and luckily she’s agreed to fill us in!

Noruego means “Norwegian,” hence a princesa noruega is a “Norwegian princess.” One arrived in Burgos, Spain on Christmas Eve, in the year 1257. She was to wed Prince Felipe, brother of King Alfonso X of Castile. Marry they did, but Cristina de Noruega fell ill and died at only twenty eight years old.

Carlos and Angeles are a young couple from Burgos, located about an hour and a half north of Madrid, a city that dates back to 884! The surrounding province is also known as Burgos, and tucked inside it is an equally historical town known as Lerma, which is where we meet up for a walk and conversation.

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.

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.

Emiro spent years crewing an oil tanker, and many more as a fisherman commanding his own lancha, so it’s no surprse to find him at the helm of his own seaside kitchen, the Pimienta Café in Adícora. Join us as we drop in to check out the menu!