Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano is the seventh in California's chain of missions and was founded (for the second time) on November 1, 1776 by the Franciscan Order. It produced the first wine in Alta California in 1783, was virtually leveled by an earthquake in 1812, and is probably best known for the annual "Return of the Swallows" festival, which is observed every March 19th. Today the mission serves as an impressive museum and welcomes thousands of visitors every year to explore its well-manicured grounds.

 The El Camino Trail bell...
Doors and windows...


 A water lily in the fountain...
 The fountain in the courtyard...
 The courtyard gardens...
Covered walkways leading to the various mission rooms...



Entry to the Sacred Garden with the bell wall...
 Father Serra's chapel... 

 
 The bell tower of Serra Chapel...
The domes of the newer Mission Basilica...
 The four-bell campanario was erected a year after the bell tower at the Great Stone Church  
was toppled in the 1812 earthquake...    

 The ruins of the Great Stone Church...
 
 Forty people were killed in the collapse of the church...
Remnant of one of the walls...

Two of the original bells from the Great Church bell tower...
Because of its beautiful gardens and location, Mission San Juan Capistrano is often referred to as the "Jewel of the Missions." It's very popular with fourth grade students who visit it on field trips, so don't be surprised if you find yourself sharing the place with lots of energetic boys and girls.

The town of San Juan Capistrano is just a short drive from Dana Point on the coast. If you're in that area, it's worth it to take the time to stop by and check it out. Afterwards be sure to stroll around the historic district of the town; it's delightful too. That's one more mission I can now cross off my bucket list!

Monday, April 28, 2014

Avalon, Catalina Island

Have you ever been to Catalina Island? Perhaps you've heard of it before. Discovered in 1542, it's an interesting rocky island located about 22 miles from Los Angeles and is one of the eight Channel Islands.

In the 1920's, chewing gum magnet William Wrigley, Jr. bought controlling interest in the island and set about turning it into a resort, especially for wealthy Hollywood types. He also used it for yearly spring training of his baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. You might recall the death of the beautiful movie star Natalie Wood, who drowned under mysterious circumstances in the waters of one of the smaller harbors on the island. There's so much more history to this colorful destination, and that's what makes it such a must-see for visitors to southern California.

Many cruise ships stop here on their way to Mexico, but if you can spare just one day, you can take a ferry from the mainland. In March my cousins and I did just that. We caught the early morning 6:15 from Long Beach and in one short hour set foot on the shores of picturesque Avalon, the main town. Supposedly Avalon means "bright gem of the ocean" and what a gem it is. Come take a look at what we explored.

The ferry arriving at Avalon Bay...
 View of Avalon Bay and homes on the hillside...

 A big cruise ship anchored offshore...
 View from Green Pleasure Pier...
 The small city beach...
 The Catalina Casino - built in 1929...
 The palm-lined promenade...
 Art deco style doors at the Casino...
 Kayaks for rent at the Descanso Beach Club...
 Wonderful views from the hillside neighborhoods...

 The old bell tower...
 The main path through the Botanical Gardens...
The Wrigley Memorial - tiles from Catalina Island Pottery...



 The pretty pink hotel...
 A typical alley way...
 One of the many vacation rentals in Avalon...
 Golf carts - the preferred mode of transportation...
Downtown street scenes...






 A bison statue - there are about 200 live bisons on the island 
brought over originally for a movie...

 The tiled fountain in town...
 Avalon Bay...

 Green Pleasure Pier...

Antonio's Pizzeria...
 Time to catch the Catalina Express back to Long Beach...
We spent the entire day just strolling through the streets of Avalon, but you can also rent golf carts and take them on an adventurous drive on the paved roads that encircle the island or you can hike or bike  the many trails crisscrossing Catalina. If you only have one day, though, and you enjoy walking, I highly recommend just staying in Avalon; you're sure to enjoy your time there. Of course, I was a visitor in the slow season, so I can't really speak for what it is like during the more crowded, hot summer months. But I'm willing to go back and find out...