Filling the Sink

2024 in Catalonia: A year in news

As Christmas time approaches and 2024 draws to a close, we’ll be dedicating an episode of Filling the Sink to an annual review, summarizing some of this year’s most important news and taking a look at what is on the cards for Catalonia in 2025.
Host Beth Cohen sits down with Catalan News journalist Lorcan Doherty to look back over the major events which happened in 2024 and discuss the best and the worst of this year’s news. We have seen extreme weather events, starting the year with a critical drought situation which was worsened by heat waves, and whilst the DANA in October brought much needed rain it also had catastrophic consequences which raised questions about Catalonia’s vulnerability in the face of climate change.
On a political level, there have been two elections, an amnesty law, a new president and the surprise return of Carles Puigdemont in August. Gerard Escaich Folch, head of Catalan News, recalls the uncertainty surrounding his short visit.
There have been protests about the housing crisis and Catalonia adopted a rent cap law to protect the right to affordable housing. Anti-tourism protesters also made the headlines as they sprayed water guns at holiday-makers in Barcelona.
And on a sad note, we also said goodbye to the oldest living person in the world, Maria Branyas Morera from Olot, who passed away in August at 117 years old. This week’s Catalan phrase is “Anys i panys” - “Years and locks” - which refers to the passage of time.

A new language, a new life - Learning Catalan goes viral

Catalan is currently spoken by more than 10 million people in four different countries: Spain, Andorra, France and Italy. This week on Filling the Sink we reveal what it’s like to learn Catalan as a foreign language, find out who is studying it and why and discover the importance of our national language.  
 
Catalan News journalist Cillian Shields talks to Catalan teacher, language influencer, and content creator, Júlia Riera, about the success of her educational channel, @dailycatalan. Host Beth Cohen discusses the popularity of the free Catalan classes for beginners run by the CPNL. And we meet Gerhard Kirsten, a mathematician from South Africa who has documented his progress learning Catalan on social media.
 
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Qui no té feina, el gat pentina”, the equivalent to the English phrase “Idle hands are the devil’s playthings”. So if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, tune in to Filling the Sink and learn some Catalan with us!

Valencia floods one month on - Is Catalonia prepared for extreme weather?

On October 29, an isolated upper-level depression affected Spain, causing heavy rain and floods.  One month on, we discuss the tragedy, explore whether Catalonia is prepared for this kind of meteorological phenomenon and question why these slow-moving storm systems are becoming increasingly frequent.
Catalan News journalist Oriol Escudé talks to scientists and climate change experts David Pino and Davide Faranda, who explain the climatological conditions of the Spanish Mediterranean basin. We learn how human activity is affecting the intensity of storms and find out why construction in flood prone areas is still permitted.
To learn more about how Catalonia handles extreme weather events, we visit the Protecció Civil control and crisis centers and meet the Deputy Director of Operations, Imma Solé. Host Beth Cohen unveils Catalonia’s long history of flood episodes and analyzes current drought statistics to discover that every cloud has a silver lining.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Qui sembra vents, recull tempestats” - in English, “He who sows winds, reaps storms”. It can perhaps serve as a warning that, if we continue to mistreat the planet and climate change advances, we can expect more storms like this in future. 

Priced out: Tenants threaten rent strike as housing crisis worsens

This Saturday November 23 the Tenant’s Union accompanied by dozens of housing activism organizations have planned a protest in Barcelona to demand a significant reduction in rents. We discuss the housing crisis, analyze the reasons behind rising prices and find out how tenants are fighting back.
Host Beth Cohen is joined by Catalan News journalist Cillian Shields to explore how the housing situation has evolved in recent years. Cillian talks to tenants about the difficulties of renting in Barcelona, the increasingly unfavorable contracts offered by landlords and the saturated housing market. Beth investigates the rent cap law, finds out what a ‘tense housing zone’ is and discovers how landlords are using legal loopholes to continue to charge prices which reflect market demand.
We interview some of the key figures involved in Saturday’s protest, including Carme Arcarazo, the spokesperson for the Tenants´ Union, and Judit Esposa, a representative of a housing union in the Barcelona neighborhood of Gràcia. They clarify what the protest hopes to achieve, while experts question the viability of a rent strike.
Filling the Sink also reveals how locals are being priced out of their neighborhoods, as tourism and luxury real estate put pressure on rental prices. For those who do want to stay, compromise comes in the form of a flat share or moving back into the family home, neither of which are desirable options for working adults.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Començar la casa per la teulada” - to start the house with the roof. It means to do things in the wrong order and is the equivalent of the English saying “To put the cart before the horse.” 

