San Luis Obispo

We are enjoying relaxing days that start late-ish but are full of good adventures.  We started today with a wonderful lunch at Taste, a well-earned name.  With choices of sliders, salads and sides, each of us thought we made the best choice.

Our leader Noreen holds up our reservation sign.

Next we had an excellent tour of Mission San Luis Obispo, built in 1772. 

This was the fifth of nine missions founded by Junipero Serra. 

The mission was named after Saint Louis of Anjou, Bishop of Toulouse.  Known as the Boy Bishop, he was the son and heir of a king but chose the Franciscan life instead of the throne.  This mission embodies the simpler style of the Franciscans.

Here is our group in front of the original bells in the tower.

This sculpture pond sits at the base of the stairs leading to the mission.

A fun fact:  Adobe was used to build throughout the southwest.  The material holding clay and other materials together is manure.

Another fun fact: Back in the frontier days, cow hides were called “California Gold” for their trade value.

Note the hours on this barbershop sign.  Maybe the bar next door has something to do with the times.

Later in the afternoon we worked up a thirst for wine.  Tobin James is a winery with personality.  This bar originally stood in Blue Eye, Missouri back in the 1860s and is alleged to have a bullet hole from a gun fired by one of the James Brothers. 

We enjoyed the tasting and felt compelled to bring some back with us.