Visiting Carmel Mission Basilica

Upon arriving in Carmel, I had to drop Jen off for the wedding rehearsal so I got a chance to become acquainted with the area and noticed that there was an old, but resilient mission on the way to our hotel. I later found it out (and went back to visit) to be the Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo; the 2nd mission to be built by Junipero Serra in 1771 as apart of the Alta California chain of 20 missions built by Spain. Below are a collection of photos in, out and throughout the Mission grounds; I was most taken back by the lush gardens, vastness of the property, and the weathered but maintained appearance and condition of the buildings. A great deal of work and dedication had been intensely poured into restoring the mission to a more brilliant state than it was after secularization; so I was definitely grateful to experience the result of such labor, and I know that the other numerous visitors felt the same way. This Mission is a sight to behold when in Carmel or visiting nearby in Monterey!