Milo
We went to Mission San Diego de Alcala today. We bought the audio tour, but it was just a tape player and it was kind of lame. The best part of the mission was all the lizards we found. There were tons. The dueling hummingbird and finch were pretty sweet, too. Apparently, both birds thought the fountain was theirs.
After that, we went to the beach at the Hotel del Coronado. Cameron, my dad, and I went boogie boarding. Antonio, Liam, Grace, Cameron, and I spent a lot of time diving in and out of waves and Antonio, Trevor, and Liam built a sand castle that the rest of us helped with a little bit. We had to move the sand castle because a huge wave crashed over the first one when the tide started to come in.
We went to a taco stand for dinner and then spent time in Liam's room watching YouTube videos of the best freak outs ever. Now it's time for bed. Good Night.
Mom
I liked Mission San Diego a lot. It was very peaceful and serene. I have to give a shout out to my friends, Brandon and Ashely. When I went into the chapel at this mission, I finally discovered what they were talking about. That chapel smelled OLD. ;-)
There is an active archaeological dig at Mission San Diego near the original convento. That was interesting to see, too. There was a pieta in one of the gardens that I especially enjoyed. It's always beautiful to see the statues of Mary holding the crucified Christ: the mother and son bond immortalized in stone. My favorite part of the mission was a little alcove beneath the bell wall that has a crucifix and a plaque asking visitors to reflect and say a silent prayer. I lingered there a few minutes grateful for my happy, healthy family and a very blessed life. It's good to remember how lucky I am every once in a while.
While leaving the mission, I felt a sense of accomplishment. This group set out to see 9 missions and we did it. We even have a medal from each stop to prove it! I feel richer having made this trip and can't wait to see the remaining 12 in the chain.
Milo's description of our Coronado Island trip is pretty accurate and unusually descriptive. The kids played for hours (even the big kid, Gavin). Lisa, Susan, and I took some pictures and took turns going up to the hotel for various things (thank goodness for the margaritas...even if they were $13.50). Our evening was very chill with just about everyone nursing a bit of sunburn and post-beach/sun lethargy. Tomorrow, we go to SeaWorld. Our mission visits are over until July 12. We'll head to Mission San Francisco de Asis (Mission Dolores), Mission San Rafael, and Mission San Francisco de Solano in Sonoma.
Our First Mission
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Day 7: Here, There, and Everywhere
Mom
After a leisurely morning of packing up and breakfast, we made the short trek to Mission San Juan Capistrano. They don't call this the Crown Jewel of Missions for nothing! What a beautiful site!!! The mission has an audio tour that explains all of the different areas within the walls and it was worth the price of admission.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by vast gardens of brilliant color and variety. The mission buildings are all well-maintained and easily accessed. The first stop is a gorgeous fountain, followed by the soldiers barracks. The audio tour includes a cool story about the one time the mission was attacked...by pirates! The soldiers accomodations did not look very comfortable at all with beds that were little more than leather straps woven across a wooden frame. And, of course, like barracks everywhere, there were a lot of men crammed into one room.
The mission has extensive ruins and restored areas of the industry section with the tallow works, wine crushing room, kitchen, and adobe brick making kiln all available to see. The chapel is an absolute vision with a beautiful sanctuary and lovely paintings throughout. The altar itself has an amazing with 52 angels (one for every Sunday of the year) decorating it. As we were walking around, Milo told me that he really liked La Purisima, but San Juan Capistrano was his new favorite mission.
I bought a "replacement" ring so I didn't feel completely naked at a shop outside of the mission. Milo bought another book about mission history. Go figure.
The group loaded up around 1:00 and headed on to our next stop of the day: San Luis Rey de Francia which is known as the Father of the Missions. I had to sweet talk the lady in the gift shop to get enough saints/missions medals for our group because she only had 12 left and I wanted to buy half of her stock. My charm prevailed (the small donation to the church didn't hurt, either!).
The facade of the mission is pure white and can be scene from rather far away. It's beautiful inside with a small museum filled with artifacts, a sacred garden, and the church sanctuary. The altar itself is highly decorated with statuary and frescoes. There is one statue that is a bit creepy- it is of Christ on the Cross with all of the weeping wounds. That's normal for Catholic churches, of course. The truly strange part of this statue is the fact that Christ has actual hair. It was just weird.
Just off of the sanctuary is a room filled with devotional candles. Lisa and I bought a candle and lit it at the request of our friend Helen (Have fun in Hawaii, Love). We finished with a trip to the local sushi joint for lunch and then got into our cars once again to check into our hotel in San Diego.
