maitaitom

"We feel like "Californians at heart!"

Thanks tomarkot. Southern California (and Los Angeles in particular) gets a lot of flack, and many people could not fathom living here, but I really can't think of a place I would have rather resided for almost 60 years than Southern California. I hope my next 60 are just as fun.

maitaitom

We are finally 1/3 of the way to our ultimate mission goal of visiting all 21 California missions. A couple of weeks ago we hit the Mission San Francisco de Solano in Sonoma and the Mission Santa Clara de Asis. This makes a total of seven that we have visited.

Neither of these missions takes much time to explore. The Sonoma mission is only three rooms, and Santa Clara's is really just the church and some gardens, although the location on the campus of Santa Clara University is very nice.

Below is my little write-up (with photos) of each. The quest continues!!!

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/..._Possible.html

Giovanna

All my best wishes that you make it to all 21. Your coverage is wonderful. Just enjoyed reading your coverage and seeing the photos of San Fernando. That was the last mission Angelo and I visited a couple of years ago. Unfortunately we only made it to 19. The last two closest to home ironically, San Rafael and Santa Clara, will never be visited by us now.

maitaitom

Thanks Giovanna. Wishing you the best in these difficult times. We were surprised by how much we liked the San Fernando Mission. Next up: Ventura and Santa Barbara. Hopefully soon.

dbdurand

Hi, maitaitom.

Do they still have the audiotape self-guiding tour at the San Diego Mission?

maitaitom

db...don't remember for sure, but usually if there is an audio guide, unless we are in a real hurry, we get one, so my guess is "no" but I could be mistaken.

Dave_Ohio

Interesting! Here my wife and I are trying to attend games in all of the major league ballparks, and you're trying to hit all of California's missions. Suddenly our pursuit seems banal. Please light a candle for us.

Best wishes!

maitaitom

"Interesting! Here my wife and I are trying to attend games in all of the major league ballparks....."

I'll trade you Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission Santa Clara for Yankee Stadium and a ballpark to be named later.

Dave_Ohio

Sorry, I already have two S.-J. Capistranos. I'll give you Comerica Park for Santos Luis and Buenaventura. I can also sell you an Ark of the Covenant that looks good and still runs great.

Oh, since I'm a Tribe fan, you can have Yankee Stadium free and clear.

Giovanna

Santa Barbara is very beautiful. I think you'll enjoy your visit there. We managed to get there several times. Buenaventura was one we visited on the trip we went to San Fernando. We did San Gabriel as well. We had been to Buenaventura many years before and had a picture of our MGA parked in front. It had all changed completely on our last visit (our MGA was long gone too).

sarge56

maitai- something is very striking about that Mission Santa Clara. Love the exterior.

Can't wait to see the next report!

PS I'm with Dave- you can have the Yankees! (I'll take Wrigley Field- but the lights have to go!)

tomarkot

Maitaitom, thanks for your reports as you continue your mission quest. We enjoy following along. When we've visited CA, we've seen only two and intend to take in more on future visits. For now, our only travel was to escape our midwest winter with some days in tropical San Juan, PR. . .85' with warm ocean surf. We'll stay tuned for your reports.

5alive

Wow, glad I stumbled on this report. Students at Santa Clara are known for booking wedding dates in that wonderful church many years ahead. I have heard of guys booking it before they even have a serious girlfriend.

maitaitom

We're rolling now! A couple of Sundays ago, Tracy and I ventured up the Ventura Highway (ok, the 101) to the San Buenaventura Mission, our eighth mission in our quest for 21.

Although relatively small (only the Mission church and its gardens still survive from the olden days),there was a lot to see. The interior of the church contained some interesting altar pieces, the gardens were nice and we even found some other things to look at behind the Mission church.

As a bonus, we drove a short distance into the Ventura Hills to Serra Cross Park at Grant Park (beautiful Pacific Ocean views, too) and to cap our morning we had breakfast at one of the best breakfast joints we have visited in quite some time.

Here is the story and the photos...13 to Go!!!

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_...naventura.html

Toucan2

A full day! Very nice.

maitaitom

Yes Toucan, and we were still back at our house by about 1:30. Great 1/2 day excursion. Thanks. Next stop on the Mission Quest...Santa Barbara...hopefully in the very near future.

Dave_Ohio

Tom, while you were busy doing something else recently, I got myself to Missions Santa Clara and San Jose, plus two Spring Training venues: Camelback Ranch and Goodyear Ballpark.

Eagerly awaiting your counters.

maitaitom

Dave...right now my only planned trip is to the couch tomorrow afternoon to watch San Diego State in the NCAA tournament. Baseball parks and missions are on hold.

5alive

Can't you trade future options? Prospects? This has gotten interesting for the rest of us.

Dave_Ohio

Tom:
I wanted to light a candle for you at Mission San Jose. Strict Fremont fire law forbids it. Said a prayer anyway...still not forbidden, so far.

5alive:
When Tom is up to it again, I'm considering a deal with him involving another ballpark, a little league field, and two minor league saints to be named later.