Friday Morning we went with Annette to Santa Barbara to the Mission. Of course our exit was closed due to construction. We drove in circles looking for the mission but I think we were circling the golf course! The homes in that area were beautiful and so it wasn't all bad. We ended up going downtown to the train station to get out and stretch our legs. There is a huge fig tree on the grounds of the train station that has been there for a hundred years give or take!

We finally found the Mission and it was well worth it. This building stand on a hill overlooking the ocean. It is hard to imagine the sacrifices that the people must have made to come to this new place and try to build a life from scratch.

Although this isn't the original building, there are parts of it that still stand. This fountain was built in the 1800's. This porch is across the front of the building next to the church. The doorway leads from the chapel to the cemetery. The skull and crossbones let you know there is a cemetery. Two of the carvings are replacements but one is original and is a lot more weathered than the other. The inside of the chapel is very ornate. And long. there are burial sites located under the chapel floors and monuments throughout. the pedestal at the back ( front of the 4th pic over) must be the holy water. It looks like a thick piece of plexiglass over some kind of medallion, but when you touch it--and you just have to-- it is water and kind of startles you! Annette did it too, but she got to laugh when she saw me do it cause she went first!

After we went through the mission we drove out on Stearns Wharf, it is kind of fun to drive out over the ocean like that. We just wandered around for a bit through the shops and then went down to Ventura to meet up with Gregg and Landon.

Gregg wanted to get Shark burritos as long as we were there, so we ate at a little Mexican restaurant by the docks. After lunch we walked down to the Channel Islands visitor center. Then back to the cars to head to the beach again. Zach and Landon had a blast playing in the water, but it was a little too cold for more that just our feet. We did pick up a bunch of shells and had a good time.