Suddenly, one of them stands to sing. Unsurprised, his tablemates join him, clapping to the rhythm and improvising lyrics for dinnertime ambiance.

When I ask Alicia Alonso about the thaw in US-Cuban relations, the historic events of the week and if she is happy about that, she simply says, "Who wouldn't be?"

Travelers to Europe often rave about how great it is getting around via trains. Though there is no doubt that this is one the fastest and most efficient ways to travel the continent, my preference is keeping it old school with a nice, laid-back road trip.

In a recent interview, Martín Santangelo, artistic director of Noche Flamenca, gave some background on his latest creation, a full length realization of Sophocles' Antigone. It is a visually stunning work.

WOMEX always starts off with a gala evening event in which the host country presents a sampling of its musical culture. This year the program was produced by the virtuoso bagpiper Budinho.