After check in, we went to the pool which lasted about 10 minutes because the water was "too cold." So with six children filled with a little too much energy in tow, we walked to the Gas Lamp Quarter for pizza at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza Place. Delicious! We walked back to our hotel and all the children promptly passed out.
As I was washing my face, I looked down and found...my wedding ring! Hooray! I should have known that I would find it since I purchased a replacement (it was only $30, thank goodness). Tomorrow, we visit our last mission of this trip: San Diego de Alcala and Coronado Island. Then we hit a few amusement parks before going home to face a mountain of laundry (unless you are Lisa who is doing laundry right now)!
Milo
After a leisurely morning of packing up and breakfast, we made the short trek to Mission San Juan Capistrano. They don't call this the Crown Jewel of Missions for nothing! What a beautiful site!!! The mission has an audio tour that explains all of the different areas within the walls and it was worth the price of admission.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by vast gardens of brilliant color and variety. The mission buildings are all well-maintained and easily accessed. The first stop is a gorgeous fountain, followed by the soldiers barracks. The audio tour includes a cool story about the one time the mission was attacked...by pirates! The soldiers accomodations did not look very comfortable at all with beds that were little more than leather straps woven across a wooden frame. And, of course, like barracks everywhere, there were a lot of men crammed into one room.
The mission has extensive ruins and restored areas of the industry section with the tallow works, wine crushing room, kitchen, and adobe brick making kiln all available to see. The chapel is an absolute vision with a beautiful sanctuary and lovely paintings throughout. The altar itself has an amazing with 52 angels (one for every Sunday of the year) decorating it. As we were walking around, Milo told me that he really liked La Purisima, but San Juan Capistrano was his new favorite mission.
I bought a "replacement" ring so I didn't feel completely naked at a shop outside of the mission. Milo bought another book about mission history. Go figure.
The group loaded up around 1:00 and headed on to our next stop of the day: San Luis Rey de Francia which is known as the Father of the Missions. I had to sweet talk the lady in the gift shop to get enough saints/missions medals for our group because she only had 12 left and I wanted to buy half of her stock. My charm prevailed (the small donation to the church didn't hurt, either!).
The facade of the mission is pure white and can be scene from rather far away. It's beautiful inside with a small museum filled with artifacts, a sacred garden, and the church sanctuary. The altar itself is highly decorated with statuary and frescoes. There is one statue that is a bit creepy- it is of Christ on the Cross with all of the weeping wounds. That's normal for Catholic churches, of course. The truly strange part of this statue is the fact that Christ has actual hair. It was just weird.
Just off of the sanctuary is a room filled with devotional candles. Lisa and I bought a candle and lit it at the request of our friend Helen (Have fun in Hawaii, Love). We finished with a trip to the local sushi joint for lunch and then got into our cars once again to check into our hotel in San Diego.
After check in, we went to the pool which lasted about 10 minutes because the water was "too cold." So with six children filled with a little too much energy in tow, we walked to the Gas Lamp Quarter for pizza at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza Place. Delicious! We walked back to our hotel and all the children promptly passed out.
As I was washing my face, I looked down and found...my wedding ring! Hooray! I should have known that I would find it since I purchased a replacement (it was only $30, thank goodness). Tomorrow, we visit our last mission of this trip: San Diego de Alcala and Coronado Island. Then we hit a few amusement parks before going home to face a mountain of laundry (unless you are Lisa who is doing laundry right now)!
Milo
I woke up at 7 and 8:30 and we had breakfast at 10. Then, we went to San Juan Capistrano San Diego
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Day 6: Octopus' Garden
Milo
We went on this awesome dolphin safari where we saw common dolphins and bottle nose dolphins. But the best part of it was the triple fudge brownies that we got at the end. My dad and I went to the beach and had fun, just the two of us. That's it for today.
Mom
Today was our first full day with Gavin, Susan, Trevor, and Antonio. We Duncans had breakfast in our room (that was AWESOME), but everyone else went down stairs to the hotel restaurant. Then we all headed off to the Harbor for our Dolphin Safari. What a glorious site!!! We saw two different types of dolphins (like Milo said in his post). The boat was a catamaran with underwater viewing pods.
The best part of the trip for me was when Milo, Gavin, and I were in the pod together. There were five dolphins swimming next to the pod and the three of us experienced that together. Being down in the pod was like swimming with the dolphins without getting wet. What beautiful, amazing creatures.
