California Adventure

October 2001

Mission Santa Barbara, Mission Dolores of San Francisco, Mission San Diego,

Mission San Luis Rey, Mission Santa Ines, Halloween Spooks, Universal Studios, Downtown view

300 years ago, the King of Spain commissioned the building of 21 Franciscan Missions in southern California. His intentions were two-fold. He wanted to convert Native Americans to Christianity, and he wanted to claim Spanish territory in the region.

Thanks to the Catholic Church, these missions have been restored, and today we can see what they looked like in their original state.

Each mission was located approximately one day's journey from another. The route of the missions is called "El Camino Real" or "The King's Highway", and runs from San Diego to San Francisco.

	The first mission we visited was Santa Barbara. This mission is breathtakingly beautiful. It has a 100 foot walkway of beautiful arches. It church holds two bell towers. Its' garden cemetery in the back is truly meditative. If you wander around the town of Santa Barbara a bit, you can see signs of aqueducts and buildings that were used 300 years ago by the mission.
Santa Barbara is the only mission that has been occupied and maintained since it was built. (This is unusual since most of the missions were abandoned and left to rot in the 1890's.) Consequently, Santa Barbara has many historical artifacts and records that would have otherwise been lost. picture courtesy of Santa Barbara Parish

photo courtesy: California Missions Blank and Shingle

Mission San Francisco was built in 1776. It is commonly know as Mission Dolores, (spanish for Our Lady of Sorrows.) It is a tiny, beautiful, whitewashed chapel nestled amongst the bulking buildings of central San Francisco.

The walls of this mission are built with adobe brick, and are 12 feet thick at some places. The chapel has been restored to its original construction and is supported by wood beams tied together with sinew. Sinew as it turns out is resistant to earthquakes.


picture source: historic photo postcard Hearses lines up in front of chapel after SF quake	In 1906 a terrible earthquake hit San Francisco. What the quake did not destroy, the fire, that burned for two more days, decimated. Water maines damaged during the quake, forced firemen to sit and watch the city burn. The picture to the left is from 1906, a few days after the San Francisco earthquake. The church tower, to the right of the mission, has collapsed. (See picture below of church tower standing.) Mission Dolores withstood the quake because of its thick walls and flexible frame. It was one of the few chapels still able to take services for the dead.

picture source: historic photo postcard

This is a photo of the mission in 1875, with the church tower standing.

picture source: California Missions postcard

Mission San Diego was built in 1769 and was the first permanent spanish settlement in California.

The bell tower shows the spanish style architecture that was typical of the era.

The bells are still in use and we were lucky enough to watch the bell chimer perform his weekly call to mass. (see picture right)

click this picture to see the dog prints

At Mission San Diego, the catholic church (who now operate the grounds) have preserved some of the original bricks in creative ways.

This grave marker is made from original adobe bricks which built the original structure. The adobe bricks were hand-made by native indian converts, and were dried and baked in the sun to harden.

The bricks below shows that someone must have been napping in the shade during the baking process, because there are signs that a dog walked across the clay bricks while they were still wet.

click to enlarge

One of the things I love about the missions is their beautiful gardens. We always can find a cool shaded place to relax and enjoy the fragrance and the environment.

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
King of the Missions

Mission San Luis Rey was built in 1798. It is called the King of Missions because it is named after King Luis, and it is also the biggest of the missions. It is located north of San Diego.

At this mission, there are remains of an old aqueduct system used to irrigate the fields and vineyards. The stonework is beautiful.

Mission Santa Ines
in Solvang click to enlarge pictures


The missions was founded in 1804. It is built of adobe brick. The walls are 5-6 feet thick to support the heavy roof beams.	The structure is long and narrow, as most of the missions are.


The missions always have beautiful gardens and Santa Ines is no exception.	King Wai and Thu relaxing in the shade.	Thu posing in front of one of the gardens.	King Wai and Lynda posing in front of the garden..


This year we were lucky enough to be at the mission for their annual "Visitadoras" re-enactment pilgrimage.	A tradition which started in the 30's, all the ranchers of the area make a pilgrimage to the mission to get a blessing from the priest.	We got a good view on top of a ridge to watch the riders come into town.	Once in Sonvang, a parade of riders rode down main street on their way to the old mission.


King Wai and Thu are waiting for the riders to enter the mission grounds where the priest will meet them.	The riders arrive.	There are about six hundred riders in all.	The priest gives his blessing.


Thu climbing a tree to get a better view.	Lynda gives a rub on the nose.	One of the drivers had a "Taquilla Holster".

Halloween

Please click pictures below for more comments


We went to Sea World for some fun this Halloween.	These are some ghouls we met	Check out the make-up. Its amazing!

Universal Studios

click pictures to enlarge


Universal Studios	Rafael caught in the gallows	Fun with Shrek	Our friends, Marta, Ohmar and Rafael.
City View click picture to enlarge
We like to hike up to the Griffith Observatory to get a 360 degree view of the city.

All pictures copyrighted by Lynda Lo-Hill 2001, unless otherwise credited.
Reproduction of pictures by permission only at lyndalo@pacbell.net