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.

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.

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.

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.

On a trip with his mother-in-law to the Fuengirola street market, Fermín takes the opportunity to point out the wide array of products that are sold there and shows us what she ends up purchasing.

This time, we will hear from Magdalena and Víctor, owners of artisanal cheese factories who are at the Casabermeja market to sell their scrumptious products. Let's hear about some of the different cheeses they make and some of the manners in which they are typically eaten.

This time, we join a local farmer at the Casabermeja marketplace, where he points out to us many typical regional products that he cultivates and sells throughout Málaga.

Luis Lozano, organizer of the Jornadas Gastronómicas de Casabermeja (Casabermeja's Gastrononomic Days), tells us both about the charming locale in Málaga where the festival is held and what products and activities we can expect to find there.

Isabel and Paula offer additional recommendations about some different types of music venues in Madrid that are primarily intended for older audiences, including jazz clubs. Let's hear some of their positive and negative personal experiences at such venues.

In the second part of this series on Madrid's entertainment culture, sisters Paula and Isabel tell us about concert venues of varying sizes and levels of prestige, from dives to the renowned La Riviera, as well as what you might expect to pay for different types of events.

This time, Isabel and Paula talk to us about Madrid's cultural life, including its entertainment culture. Let's hear about the fascinating event center The Matadero as well as some additional theater and concert venues.

From Barcelona, Victor invites us to meet the modern troubadours of this city whilst reminding us about some of the famous singers that started their musical careers in the same way.

Jaime Santa Cruz takes us to the nursery that bears his last name, "Vivero Santa Cruz," where one can find a variety of plants and trees for every taste.