Magnificent Montserrat

To round out my posts on Barcelona I'd recommend a trip to Montserrat for anyone visiting the city, although it does depend on what kind of sight seeing you enjoy.  The Shrine of the Black Madonna (La Moreneta) is located high up in the mountains, a place I found very peaceful and meditative.

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Beautiful Barcelona - Part 2

A few more vacation photos:

Gaudí's Casa Batlló (and don't miss Park Guell)

La Sagrada Familia (if you like churches La Seu Cathedral is also worth checking out)

Still under construction, not expected to be done for decades

My husband, M, and I have already resolved that we're going back to Spain at our first opportunity.  There are parts of the country I've yet to see that I'm dying to go to, but I'm quite sure that when I return Barcelona will be part of our itinerary again -- for us right now going back to Barcelona is like going to visit an old friend.

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Beautiful Barcelona - Part 1

Inspired by Paloma @ La Dolce Vita's vacation planning I decided to go through my pictures from my visit to Barcelona.  I have only fond memories of my time there and I have to say not very many cities have touched me the way Barcelona did.  I loved the vibe and the people, the architecture and the nightlife, there was something about the city that got under my skin. 

I'm an amateur when it comes to taking pictures but I'd thought I share some of mine:

El Barri Gòtic (and also check out El Born!)

Great shopping and people watching on the Passeig de Gràcia

A view from above

Gaudi's La Pedrera (Casa Milà)

Inside looking out

The marvelous roof, you can see all the way to La Sagrada Familia

Our Staples - Espresso, Coca Light and Cigarettes

I thought I'd share some more photographs tomorrow.  I don't have many (any?) taken at night.  Seems I abandoned my camera and touristy tendencies when it came time to head out after dark.  I'm a night owl and Barcelona is a place that doesn't really sleep, for that--and many other reasons--I recognized it instantly as a city after my own heart.

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Turkey: House of the Virgin Mary

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, full of parties and presents, lights and gorgeous decorations, but I find that it can also be busy and stressful. So as much as possible I try to refocus and remember what the season is really about for me--family, love, charity, and the birth of Christ.

Thinking about these things last night led me to recall a trip to Turkey where I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the House of the Virgin Mary. Although the Roman Catholic Church has never definitively approved the divinity of the house (due to a lack of hard scientific evidence) many Popes have visited it, and it is widely accepted as a holy site for both Christians and Muslims.

Located between Ephesus (another site I really enjoyed) and Selçuk on Mt. Koressos, the house is believed to be where the Virgin Mary lived out the remainder of her life following Jesus' Resurrection. The site features a font of Holy water, which runs from underground, and a wall where pilgrims can tie their written prayers and messages.

The place is green and peaceful and I suppose recalling my visit helps me to remember what this Christmas season is all about. I wish you all every blessing of the season!

Botticelli's Glorification of Mary

via Google Images

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