Filling the Sink

Casa Orsola – a symbol of Barcelona’s gentrification debate

Casa Orsola in Barcelona's Eixample neighborhood has become a symbol of the city's struggle with gentrification, as long-term renters find themselves priced out of their homes.
One resident, Basilis, explains his story, while lawyer María José Tarancón outlines the position of the building's new owners, Lioness Inversiones.
Housing rights activists Daniela Lima of the Esquerra de l'Eixample Housing Network and Enric Aragonès of the Sindicat de Llogateres tenants' union give their take.
Presented by Lorcan Doherty with Gerard Escaich Folch and Cristina Tomàs White.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'posar la mà al foc'. Literally 'to put your hand in the fire', it is used when you are very sure of something you say, like 'I swear'. 

So long, sedition – What will criminal code reform mean for Catalan and Spanish politics?

In 2019, nine Catalan pro-independence leaders were found guilty of sedition for their roles in the independence push of 2017. Now, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that the crime of sedition will be struck from the penal code – a decision set to have a huge impact on Catalan and Spanish politics. Could those convicted politicians – subsequently pardoned but still barred from holding public office - make a return to frontline politics? And could those in exile – including former president Carles Puigdemont – be extradited, or even return voluntarily? Lorcan Doherty is joined by Gerard Escaich Folch and Cillian Shields, with analysis from Jordi Nieva, professor of procedural law at the University of Barcelona. This week's Catalan phrase is 'canviar de camisa'. Literally 'to change shirt', it means to change to change your beliefs. 

Not so wild - Catalonia’s wild boar problem

Catalonia has a pig problem. Numbers of Sus scrofa, the Eurasian wild pig, have shot up in recent years and so too has the potential for conflict with humans. Cristina Tomàs White and Guifré Jordan join Lorcan Doherty to discuss the causes, effects, and possible solutions to the spiraling wild boar population. With Anna Sanitjas, head of Forest Ecosystems and Environmental Management at the Catalan government, Jaume Badia, biology PhD researcher at the University of Barcelona, and Ramon Comes, from the Unió de Pagesos farmers union. Plus, we go searching for boar in the Collserola mountains and get the thoughts of residents there. This week's Catalan phrase is 'fer més mal que un porc solt' - to do more damage than a pig on the loose.  

Feeling the pinch – lowdown on inflation, bills and shopping tips

After a decade of low inflation and low interest rates, price hikes following the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine have left many feeling the pinch. Esther Lorente, head of the OCU Consumer Organization in Catalonia, has tips on how to keep your shopping and energy bills down. Cristina Tomàs White and Gerard Escaich Folch join Lorcan Doherty to discuss inflation trends in Catalonia and beyond, and what measures are being taken to bring rising prices under control. Plus, stallholders at Sants Market in Barcelona on how they and their customers are dealing with inflation. This week's Catalan phrase is 'tirat de preu', used to describe something that is cheap. 

Foodie favorites – a guide to (genuine!) Catalan grub

Less paella and sangria and more esqueixada and escalivada – Lorcan Doherty is joined by Cillian Shields and Gerard Escaich Folch to chat about traditional Catalan food. Attendees at Barcelona International Community Day tells us their favorite Catalan dishes. Gerard and Maxime Van Cleven visit Sants Market in Barcelona and talk to stallholders about the kinds of food that locals and visitors buy. This week's Catalan phrase is 'pa sucat amb oli'. Literally bread soaked in oil, it is used to describe something of low quality or little value. 

Bottoms up! - Barcelona’s cocktail bars in World’s Top 10

Flamboyant drinks and clandestine bars, Barcelona’s cocktail scene has stepped up its game, overthrowing London and New York at the World's 50 Best Bars ranking. 
Filling the Sink is celebrating its 100th episode with cocktails! Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Catalan News journalists Cillian Shields and Gerard Escaich Folch to talk about the hottest creative bars in Barcelona that made it to the World's 50 Best Bars ranking, celebrated this month for the first time in the Catalan capital instead of London. 
Join us as we visit the bars featured in the top ten of the list for 2022: Paradiso, first place, Sips in third spot, and Two Schmucks, at number seven. We hear from Gianluca Basso, Paradiso’s manager; Marc Alvarez, Sips’s co-owner; and Pom Modeste, Two Schmucks’ manager. 
We also have a little surprise at the end of the podcast to mark our 100th show! Cheers! 

Government collapse - endgame or new start for independence camp?