The rest of the day was spent at the hotel pool, on the rooftop lounge with my family and just with my girls, and on the balcony of our room with the girls. It's been busy, but there isn't much to tell. Dolphins and hanging out. Pretty good day. Tomorrow is San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Rey de Francia. Then we get to our hotel in San Diego.
We went on this awesome dolphin safari where we saw common dolphins and bottle nose dolphins. But the best part of it was the triple fudge brownies that we got at the end. My dad and I went to the beach and had fun, just the two of us. That's it for today.
Mom
Today was our first full day with Gavin, Susan, Trevor, and Antonio. We Duncans had breakfast in our room (that was AWESOME), but everyone else went down stairs to the hotel restaurant. Then we all headed off to the Harbor for our Dolphin Safari. What a glorious site!!! We saw two different types of dolphins (like Milo said in his post). The boat was a catamaran with underwater viewing pods.
The best part of the trip for me was when Milo, Gavin, and I were in the pod together. There were five dolphins swimming next to the pod and the three of us experienced that together. Being down in the pod was like swimming with the dolphins without getting wet. What beautiful, amazing creatures.
The rest of the day was spent at the hotel pool, on the rooftop lounge with my family and just with my girls, and on the balcony of our room with the girls. It's been busy, but there isn't much to tell. Dolphins and hanging out. Pretty good day. Tomorrow is San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Rey de Francia. Then we get to our hotel in San Diego.
Day 5: Come Together
Milo
I liked Mission San Gabriel. There was lots of open space and historical things for me to see. La Purisima is still my favorite, though. I was really glad when Antonio and Trevor got here. I also went with my mom to get my dad from the airport. That was cool, too.
![]()
MOM
Today started on a down note...my wedding ring is currently missing. I'm hoping I stuck it in some brilliant place where it would be safe and it is there, just waiting to be found. But I've picked out a new one just in case. ;-)
After leaving Ventura, the group drove an hour to our 5th mission: San Fernando Rey de Espana. There is an amazing archive of books at this mission. One dated from 1493! They look fragile and yet substantial at the same time. The library made me want to start collecting old books (I have NO idea where they would go, but these leather-bound tomes were stunning).
The mission grounds are huge and a lot of the original structures are still standing. The chapel itself was gorgeous with beautiful statuary in the sanctuary behind the altar. As with many of the missions, there are frescoes in earth tones on the adobe walls. We were treated to a quincenera going on in the church while we were there. The young woman was resplendent in a yellow ball gown with an adorable attendant who looked like Belle.
After walking through the chapel (the quince anos was over), we went into the cemetery and Bob Hope Memorial Garden. Turns out Bob Hope loved the place and his wife donated the garden to have him buried there. It's a lush, green landscape with headstones dotting here and there. Bob's stone looks like an open book. He is on the left; the right will be for his wife, Dolores, someday. From that stone, we learned that Bob was only his nickname. His first name was Leslie (little bonus for all you team trivia players out there).
When we finished looking at the museum and the grounds, we returned to the car and drove the 30 minutes to Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. A brief detour to In 'n Out was necessary because hungry children are crabby children! Hunger satiated, we found our second mission of the day. San Gabriel as a town has embraced their mission and much of the town is in the mission style. The church was again elegant with the added bonus of having a very special stations of the cross. The scenes were painted by the Gabrieleno Tvonga people who lived at the mission. This mission does a good job of celebrating the native culture that was present before and during the mission time. Among the ruins and recreations is a hut that replicates the homes the Tvonga would have lived in.
Another interesting feature was the cemetery. Most (if not all) of the headstones were for priests that served at the mission or the church. Above the headstones were wrought-iron crosses that were rather elaborate and weathered with age.
Eventually, we left that mission and made it to our new hotel destination in Dana Point. Around 5:00, Susan Griffin finally made it. Lisa and I had already made ourselves comfortable at the hotel happy hour on the roof deck. Sitting on the roof drinking a cocktail while staring at the ocean is not a bad way to spend an afternoon! We made poor Susan get back in her car for a short ride to dinner...the Jolly Roger. Apparently, this place was "fancy dining" when Lisa was in high school. Not so much now, but the food was good and the Copper Ridge chardonnay even better.
After dinner, Milo and I drove to pick up Gavin from John Wayne Airport. I'm really glad he is here. I hadn't seen him since last Sunday since our departure and his business trip overlapped. Tomorrow, we will be going on a dolphin safari and, no doubt, hitting the beach or the hotel pool. We'll probably be at Happy Hour again, too.