Battle of the breakfasts - Brunch versus the esmorzar de forquilla

Everyone loves a good breakfast, and in this week’s episode of Filling the Sink we’ll be investigating two different traditions, the Catalan 'esmorzars de forquilla' versus the international trend of brunch.
Over the last few years, brunch bars have opened up all over central Barcelona, particularly in tourist hotspots such as the area around the Sagrada Familia. To find out more about the rising trend of brunch, Catalan News journalist Oriol Escudé visits Billy Brunch, one of the most famous brunch chains in the city. Owner Billy Thorens shares the secrets to his success and we chat to some of the customers to find out what’s so great about brunch.
Host Beth Cohen investigates the ‘esmorzar de forquilla’ - Catalonia’s own traditional morning meal - and finds out how it has been making a comeback and “declaring war on brunch”. We have breakfast with Albert Molins, a journalist from La Vanguardia and founder of EsmorzApp, an app which enables users to find restaurants serving the traditional hearty Catalan breakfasts in their area.
After trying both options, Beth and Oriol discuss the future of local cuisine and declare their own personal favorites in the battle of the breakfasts. This week’s Catalan phrase is “menjar amb els ulls” - to eat with your eyes - when something looks so good that you just have to eat it.

The 2014 Catalan self-determination vote - 10 years on

November 9 is the tenth anniversary of the 2014 Catalan self-determination vote and to mark the occasion we’ll be looking at the independence push over the last few years.
Catalan News Agency journalist Guifré Jordan gives us an overview of the events leading up to the 2014 self-determination vote, the unofficial referendums between 2009 and 2011 and the protests which took place in Barcelona in 2010 and 2012. We listen to some of the Catalan citizens who went to the polls on November 9, 2014 to find out their reasons for voting and their hopes for a better future. Journalist and head of Catalan News Gerard Escaich Folch introduces some of the key pro-independence leaders, such as Artur Mas and David Fernàndez. We also explore the reactions of the Spanish government to both the 2014 and 2017 voting and discuss the main differences. Host Beth Cohen draws parallels with other national and international situations and reflects on the future of the pro-independence movement in Catalonia.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Fer mans i mànigues” which means to make that extra effort and do everything possible to achieve your goal. It’s an inspirational phrase to round off this week’s podcast on Catalan independence.

Medical marijuana - New highs for the health industry?

Despite its popularity as a recreational drug, cannabis has also been used throughout history to relieve pain and aid relaxation.
Beth Cohen and Emma Monròs investigate the uses of this controversial plant in contemporary medicine, discovering its effects, benefits and contraindications. Emma talks to doctor Magí Farré, head of clinical pharmacology at the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital in Badalona, to find out how cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals are currently administered and how changes in the law could benefit sufferers of certain conditions such as chronic pain, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.
To find out more about legal cannabis cultivation, we visit Canamedics in Manresa, the first company in Catalonia with an official license to grow medicinal cannabis. Owner and co-founder Luis Comas talks to us about this groundbreaking enterprise and explains the challenges they are facing.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Que bé s’està quan s’està bé ” - how good you are when you are good. It’s used to express gratitude and recognize your good fortune when things are going well. It’s a perfect feel-good phrase to end this podcast about health and wellbeing on a high!

Cemeteries and Chestnuts: Tots Sants in Catalonia

As All Saints Day approaches on November 1, many Catalan families will be visiting the graves of their loved ones, taking flowers and paying their respects to the dead.
To mark the occasion, Beth Cohen and Emma Monrós dive into the history of two of Barcelona’s most iconic cemeteries, Poblenou and Montjuïc. Emma talks to Adrià Terol, cultural manager of the cemeteries in Barcelona, about the history of funeral rituals in the city. Adrià explains how the niche tomb appeared as an egalitarian burial solution and how the bourgeoisie later reintroduced grandeur to the graveyard.
We admire the sculptures in Montjuïc cemetery, such as the famous Petó de la Mort (Kiss of Death), and visit the Museum of Funeral Carriages to see some of the historic vehicles there. Beth finds out how locals celebrate at this time of year and we brainstorm some ideas of spooky things to see and do in and around Barcelona for Halloween.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Assemblar-se com un ou a una castanya” - to be as similar as an egg and a chestnut, which of course are as different as chalk and cheese. It’s a perfect phrase to use as la Castanyada approaches!
Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat

