La Música y Dio

This picture does not begin to convey the physical enormity, the absolute brilliance and awesome beauty of this 13th century, Eglésia de Santa Maria del Mar.

Inside there are alcoves everywhere, religious statues, architecture, engravings in stone, metal and wood like I've never seen before. Candles in red glass burn in every corner and the history is ominous, powerful, spiritual.

I came across the church when I first arrived in Barcelona, then returned there Wednesday night to see a performance by the world-class Flamenco guitarist, Manuel Gonzalez.

At that point I'd been running around the city every day from morning until night, happy, yes, joyful, yes, but always fighting the need to soak in as much as possible and the desire to hold tight to my experience, fearing it would somehow slip through my hands.

But on that night, as I sat in the church and listened to the sounds of the guitar, from which came the expression of a man's complete and tender beauty, did I finally surrender, and it was in that moment I knew, that like the solid and ancient structure of the Eglésia, Spain would remain in me forever.