Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo

After the town, I wanted to see the Carmel Mission, one of the missions along El Camino Real of the California Spanish Mission trail … one of these days, I would see them all. At least that is the idea; I think this is my 3^rd mission.

Founded on June 3, 1770, Mission San Carlos Borromeo is believed by many to be the most beautiful of all missions. It is here that Fr. Serra made his headquarters for his California missionary work, and where he was buried upon his death in 1784.

When secularization occurred in 1834 all of the mission lands, except the church site, were sold to private parties. The great stone mission church was abandoned and for 30 years stood roofless after its collapse in 1851. Enough money was eventually raised in 1884 to build a new roof, but the steep pitch was out of place with the original design. The latest restoration, begun in the 1930's, has restored a more suitable roof, and is believed to be the most authentic restoration in the entire mission chain

The setting is serene as expected. Even on a holiday weekend, not too many tourists were here. I supposed it was difficult to compete with wine tasting, water sporting, etc. I wouldn’t call myself a Catholic, but perhaps the few years of elementary school education in a Catholic school in Hong Kong did bring a subconscious longing to discover, to wander through these old buildings.

I didn’t read much about the Spanish Mission. I preferred to see with my own eyes, even in its current state. Then later on, I might catch the history book for a bit more details. For now, it was its desolated surrounding that drew me.

Then a giggle here and there from my temperamental niece, Maykala, brought me back to now. She was playing naughty, uncooperative with my camera and her mother. She didn’t want to take the group picture. She wanted to be her, sitting on the ground, the stairways, being a kid….certainly makes interesting posing of family pictures.