I liked Mission San Gabriel. There was lots of open space and historical things for me to see. La Purisima is still my favorite, though. I was really glad when Antonio and Trevor got here. I also went with my mom to get my dad from the airport. That was cool, too.
MOM
Today started on a down note...my wedding ring is currently missing. I'm hoping I stuck it in some brilliant place where it would be safe and it is there, just waiting to be found. But I've picked out a new one just in case. ;-)
After leaving Ventura, the group drove an hour to our 5th mission: San Fernando Rey de Espana. There is an amazing archive of books at this mission. One dated from 1493! They look fragile and yet substantial at the same time. The library made me want to start collecting old books (I have NO idea where they would go, but these leather-bound tomes were stunning).
The mission grounds are huge and a lot of the original structures are still standing. The chapel itself was gorgeous with beautiful statuary in the sanctuary behind the altar. As with many of the missions, there are frescoes in earth tones on the adobe walls. We were treated to a quincenera going on in the church while we were there. The young woman was resplendent in a yellow ball gown with an adorable attendant who looked like Belle.
After walking through the chapel (the quince anos was over), we went into the cemetery and Bob Hope Memorial Garden. Turns out Bob Hope loved the place and his wife donated the garden to have him buried there. It's a lush, green landscape with headstones dotting here and there. Bob's stone looks like an open book. He is on the left; the right will be for his wife, Dolores, someday. From that stone, we learned that Bob was only his nickname. His first name was Leslie (little bonus for all you team trivia players out there).
When we finished looking at the museum and the grounds, we returned to the car and drove the 30 minutes to Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. A brief detour to In 'n Out was necessary because hungry children are crabby children! Hunger satiated, we found our second mission of the day. San Gabriel as a town has embraced their mission and much of the town is in the mission style. The church was again elegant with the added bonus of having a very special stations of the cross. The scenes were painted by the Gabrieleno Tvonga people who lived at the mission. This mission does a good job of celebrating the native culture that was present before and during the mission time. Among the ruins and recreations is a hut that replicates the homes the Tvonga would have lived in.
Another interesting feature was the cemetery. Most (if not all) of the headstones were for priests that served at the mission or the church. Above the headstones were wrought-iron crosses that were rather elaborate and weathered with age.
Eventually, we left that mission and made it to our new hotel destination in Dana Point. Around 5:00, Susan Griffin finally made it. Lisa and I had already made ourselves comfortable at the hotel happy hour on the roof deck. Sitting on the roof drinking a cocktail while staring at the ocean is not a bad way to spend an afternoon! We made poor Susan get back in her car for a short ride to dinner...the Jolly Roger. Apparently, this place was "fancy dining" when Lisa was in high school. Not so much now, but the food was good and the Copper Ridge chardonnay even better.
After dinner, Milo and I drove to pick up Gavin from John Wayne Airport. I'm really glad he is here. I hadn't seen him since last Sunday since our departure and his business trip overlapped. Tomorrow, we will be going on a dolphin safari and, no doubt, hitting the beach or the hotel pool. We'll probably be at Happy Hour again, too.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Day 4: Here Comes the Sun
Mom
My day began at 5:45 AM when the freaking alarm in the hotel room went off. Seriously? It was still dark outside for goodness sakes. After dealing with that little mishap, I went back to sleep and woke up at 6:45, and 7:30. At this point, Milo was up also and I decided it was time to get out of bed. Liam was less than thrilled with this early start. I am a bit jealous of people who have children who sleep in.
![]()
This was a non-mission, kayaking and beach day. And lucky for us, it was a bright, sunshiney day. Our kayaking tour was led by a cool guy named Mike at Channel Island Kayak Center. He does a fun tour of the harbor where we saw some wildlife...diving pelicans, frolicking seals (Milo asked if it was mating season), tons of sea stars, and a huge, orange jellyfish. We all paired up: Milo and Liam (who were very helpfully towed by Mike since steering was a bit problematic), Lisa and Cameron, and Grace rode with me. We had a good time...even when Cameron decided to lay down and Grace really didn't paddle much. ;-)
![]()
Lunch in the harbor came next. Lisa and I decided we deserved a cocktail for our endeavors. Kayaking with four kids is tough work! Once lunch was finished (Liam did NOT have shrimp this time...weird), it was off to the beach for boogie boarding and castle building. The kids were in and out of the waves. Cameron tried to teach Liam and Milo how to boogie board. Liam gave up early and started building sand pyramids. Milo hung in and almost caught a wave or two, before he just body surfed and helped with the pyramid. Cameron stayed in the surf the longest and was a pro! Grace just hung out in the sand with Lisa and I as we read and fretted about how far out in the water the boys were going.
