Joe Ray

It makes those who have never seen it stop in their tracks, while Catalans who have grown up with it find their chests swelling with pride. Building castells, the centuries-old Catalan tradition of creating human towers up to 10 levels high, is a cross-cultural snapshot of a region in the political spotlight amid moves to give it great autonomy from Madrid.

With a mix of flair, an eye for things of beauty and, er, dried bugs, four men are turning food-crazed Barcelona into a candy lovers’ paradise on earth. First up is Christian Escriba, a fourth-generation pastry chef who often seems closer to an artist than the baker down the street. His Candy-Glam rings look like something made by a glass blower.