Almost a decade of collaboration among the main pro-independence parties ended on October 7 when members of Junts per Catalunya voted to exit the coalition. After years of inspiring huge mobilizations, how did the independence movement get here, and what comes next? 
Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Catalan News editor Guifré Jordan to talk about the new single-party government in Catalonia formed by the left-wing, pro-independence Esquerra Republicana, governing solo with support from just 33 seats of the total 135 in the Catalan parliament.  
We also hear from Doctor of political science at UAB, Ernesto Pascual, on the future challenges of Aragonès’s administration as well as a report from our correspondent Cillian Shields about the slow divorce between the main Catalan pro-independence parties during this term. 
This week's Catalan phrase is ‘Embolica que fa fort’ which means “things are getting even more difficult.”

The unfinished MidCat pipeline – a solution for Europe’s energy crisis?

As Europe faces an uncertain winter amid the energy crisis provoked by the war in Ukraine, Catalan, Spanish and German officials are looking at the MidCat project, an unfinished pipeline that would bring gas from Africa to Europe via Catalonia, as a potential solution to ease the continent's dependency on Russian imports. Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Cillian Shields and Gerard Escaich Folch to talk about this ambitious billion-euro pipeline project that faces political and social challenges before it can be completed. We also hear from Joan Puerta, vice president of Catalonia's Engineers Association's energy committee, and Carol Coll, activist from the environmental group Plataforma Resposta al MidCat. This week's Catalan phrase is ‘a mig gas’, which means “not giving 100% of your efforts to reach a goal.”

Independence referendum 5 years on - what happened, its legacy, movement in limbo

October 1, 2017 was a day like no other in Catalonia. An independence referendum took palace despite Spain's ban and its police cracking down on voters. How did events unfold and how much of a game changer was the vote for the independence movement and for Catalan politics?
 
Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Guifré Jordan to talk about 2017 Catalonia's referendum on independence from Spain and its impact five years later, including the movement currently finding itself in limbo. Two experts on political science join the discussion: Toni Rodon, assistant professor at Barcelona’s Universitat Pompeu Fabra and fellow at the London School of Economics in London; and Dani Cetrà, post-doctoral researcher at the University of Barcelona and former research fellow at the University of Edinburgh. We also hear reports from Cillian Shields: a timeline of the day, and word from all parties in the current parliament, both for and against independence, on what they thought off the vote and what it means in today's political context. 
 
This week's Catalan phrase is ‘Això va a missa’ which means “this decision is final.”

The Barcelona patient - the extraordinary case of a functional HIV cure

Known as “the Barcelona patient”, a 75 year-old-woman who has been off antiretrovirals for 15 years made headlines worldwide this summer when her case was presented at the 24th International AIDS Conference in Montreal, Canada. Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Cristina Tomàs White and Gerard Escaich Folch to talk about the extraordinary Barcelona patient as well as HIV research in Catalonia. We also speak with Dr. Josep Mallolas, the head of Hospital Clínic’s HIV-AIDS unit and a member of the research team behind this unique case that could eventually lead to a functional cure for others too. This week's Catalan phrase is ‘No tirar la tovallola’, which means “Not giving up.”

Drought - current state, impact on society, and sunken towns emerging

Heavy rain and occasional drought are a common feature of Mediterranean weather, but the picture is looking quite worrying in 2022, with water levels in reservoirs at 37 percent, according to the Catalan Water Agency, and consistently dropping over the past months. 
Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Guifré Jordan and Cillian Shields to discuss the widespread impacts of the drought in Catalonia. We visit Sant Romà de Sau, where an 11th-century church, usually hidden by the Sau reservoir, has emerged from the water, attracting tourists and curious locals. We also speak with Àngel Font, a former resident of the old village now reappearing above the water.
This week's Catalan phrase is actually a tongue twister – ‘Plou poc, però pel poc que plou, plou prou’, which means, “It rains little, but for the little bit that it rains, it rains enough.”

Back to school with many changes after educational reform

Teachers and students are back in school again with significant changes compared to last year, after a recent wave of strikes, protests, and heated debates within the education sector.
Alejandra Angulo Alonso is joined by Cristina Tomàs White and Gerard Escaich Folch to discuss the new changes and take a look at the future challenges of the Catalan education system. We visit a local school and speak with teachers and parents about what’s new this academic year. 
This week's Catalan phrase is ‘Tenir més paciència que un mestre d'escola’, which means ‘To be more patient than a school teacher’