What Mission?

So,we got up nice and early and got all washed and scrubbed like a pair of new pennies and off we went to the Santa Barbara Mission. It's in a beautiful part of this beautiful city. The houses are incredible - well, mansions really. Elegant old Victorians and wonderfully restored Arts and Craft style (Frank Lloyd Wright) homes. Cor - there's a few bob here!

We found the mission - which is not easy to miss as it sits majestically at the top of a hill - and as we pulled into the parking lot, we were followed by 5 tour buses! Eeeek! By the time we had walked over to the main building, the buses had disgorged their contents - about 250 zombified Europeans who had obviously been on the bus for weeks if not months! The bus riders staggered around the grounds lighting their ciggies and diving into the loo. They all had cameras and started snapping everything in sight including each other, the gift shop, the lavatories, the buses - everything! Me and him couldn't get a picture of anything that didn't include a comatose tourist so we gave up and headed for the beach. We'll try the mission again today!

The pier at Santa Barbara is a good long one - 1950 feet - and we walked the length of it. The weather was lovely with a cool ocean breeze but warm sun. We had lunch at one of the restaurants on the pier - it was OK - nothing to write home about and very expensive - I guess that is to be expected. Following lunch, we drove over to Santa Barbara harbor. We have never visited the harbor before and I don't know why - it is wonderful. All kinds of smashing boats to drool over - a nautical museum (closed for a special event - darn) - lots of shops, restaurants and bars - AND, of course, the Santa Barbara Yacht Club! Woo Hoo - did I say that there's some money about here! The picture above is one I took from a bar above the museum where we sat for an hour and watched the world go by. If, when I die, I go to heaven - I hope it is just like Santa Barbara.

I have lots of pictures but will have to wait till I get home to download them - this laptop is too clunky.