In preparing for this Spain adventure, I purchased a travel book by Rick Steves about the city of Barcelona.  In the back of this book was a walking map that I studied and marked with all the places I wanted to see.  The map fit snuggly in my coat pocket.  At each stop, I would review the map and enter into my phone GPS the location of the next site. 

This basilica was built between 1329 and 1383 and was consecrated in 1384. 

Many of the basilicas decorative richness was destroyed in a fire set by anti-clerical rioters at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.  However, the church survived even though it was on fire for eleven days.

My next stop on this walking adventure was the Santa Caterina market.  The market began in 1845 and contains an abundance of fresh produce, fish, seafood, and meats.

As I continued my walk, I found a small church that I did not see on my walking map.  The Church of Santa Anna is located in the heart of Barcelona and was built between the 13th and 15th centuries. 

Before entering the church, I noticed a remarkable statue.  I stepped back when I first saw it because it looked very real.  However, this is a beautiful statue that speaks volumes.

On the website for the Church of Santa Anna, there is a picture of this statue with the following quote from Pope Francis, “The church must be like a field hospital for the wounded.”  The details of this statue are amazing as you can see the nail marks on the feet which clearly identify Jesus.

It was truly a touching moment and brought many thoughts about how I see Jesus in others, especially the homeless.

After leaving the Church of Santa Anna, I walked to the Placa de Catalunya which is a beautiful open space full of pigeons, park benches, and people relaxing in the morning sun.

I decided earlier that I would have lunch at the La Boqueria Market.  I heard so many good things about this market from people who traveled to Barcelona and from many videos.  From Placa de Catalunya, I headed down the famous La Rambla pedestrian walkway in central Barcelona. 

My GPS was programed for the La Boqueria market when I noticed a sign for the Church of Mare de Deu de Betlem.  This was also marked on my map, and I was happy to find it.  This church has an interesting story.

What I found interesting about this church was the variety of displays depicting scenes in Jesus’ life.  This is typical of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who was the founder of the Jesuits.  In his Spiritual Exercises, Saint Ignatius challenges us to place ourselves in the scene and experience what is happening in each setting.  Throughout the church there were several depictions of the Nativity. 

By now, I was ready for lunch.  Very close to the church was the entrance to the La Boqueria Market. 

What was really amazing about this market was that you could eat lunch while walking through the market – which is exactly what I did!  This was encouraged by each vendor that sold food choices in easy to hold containers. 

I started my walk in the market with a cup of fresh strawberries.  Then I found a vendor selling empanadas with spinach and onions.  A kiwi drink was next on my menu followed by a large white chocolate chip cookie.

This was a great experience and a wonderful way to try new things.

There was one more thing that I wanted to do before heading back to the hotel and that was to walk toward the aquarium on the waterfront.  Before long, at the end of the La Rambla walkway, I could see the Christopher Columbus monument.

The Barcelona waterfront was beautiful.

Before long, I was back at my hotel.  The hotel I chose for this adventure was across from the Cathedral of Barcelona.  The hotel and the cathedral were part of a large, car-free square that had a variety of new activities throughout the day.  There were also many restaurants within a few feet of the hotel. 

After a long day of exploring Barcelona, it was time for dinner.  I enjoyed sitting outside at one of the restaurants on the square listening to the music and other happenings and enjoying beautiful Spain.

One more day in Barcelona and then I am off to another part of Spain.  Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever seen the statue of the Homeless Jesus.  This was an amazing find with so much more to come.

Stay tuned…

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