Kristi and I took a day trip to San Juan Capistrano braving the LA freeway traffic and arrived on a beautiful sunny April day. Not a swallow in sight though. I believe SJC has been devoid of swallows for some time now. The mission had some new art and cultural exhibits which made the trip a bit more interesting. The gold altar fixture is currently undergoing a restorative cleaning. It should look beautiful when it is completed.
My sojourns took me to the historic town of San Juan Capistrano (SJC) again. The first trip in April of 2005, I met VT'er
cnango The second trip in November of 2005 was with my "sister" Kris
TazMocha It was my gift for Kris's birthday. Instead of giving "stuff" we are giving experiences as gifts--so much less to dust!
Kris and I took the Amtrak train, Kris had never ridden board an Amtrak train before and we both agreed this is a great way to get to SJC, no LA or Orange County traffic to cope with. We dis-embarked the train right in the heart of the town and walked to our hotel which was about a 5 minute walk at the most. The local merchants offer complimentary walking maps to help you navigate the town.
SJC has the historic Los Rios District which is a funky street across the train tracks which has historic houses that are over 100 years old. Shops, restaurants, a tea house, services and professional offices inhabit this tree lined, flower filled street.
The Mission SJC is the seventh mission built out of the 21 and is considered to be the "jewel" of the missions. Built in 1776 this spanish adobe is, in my opinion, the prettiest mission I have seen so far. The Great Stone Church was destroyed in an earthquake of 1812.
I have lived in California all my life and to discover a new "town" ranks high in my book. The surrounding areas of South Orange County (Laguna, Dana Point, Balboa Island) are lovely places to visit but this quaint gem of a town is a wonderful find!
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