San Juan Bautista

Wow! We came to San Juan Bautista to find an earthcache at the San Andreas fault - we stood on it (but didn't jump up and down too much - just in case!)

We found the earthcache, but also a stunningly beautiful mission (with very neat geocache too) including the statue of John the Baptist. It has the features of the local Native Americans and a locust and a honeycomb sculpted in the base of the statue. The symbols of the four Evangelists surround the base as well, but Californian versions - bison, condor, mountain lion and Native American.

There was also a state historical park with examples of many things from the days when this was a major stagecoach halt. It had links to the Breen family who survived the winter in the Donner pass, the Gold rush at Sutter's Mill, etc, etc... A wonderful glimpse of that life.

Beach in the afternoon, reading Steinbeck's "Cannery Row", since our hotel is a block away from the street itself. The town renamed the street after the book and there are statues etc of the real life people on whom the book was based at the other end of the street. Now of course I have to go back to see them since I now understand who they are. A jewel of a book!