La Misión de San Luis, Rey de Francia

After close to a year and a half of doing only essential travel, I paid a short visit to the local mission in Oceanside before going to pick someone up from the train station.

The Mission San Luis Rey is the 18th California Mission, and is said to be the largest of the California Missions.

The mission was used as a location for the Zorro TV show by Disney back in the 50s.

The skull and crossbones over one of the cemetery gates is said to have been put there by Disney for the TV show.

Since it was late in the day, entry to the mission grounds was already closed, but there were still some places to look at outside of the mission.

Across from the mission are the adobe ruins of barracks for the mission garrison, which is now populated by ground squirrels and rabbits.

Next to the barracks is a lavanderia, where the indigenous people went to do their laundry during the olden days.

There are two brick archways set in adobe walls that lead down a hill to the lavanderia. The one nearest the barracks opens to a dirt path.

Large clusters of prickly pear cacti grow along the path.

A brick aqueduct and the washing area are at the bottom of the hill.

Brick stairs lead back up through the main entrance of the lavanderia.

A close-up of the adobe bricks that make up the wall.

Before heading off to the train station, I snuck a quick peek at the Saint Francis Garden by the Mission Retreat Center.