Filling the Sink

One born every minute? – Catalonia’s record low fertility rate

What is behind Catalonia's falling birth rate and is it a cause for concern?
Interviews with Antonio López-Gay from Barcelona's Centre for Demographic Studies and Dr Ximena Justo from Barcelona IVF.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'donar a llum.' Literally 'to give light,' it means to give birth.
Presented by Lorcan Doherty with Emma Monrós and Cillian Shields. 

Cycling in Catalonia – Riding hotspot Girona and La Vuelta kicks off from Barcelona

As Catalonia hosts the first four stages of La Vuelta 2023, Filling the Sink visits Girona to discover what makes the area so perfect for cycling.
Cillian Shields chats to Pro Cycling Outlet's Dave Walsh, Eat Sleep Cycle's Lee Comerford, cyclist-cum-coffee shop owner Christian Meier, and Latifa Al-Yassin and Noura Al-Ameeri, two members of the Kuwaiti national team.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'anar a pinyó fix.' Literally 'to go by fixed-gear [bike],' it can be used to describe someone who is inflexible.
Presented by Lorcan Doherty.

Young entrepreneurs – from fashion to fruit, microelectronics to meals at work

Success stories from young Catalan entrepreneurs who started their own businesses from scratch.
With Bruno Casanovas of fashion label Nude Project, Carla Gómez of microelectronic soldering company The Ker, Nora Vallcorba of Nora Real Food, and Oriol Aldomà of Talkual, who deliver imperfect fruit and veg to households across Spain.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'qui no s'arrisca, no pisca,' similar to 'you gotta risk it to get the biscuit' in English.
Presented by Lorcan Doherty with Gerard Escaich Folch.

Somorrostro and the hidden history of Barcelona’s shanty towns

Barcelona’s image today is one of a modern, European city, but within living memory a very different Barcelona existed, a forgotten city of shanty towns known as barraques.
Cristina Tomàs White joins Lorcan Doherty to look at the hidden history of places like Somorrostro. Today, a popular beach in Barceloneta, it was once home to up to 15,000 people living in shacks and huts built on sand.
TV3 journalist and documentary maker Alonso Carnicer talks about the making of his 2010 film, 'Barraques. La ciutat oblidada' (Shanty towns – The Forgotten City).
This week's Catalan phrase is 'veure-ho tot negre'. Literally, 'to see everything black', it means to see lots of difficulties, to despair.   

The Sugar Boy – The life and times of anarcho-syndicalist Salvador Seguí

Salvador Seguí, known as El noi del sucre, The Sugar Boy, was a key figure in Catalonia's impassioned, revolutionary and deadly workers' movement in the early 20th century.
100 years on from his death – he was shot dead aged just 35 – an exhibition in Barcelona's Palau Robert remembers this larger-than-life character’s contribution to Catalan society and to the worldwide fight for better working conditions.
Cillian Shields chats to exhibition curator Sergi Martín and joins Lorcan Doherty to discuss the life and times of the anarcho-syndicalist who helped bring about the 40-hour working week.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'de sucre'. Literally '(made) of sugar', it is used to describe someone delicate or fragile. 

Passeig de Gràcia – 200 years of Barcelona’s grandest boulevard

Home to architectural masterpieces, luxury brands and very expensive flats, Passeig de Gràcia is celebrating 200 years.
Emma Monrós and Cillian Shields join Lorcan Doherty to look at the fascinating history of this street, a place to walk for walking's sake, shaped by feuding families trying to outdo one another by building ever-grander homes.
Eva Pomares guides us around one of them, Palau Robert, a former private mansion now owned by the Catalan government and converted into a space for concerts and exhibitions.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'escampar la boira'. Literally 'clear the fog', it's used to tell someone to go away.

LGBTQI+ in Catalonia – Pride and the fight for equality

As Barcelona celebrates Pride, Cristina Tomàs White and Kate Naessens join Lorcan Doherty to chat about the history of gay and trans rights in Catalonia, from the oppression of the Franco regime to this year's so-called 'trans law'.
Albert Carrasco from the Observatory Against Homophobia explains some of the discrimination still faced by the LGBTQI+ community today.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'viu i deixa viure' – live and let live.

Spanish election preview – polls, permutations and a look back on the last four years

On July 23, Spain goes to the polls again, this time for a snap general election.
Guifré Jordan joins Lorcan Doherty to chat about what the polls say, the potential coalitions, who might end up in La Moncloa and what impact the far-right in government could have on Catalonia.
Emma Monrós and Gerard Escaich Folch look back on the last term.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'tocar el dos.' Literally 'to touch the two,' it means to leave or to flee.

Buckle up and cool down – Catalonia’s amusement parks and water parks

Buckle up! Filling the Sink goes on a roller coaster ride through Catalonia’s theme parks and water parks.
We venture into ‘Uncharted’ territory at PortAventura, checking out the park's new dark ride, based on the hit video game and movie of the same name. 
Plus, a guide to various parks, past and present, and a look at how some water parks are coping with the ongoing drought. 
This week's Catalan phrase is 'fer dentetes.' Literally 'making small teeth,' it means to make someone envious. 
Presented by Lorcan Doherty with Kate Naessens and Gerard Esciach Folch 
 

The magic of Sant Joan – bonfires, firecrackers, coques and more

Bona revetlla! Saint John’s Eve, June 23, is a noisy, all-night affair of food and drink, music and dancing, fireworks and bonfires.
Emma Monrós and Guifré Jordan join Lorcan Doherty to chat about the magic of the shortest night of the year (almost!) – midnight swimming, watching the sunrise, jumping over bonfires, eating coques, drinking cava and setting off firecrackers.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'posar més llenya al foc' – to put more wood on the fire.  

Water polo – how Catalonia became a mecca for world’s top players

Catalonia is one of the world’s water polo hotspots. Catalan clubs are among the top teams in Europe and dominate the Spanish league.
Atlètic-Barceloneta's Felipe Perrone, four-time Olympian and captain of the Spanish national team, chats to Gerard Escaich Folch about how Barcelona became a mecca for the sport and the recent successes of his club and Spain's men's and women's teams.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'anar peix.' Literally 'to go fish,' it means to be unprepared for something.
Presented by Lorcan Doherty.

What makes us human? Catalonia’s role in biggest ever primate genome study

The most comprehensive investigation into primate genomes, recently published, shed new light on features of primate evolution, human disease and biodiversity conservation.
Filling the Sink chats to some of the researchers in Catalonia that played their part in this groundbreaking international study: Tomàs Marquès-Bonet from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at Pompeu Fabra University, and Ivo Gut, director of CNAG, the National Center for Genomic Analysis.
This week's Catalan phrase is 'fer el mico.' Literally, 'to do the monkey,' it means to act silly, horse around, monkey around.
Presented by Lorcan Doherty with Cristina Tomàs White, Kate Naessens and Guifré Jordan.