![]()
We dragged our tired butts back to the hotel to clean up for dinner and then went back to Ventura Harbor for a really great dinner at Surf and Tacos. Milo tried shark! And Liam had...wait for it...shrimp tacos!!! The kids wanted to go to the arcade, so Lisa and I gave them each $5. No amount of begging or pleading got any of them more than that so our time there was mercifully short. Then it was back to the hotel for bathing suits and an exploration of this hotel's pool which is actually at the hotel next door. Everyone ended up in the hot tub before going to our rooms to watch a movie and pass out!
![]()
The boys are asleep and I should be, too, once I put on a little more after sun gel (apparently, my sunscreen wasn't water proof so my shins are crispy critters!). Tomorrow, we move onto San Fernando Rey De Espana and San Gabriel Arcangel before checking in to Dana Point. Susan and Trevor Griffin with Antonio Verrico join at the hotel tomorrow afternoon and Gavin will fly in at night. It will be good to see them!
![]()
Milo
![]()
My day began at 5:45 AM when the freaking alarm in the hotel room went off. Seriously? It was still dark outside for goodness sakes. After dealing with that little mishap, I went back to sleep and woke up at 6:45, and 7:30. At this point, Milo was up also and I decided it was time to get out of bed. Liam was less than thrilled with this early start. I am a bit jealous of people who have children who sleep in.
This was a non-mission, kayaking and beach day. And lucky for us, it was a bright, sunshiney day. Our kayaking tour was led by a cool guy named Mike at Channel Island Kayak Center. He does a fun tour of the harbor where we saw some wildlife...diving pelicans, frolicking seals (Milo asked if it was mating season), tons of sea stars, and a huge, orange jellyfish. We all paired up: Milo and Liam (who were very helpfully towed by Mike since steering was a bit problematic), Lisa and Cameron, and Grace rode with me. We had a good time...even when Cameron decided to lay down and Grace really didn't paddle much. ;-)
Lunch in the harbor came next. Lisa and I decided we deserved a cocktail for our endeavors. Kayaking with four kids is tough work! Once lunch was finished (Liam did NOT have shrimp this time...weird), it was off to the beach for boogie boarding and castle building. The kids were in and out of the waves. Cameron tried to teach Liam and Milo how to boogie board. Liam gave up early and started building sand pyramids. Milo hung in and almost caught a wave or two, before he just body surfed and helped with the pyramid. Cameron stayed in the surf the longest and was a pro! Grace just hung out in the sand with Lisa and I as we read and fretted about how far out in the water the boys were going.
We dragged our tired butts back to the hotel to clean up for dinner and then went back to Ventura Harbor for a really great dinner at Surf and Tacos. Milo tried shark! And Liam had...wait for it...shrimp tacos!!! The kids wanted to go to the arcade, so Lisa and I gave them each $5. No amount of begging or pleading got any of them more than that so our time there was mercifully short. Then it was back to the hotel for bathing suits and an exploration of this hotel's pool which is actually at the hotel next door. Everyone ended up in the hot tub before going to our rooms to watch a movie and pass out!
The boys are asleep and I should be, too, once I put on a little more after sun gel (apparently, my sunscreen wasn't water proof so my shins are crispy critters!). Tomorrow, we move onto San Fernando Rey De Espana and San Gabriel Arcangel before checking in to Dana Point. Susan and Trevor Griffin with Antonio Verrico join at the hotel tomorrow afternoon and Gavin will fly in at night. It will be good to see them!
Milo
Today was my favorite day so far. I've liked some of the missions, but nothing beats kayaking and the beach. I liked being on a kayak and think that next time I'd like to have my own boat. Cameron taught me how to boogie board and I liked that, too. Liam, Cameron, and I built a sand pyramid. We had a good day.
I tried a new food today, a burrito with shark in it. Shark is delicious and this was one of the best burritos I have ever had. I'm okay with eating shark as long as the whole animal was used and not just the fins. I think wasting parts of animals that were caught for food is wrong. Every bit should be used or the animal should be left alone.
Tonight I am really tired. I will sleep well.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 3: Daytripper
Milo
The missions were kind of boring today. I barely liked any of it. But after we saw the two missions, we went to the beach. That was great. Here are some pictures. I'm going to bed.