Battling breast cancer - survivors' stories and experts insights

October 19th is the World Health Organization’s International Day Against Breast Cancer.
In 2022, more than 2 million people worldwide were diagnosed with the illness, while the number of diagnoses here in Catalonia last year was around 5,400.
Although breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer in women, it has one of the highest survival rates, which have improved year after year.
On the 200th episode of Filling the Sink, Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about some of the realities and myths surrounding breast cancer and who is at risk of getting it.
We hear personal stories from breast cancer survivors Mònica Roldán, Grindel Darwich, and Anna Bacardit, as well as from campaigners Alba Martínez and Aurora Fernàndez, president of the association Ginkgo.
We highlight the importance of early detection and discuss both private and public healthcare options and hear from oncologists about their biggest challenges.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “de mica en mica s’ompla la pica”, which translates to “little by little the sink fills up,” and is the phrase behind the name of the podcast, and means “one step at a time.”
Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat

Taking the wheel - Inside the 1971 SEAT strike in Barcelona

SEAT is known as one of the largest companies in Catalonia and one of the biggest car manufacturers in Europe, selling over half a million cars in 2023 alone.
The classic SEAT 600 was more than just a car - it was the model that democratized driving in Spain, got millions of people on the road, and served as a symbol of a rapidly industrializing country in the mid-20th century.
On October 18, 1971, in the final decade of the Franco dictatorship, a pivotal moment in the workers’ rights movement occurred when SEAT workers staged a strike at the Zona Franca factory in Barcelona to protest the unjust firing of their colleagues.
What began as a labor strike escalated into a deadly 12-hour clash with Franco police, resulting in the tragic killing of worker Antonio Ruiz Villalba, and numerous injuries.
Cillian Shields joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to discuss the 1971 SEAT strike -  one of the biggest flashpoints of late Francoist Spain, what led up to it, and what the outcome was.
We will also hear first-hand accounts from Pedro López, who was one of the strike organizers, as well as Carles Vallejo, one of the dismissed workers.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “fer historia” which means “to make history.”
Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat

The big move to Barcelona - Expectations versus reality

Last Saturday, around 5,000 people gathered for the 11th edition of the Barcelona International Community Day at the Maritime Museum, just off the famous La Rambla boulevard.
The annual event welcomes the international community for a day of talks, workshops,  and networking activities to help newcomers to Catalonia settle in, meet people, and get tips on how to enjoy the Catalan capital.
Lorcan Doherty and Gerard Escaich Folch from the Catalan News came prepared to the event with a Catalonia trivia quiz and got to chat with readers and listeners about what their expectations were when they made the big move, and how these compared with the reality once they were here.
Whether people came for a job opportunity, the good weather, or were inspired by a novel, they are now part of the growing international community that makes up a quarter of all residents living in Barcelona.
Gerard sits down with host Lea Beliaeva Bander to catch up on all that went down during the event.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Benvinguts, passeu, passeu” - in English “Welcome, come in, come in”, which is part of the chorus of the Catalan singer-songwriter Jaume Sisa’s popular song “Qualsevol nit pot sortir el sol.”
Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat

Key to the safe? The new Catalan financing model explained

While most people were away on vacation this summer, it was announced that the Catalan Socialists had made a deal with the pro-independence Esquerra Republicana to create a new financing model in Catalonia. If approved, it will be implemented in 2026.
The deal would, among other things, give Catalonia more economic independence and create what some call a “fairer” system. Other, more critical voices have characterized it as “poison for the welfare state”.
But what exactly does this new proposal entail and how is it different from the current tax system?
Lorcan Doherty and Lea Beliaeva Bander explain everything you need to know about the model, from what the changes will mean for Catalonia and Spain to how Spanish and Catalan politicians have reacted.
We will also break down concepts such as the “solidarity payment,” and the ranking principle, or “el principi d’ordinalitat”.
Núria Bosch and Maite Vilalta, the co-directors of the Fiscal Federalism Observatory at the Barcelona Institute of Economics and professors of economics at the University of Barcelona, explain how the new Catalan model compares to federal taxing systems in other parts of the world.
The Catalan phrase of the week is “la clau de la caixa,” which means “the key to the safe”. It not strictly an idiom, but a phrase used often when discussing the new deal.
Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat