Isn't This Cool?

Today I was smart and took a picture of the neighborhood and dropped a pin on my location. At the end of the day I could not find the pin.

Al picked me up and with two other couples we took off in a 12 passenger van took off to visit 4 missions.

This hole in the ceiling was to allow smoke and heat to leave. When rain fell it was time for everybody to take a shower. The inhabitants were 4 foot tall on average. Average life span at that time was 35 to 40 years. This San Juan mission was built by the locals and the Spaniards in the 1600's. The walls have 3 layers of rock to keep in cold in the summer and keep heat in the winter.

"Isn't that cool?: asks Al. By the 100th time he asks the same question I am getting a tad annoyed.

Some of the four missions were National Parks. Some were UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some were both.

The couple from Michigan were taking more pictures than I am.

Isn't this baptismal fount cool?

The churches have to be active to be in both a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Descendants of the original parishioners live near here and Al's brother is their pastor. Some services are streamed live. I am going to have to look into that. the acoustics are so good his brother usually doesn't use a microphone.

Here is some of the original facia.

Original wood is on this door. I feel honored to touch it.

This is cool!

Their little beds.

This is a diorama of the church inside the church. Al opened the window for us. He has good photography ideas.

A Northern Cardinal threw himself at the window. Al says it happens every time he comes. Will someone please put a window cling on the window?

I did not know that the Franciscan Fathers shaved a bald circle on top of their head because they wanted to simulate Jesus' crown of thorns.

The flowers at the final mission. This is where Pope John Paul visited in the 1970;s,

This is at the National Park where the Park Ranger told me the short tree with purple flowers that I see around here is a Mountain Laurel.

I mentioned to the woman there that this was a beautiful church. She said Pope John Paul visited. The Papal flag flies outside.

 

Here is the crucifix from the Pope.