Mom
Scintillating commentary from Milo, no?
We headed out of Solvang around 10:15 after spending 20 minutes looking for Liam's iPod Touch. Apparently, I had packed it with Milo's and my iPods so we wouldn't lose it. But it took a stroke of inspiration from Lisa to look in the iPod case. So much for my masterful organizational skills!
The missions today were Santa Barbara and San Buenaventura. A quick 30 minutes down 101 got us to the first mission. Along the way, we were treated to the site of dolphins and seals swimming in the surf. One of the reasons I love the ocean is that you can stare at the waves for hours and it constantly changes. Driving next to the coast has always been one of my favorite things to do. Maybe next year, we'll road trip Highway 1. I haven't done that in forever and I think Milo would dig it.
Wait...I was talking about missions, not walking memory lane or waxing ecstatic about oceans. Anyhoo...Santa Barbara was first. Upon arriving at the mission, we saw a gorgeous fountain and some very cool chalk drawings on the blacktop. There was also a cool wooden cut-out of Franciscan's that the kids could put their heads in.
![]()
![]()
There was also the requisite El Camino Real Bell and Frey Serra statue. The really cool part of the Santa Barbara mission was the cemetery. There were about 15 crypts with random headstones as well. There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to where people's remains were interred. One crypt had an amazing stained glass in it, but you really had to look to notice it.
![]()
![]()
![]()
The other mom on this trip, my great friend, Lisa Smith, has been our official photographer. Every picture on this blog is one of hers and I have to share two more from Santa Barbara. Lisa has a great eye and I envy her ability to create art out of simple things. Enough gushing...check out these shots of the devotional candles.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
This tour took all of twenty-five minutes so we decided to hit the beach for a bit. The kids had a great time chasing and being chased by waves. The boys also built a sand "structure" (wouldn't exactly call it a castle). We check into our new hotel and chilled for a minute before heading to Ventura Harbor for dinner at Blackbeard's BBQ. Pirates can cook! The night ended with a movie in the Smith room and a little reading before bed. Night, y'all. Four mission down...kayaking tomorrow. Until then...
 |
| All of us at Surfer's Point at Seaside Park |
 |
| Thinking time |
 |
| My buds |
 |
| Liam, Cameron, and I trying to race the waves |
Scintillating commentary from Milo, no?
We headed out of Solvang around 10:15 after spending 20 minutes looking for Liam's iPod Touch. Apparently, I had packed it with Milo's and my iPods so we wouldn't lose it. But it took a stroke of inspiration from Lisa to look in the iPod case. So much for my masterful organizational skills!
The missions today were Santa Barbara and San Buenaventura. A quick 30 minutes down 101 got us to the first mission. Along the way, we were treated to the site of dolphins and seals swimming in the surf. One of the reasons I love the ocean is that you can stare at the waves for hours and it constantly changes. Driving next to the coast has always been one of my favorite things to do. Maybe next year, we'll road trip Highway 1. I haven't done that in forever and I think Milo would dig it.
Wait...I was talking about missions, not walking memory lane or waxing ecstatic about oceans. Anyhoo...Santa Barbara was first. Upon arriving at the mission, we saw a gorgeous fountain and some very cool chalk drawings on the blacktop. There was also a cool wooden cut-out of Franciscan's that the kids could put their heads in.
There was also the requisite El Camino Real Bell and Frey Serra statue. The really cool part of the Santa Barbara mission was the cemetery. There were about 15 crypts with random headstones as well. There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to where people's remains were interred. One crypt had an amazing stained glass in it, but you really had to look to notice it.
I was transported back to Ms. Hawley's fourth grade class when I found the plaque for Juana Maria, the woman who inspired The Island of the Blue Dolphins. I read that novel in 4th grade and it was one of the first texts to inspire my love of history. I bought Milo a copy in the gift shop along with some Old Mission Santa Barbara Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc.
Also of note were the three skull-and-crossbones reliefs over the door from the cemetery back into the church. We planned to ask the museum people what that was all about, but of course, Milo found a plaque explaining their purpose and read it to us. They just told visitors that there was a cemetery there (I'm guessing the big marble boxes weren't enough of a clue).
The other mom on this trip, my great friend, Lisa Smith, has been our official photographer. Every picture on this blog is one of hers and I have to share two more from Santa Barbara. Lisa has a great eye and I envy her ability to create art out of simple things. Enough gushing...check out these shots of the devotional candles.
After a marvellous lunch at Arroyos on Figueroa Street in Santa Barbara, we were on the road again...this time to San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura, CA. This mission is a bit smaller than the others. The tour was shorter with only the gardens and sanctuary open to the public. Just as you exit the gift shop to begin the tour (did I mention that all of the missions so far, with the exception of La Purisima, begin and end the tour in the gift shop. How is that for brilliant salesmanship?), there is an exquisite fountain. The tile work is in white, blue, and gold. It's almost Moorish in design.
The other thing of note at San Buenaventura is the bell tower. It was rather imposing.
This tour took all of twenty-five minutes so we decided to hit the beach for a bit. The kids had a great time chasing and being chased by waves. The boys also built a sand "structure" (wouldn't exactly call it a castle). We check into our new hotel and chilled for a minute before heading to Ventura Harbor for dinner at Blackbeard's BBQ. Pirates can cook! The night ended with a movie in the Smith room and a little reading before bed. Night, y'all. Four mission down...kayaking tomorrow. Until then...
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Day 2: Piggies
MOM
Day 2 dawned a bit foggy, but that didn't dampen our spirits or our enthusiasm. We headed for the state park that holds La Purisima Mission. This mission was restored in the 30's as part of the Conservation Corp work during the Depression. Crossing the bridge into the mission complex is very much like walking back in time. The first thing one sees is the corral with horses and burros. The burros led to a great conversation with Milo and Grace about what the difference is between an ass and a donkey. It basically boiled down to "you can say donkey; you aren't allowed to say ass, even to describe an animal." A bit away from that is a sign showing the site of the original El Camino Real...the road that connected the missions, presidios, and pueblos in California.
We saw the tallow works, lavanderia (apparently, the Chumash liked to bathe A LOT more than the Europeans...who was the savage?), carpentry shop, pottery room, and grain mill. The padres' rooms were rather well-appointed for one who is supposed to have taken a vow of poverty, but I digress. La Purisima has huge gardens amongst the ruins and restored buildings. They also have livestock. Namely, turkeys and pigs accompanying the equine set. The two little pigs were adorable and the kids loved them, although they named them Ham and Bacon.
After lunch at Tower Pizza back in Solvang (where Lisa and I got some quiet because there was an arcade...thank the Maker!!!), we walked back to Santa Ines so we could see the inside. Santa Ines is actually a functioning church, like most of the missions, so it was a different experience from La Purisima. We were able to see many artifacts and the sanctuary where Mass is still held. It was beautiful inside with frescoes and statuary that were original to the Mission's inception in 1804. Outside, there were gravestones in the cemetery dating back to the late 1800's and a grotto for Our Lady of Lourdes. Liam stopped to say a Hail Mary; it was very sweet. I get a feeling of holiness and peace in the missions which is why I love visiting them so much.
Walking around Solvang was a lot of fun. The combination of the Spanish mission and the Danish town is interesting, and the chocolate is amazing! All of the local shops are unique in their own way (no big chains or anything), and a little funky to boot. It adds to the charm of this sleepy place. Milo and I went ahead before everyone else so we could have quiet time at the hotel; I'm lucky that he still likes to do that sort of thing with his mom.
We headed back to the hotel for swimming (of course) and some quiet time before going back downtown in Solvang. They were having a Third Wednesday Wine Walk which Lisa and I could not participate in since we have four kids with us, but that wasn't TOO horrible. Cafe Angelica, where we had dinner, was lovely and with the coupon from our hotel it was also CHEAP! While there, I asked each kid what they liked the best about the day. Each response was pretty much what you would expect. Cameron said the gift shops, while Liam liked the the first mission better than the second because there was more to see. Milo loved the barracks at La Purisima (only my son could find military history at a religious institution!) and Grace was a fan of the animals. Caramel apples from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory capped off the night as we walked back to the hotel.
Oh, and we took a great picture with Hans Christian Andersen's huge head. Tomorrow, we are on to Missions Santa Barbara and San Buenaventura. We'll be staying in Ventura for two days. Friday is a non-mission day with kayaking in the Harbor and whatever else suits our fancy.
One other thing...the park ranger at La Purisima, Linda, gave us a great idea. She showed us a necklace she made with the Saints' medals she got at each mission. We are all buying a medal from every mission we visit to do the same thing. We'll post a picture when it's all done.
To paraphrase U2, it was a beautiful day.
