Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
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.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
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.”
Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
It’s quite possible that El Día de Los Locos, as celebrated in La Vela de Coro, has its roots as far back as the Roman Empire, which celebrated Saturnalia at the same time of year. Both festivals, historically, involve turning the social order on its head, with slaves dressing like their masters.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
La Vela is a small town in the state of Falcón, on the northwest coast of Venezuela, where every December 28th Los Locos [“The Crazy Ones”] arrive wearing colorful and elaborated costumes. The whole town becomes a party, with businesses closing and people dancing in the streets. It’s a tradition that could be in any magical realism novel and that desperately struggles to not fall into oblivion.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, USA, Venezuela
Although one language unites the people from all Spanish-speaking countries, it is useful- and fun- to become familiar with the different vocabulary and expressions utilized by Spanish speakers from various nations.
Difficulty: Beginner
Colombia, Venezuela
Monica seeks her friend, Luis', advice about whether or not she is ready to write a book on spirituality.
Difficulty: Beginner
Colombia, Venezuela
Luis explains to Monica how, in order to write for others, one must first write for him or herself.
Difficulty: Beginner
Colombia, Venezuela
In the final part of this series, Luis advises Monica to do exercises to control her own anger before advising others how to control theirs.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Venezuela
Collecting, restoring and “souping up” Volkswagens is a passion shared by Latin Americans from Baja to Buenos Aires. They love the mechanics and the mechanical lingo. But what’s as clear as the Adicora sky, is that what keeps them united is not pipes and motors but friendship.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
We continue to talk with VW fans in Venezuela. There’s something about that German engineering that gets into Latin blood, it seems. Fans rave that they’re beautiful, unique and reliable, running on pure gasoline.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
Sin Desperdicio (Without Waste) is a different kind of radio program. Instead of news and politics, the station offers listeners talk about literature, food, culture, and of course, good music. Enter the studio and see what it's all about.
Difficulty: Advanced
Venezuela
Jaime Garbet gives a radio interview on the one-year anniversary of his magazine, "Falcon Total," which focuses on the Falcon State in Venezuela, particularly renowned for its Kiteboarding World Championships.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Venezuela
The hostess of "Sin Desperdicio" interviews the members of the music group, Heaven Rays, the first place winners of its recent contest, who try to create a rock/heavy metal fusion with a positive message.
Difficulty: Beginner
Venezuela
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!
Difficulty: Beginner
Venezuela
Emiro used to live in oil-rich Maracaibo, where his father was headmaster of the school system Shell oil ran for the children of employees. (Did you know: Venezuela is the only country in the Americas that’s a member of OPEC? And a founding member at that!)
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