An unexpected Mission

We saw a sign. I call it providential. After the mishap, I think we needed to stop to calm our nerves. San Juan Bautista Mission was our answer. I had not planned to stop by as I neglected to print the locations of the 21 Missions in California. I only had Carmel planned for the weekend.

There were a number of Latino people making their way to church. Initially I thought it was the general population of the town until we sat down and the one hour and a half Mass was conducted entirely in Spanish.

The missions are scattered along the coast of California from San Diego to Solano (north of San Francisco) by Spanish Franciscans. It is a big part of California's history.

San Juan Buatista Mission. Three centuries old.

A close up of the church's campanilla

The missions were built along the El Camino Real. The street still exist but a part of the original was memorialized here just next to the church.

Inside the church. The podium on the left seem to exist in most of the missions I've visited so far

The entrance to the church. They all seem to have this corridor theme univeral in all of the missions.

A giant cactus. A subtle reminder that California used to be a part of Mexico.

They have the oldest and unique plants.

I've noticed that these berry trees are abundant in the area and all the way to Monterey. I actually wanted this on my garden.

Copyright 2004 Wandertrekker