Missions and Padres

When you travel just inland from coastal California, you cannot help but stumble across the missions built by the Catholic church between 1769 and 1825.  Father Junipero Serra built the first of these missions in San Diego, and from there built a succession of churches one day's travel apart along what came to be known as El Camino Real, the Royal Road.  California history is required in the fourth grade in California, and these missions are an important part of the story.

Lee and I stopped to visit the mission in San Luis Obispo a few days ago.  The missions are simple adobe style structures, all similar in style, all quietly elegant.  They are still used today for Catholic services.

There is a statue out front of Padre Junipero Serra:

The interior of the church is beautiful.  Visitors are allowed to walk through between services.

The missions were constructed with courtyards:

This final photo has nothing to do with the missions, or even with the day we visited San Luis Obispo.  But it is a nice way to end a blog post - another beautiful sunset on Morro Bay: