This is one of the many historical Mission Homes along the coast of California and Mexico. Established in 1771, it is a national shrine of Junipero Serra. Very rich in the presentation of attires of Popes, and a fine detail. The normal day-to-day walk through tour goes from library to kitchen. All areas, with the exception of underground cellar, are accessible.

Weekly masses still occur on Saturday night and Sundays, so plan ahead to either attend mass or else visit around it. Although payment is not required, a gratuity of $5 to $10 is accepted, as a very informative self-guided tour can be performed by strolling through the museum and shrine.

By far, my favorite part about the visit is the open courtyard and garden.

San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo Mission was beautiful. The mission opened at 10:30am, and there's a $4 fee for admission. You could skip paying the fee if you are there when a wedding is going on (there were three the day we were there), but I feel that would be dishonest. If there are weddings going on when you visit, make sure you slip into the sanctuary when the wedding guests leave. There isn't a whole lot of time between weddings, but enough to go in and get a look around. There are several little museums on the ground: one dedicated to a local family, one to the man who restored the mission (he and his wife are buried here), and lots related to the actual mission. Fray Sierra is buried in the church up in the front, and there is also a cemetery to the right of the church building. You can visit their website at carmelmission.org.

Father Junipero Serra was buried here in 1784, and you can see his grave where a statue replica of his body is flanked by two priests at opposite ends. It's an impressive sculpture. He is responsible for the creation of the string of California Missions.

The Mission grounds and the two basilicas it contains are beautiful. The grounds are lovingly cared for, and there are inscriptions in appointed places to inform you what was used for what, and tiled religious icons throughout the gardens.

There needs to be a foot note here however, that since visiting the mission in San Antonio, I've come away with the certainty that these enclaves were more like prisons than anything else. It seemed that conversion to Christianity was not a mere option, therefore, despite the beauty of the San Carlos Borromeo Mission, which became the center of religious control, I have certain reservations about this whole system.

"We observed with concern that the resemblance is so perfect that we saw both men and women in irons, others in the stocks. Lastly, the noise of the whip might have struck our ears, this punishment also being administered...although, with little severity"- 1786 observation by Comte Jean Francois de la Perouse of France.

The Church itself, the oldest of the buildings, is still in use today, and when we entered, we saw behind iron gates the baptismal bath (Chuck explained this to me); in the center a few feet from the main entrance, was another sort of free standing water basin where holy water is still held. The interior ceiling architecture is quite elaborate and ornate; in one of the apses, is a very beautiful nativity scene.

Along one of the long walls of the mission are the school rooms; on the other is the museum itself where things are preserved remarkably well including a pair of sandals. The kitchen area with its giant pots and garlic strands; a wheelbarrow, the library which is behind a sealed glass door; the sleeping quarters which are reminiscent of jail cells, bare as they are with narrow beds.

Outside, there are some large and small fountains, but in the center of the courtyard is a large fountain with the original mosaic tile intact. Wooden benches are found in shaded areas of the gardens where native cacti and flora abound.

There is an enforced $3 donation at the door, where you'll receive a written aid to your self-guided tour.