Milo
The barracks were weaponistic (That's not a real word, Milo)! There were muskets and pikes on the walls along with leather armor. The soldiers were there to protect the missions from the Natives who were trying to get their tribe members back and from the English and French.
The gift shops were also pretty cool. I got an arrowhead necklace and a coloring book with mission history in it. My mom bought some stuff, too.
I walked around Solvang with just my mom because all this being with a bunch of people was getting on my nerves. We got my cousin, Ana, a dress for her birthday and had a caramel apple (I got to have two today!!!). Then we chilled at the hotel until everyone else got back and went swimming. That was cool.
Day 2 dawned a bit foggy, but that didn't dampen our spirits or our enthusiasm. We headed for the state park that holds La Purisima Mission. This mission was restored in the 30's as part of the Conservation Corp work during the Depression. Crossing the bridge into the mission complex is very much like walking back in time. The first thing one sees is the corral with horses and burros. The burros led to a great conversation with Milo and Grace about what the difference is between an ass and a donkey. It basically boiled down to "you can say donkey; you aren't allowed to say ass, even to describe an animal." A bit away from that is a sign showing the site of the original El Camino Real...the road that connected the missions, presidios, and pueblos in California.
We saw the tallow works, lavanderia (apparently, the Chumash liked to bathe A LOT more than the Europeans...who was the savage?), carpentry shop, pottery room, and grain mill. The padres' rooms were rather well-appointed for one who is supposed to have taken a vow of poverty, but I digress. La Purisima has huge gardens amongst the ruins and restored buildings. They also have livestock. Namely, turkeys and pigs accompanying the equine set. The two little pigs were adorable and the kids loved them, although they named them Ham and Bacon.
After lunch at Tower Pizza back in Solvang (where Lisa and I got some quiet because there was an arcade...thank the Maker!!!), we walked back to Santa Ines so we could see the inside. Santa Ines is actually a functioning church, like most of the missions, so it was a different experience from La Purisima. We were able to see many artifacts and the sanctuary where Mass is still held. It was beautiful inside with frescoes and statuary that were original to the Mission's inception in 1804. Outside, there were gravestones in the cemetery dating back to the late 1800's and a grotto for Our Lady of Lourdes. Liam stopped to say a Hail Mary; it was very sweet. I get a feeling of holiness and peace in the missions which is why I love visiting them so much.
Walking around Solvang was a lot of fun. The combination of the Spanish mission and the Danish town is interesting, and the chocolate is amazing! All of the local shops are unique in their own way (no big chains or anything), and a little funky to boot. It adds to the charm of this sleepy place. Milo and I went ahead before everyone else so we could have quiet time at the hotel; I'm lucky that he still likes to do that sort of thing with his mom.
We headed back to the hotel for swimming (of course) and some quiet time before going back downtown in Solvang. They were having a Third Wednesday Wine Walk which Lisa and I could not participate in since we have four kids with us, but that wasn't TOO horrible. Cafe Angelica, where we had dinner, was lovely and with the coupon from our hotel it was also CHEAP! While there, I asked each kid what they liked the best about the day. Each response was pretty much what you would expect. Cameron said the gift shops, while Liam liked the the first mission better than the second because there was more to see. Milo loved the barracks at La Purisima (only my son could find military history at a religious institution!) and Grace was a fan of the animals. Caramel apples from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory capped off the night as we walked back to the hotel.
Oh, and we took a great picture with Hans Christian Andersen's huge head. Tomorrow, we are on to Missions Santa Barbara and San Buenaventura. We'll be staying in Ventura for two days. Friday is a non-mission day with kayaking in the Harbor and whatever else suits our fancy.
One other thing...the park ranger at La Purisima, Linda, gave us a great idea. She showed us a necklace she made with the Saints' medals she got at each mission. We are all buying a medal from every mission we visit to do the same thing. We'll post a picture when it's all done.
To paraphrase U2, it was a beautiful day.
Milo
The barracks were weaponistic (That's not a real word, Milo)! There were muskets and pikes on the walls along with leather armor. The soldiers were there to protect the missions from the Natives who were trying to get their tribe members back and from the English and French.
The gift shops were also pretty cool. I got an arrowhead necklace and a coloring book with mission history in it. My mom bought some stuff, too.
I walked around Solvang with just my mom because all this being with a bunch of people was getting on my nerves. We got my cousin, Ana, a dress for her birthday and had a caramel apple (I got to have two today!!!). Then we chilled at the hotel until everyone else got back and went swimming. That was cool.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)