Bob's Corner
THE KING OF THE California missions, Mission San Luis Rey, is located in Oceanside in San Diego County. A visit to the expansive site, founded in 1798, provides a transport to the past when Franciscan friars, Indians and Mexicans inhabited the mission and its surrounding area. San Luis Rey is operated by the Franciscan Friars of California. There are self-guided and guided tours, a museum, gift shop and retreat center.
(Photos by El Jefe, Illinois Valley News)
Traveling by air always amazes me, not only because of the altitudes and comfort, but because of the speed. And the free pretzels and peanuts. Besides that, what would take 18 to 20 hours by car (Cave Junction to North San Diego County) is diminished to two hours. And some of us tend to take this amazing situation for granted.
THE KING OF THE California missions, Mission San Luis Rey
(Photos by El Jefe, Illinois Valley News)
Actually, I was a bit nervous heading to Rogue Valley International Airport by car last week because of dense traffic on the roadways. I had left plenty of time to get through the security section to reach the boarding area, but there were so many other folks on the roads from Cave Junction to Medford that it took me some 15 minutes longer than I had planned. Then there’s that long walk from Long-term Parking to the terminal (odd name for an airport, especially for those of us with butterflies in our guts).
Anyway, I was fortunate to fly via Horizon Air from Medford to Portland, and via Alaska Airlines from PDX to Chong Wang … er, John Wayne Airport in Orange County. There my wife, Jan, and our daughter, Vicki, picked me up, although there was a 45-minute delay in our getting together because I was at the upper level, and they were at the lower level. (They were given bad advice by an airport employee).
Anyway II, that was the start of a fine visit with Vicki and her fam in Carlsbad in San Diego County. Although we didn’t “do” all the things or go to all the places I had in mind, we still had a most enjoyable trip. One highlight, for me, was to revisit the San Luis Rey Mission in Oceanside. When I was a little boy in Linda Vista and National City, my parents often went to the site, although there was a lot less traffic and fewer freeways in those days.
THE KING OF THE California missions, Mission San Luis Rey.
(Photos by El Jefe, Illinois Valley News)
Strangely, the mission, more than 200 years old, hadn’t changed much, as far as I could tell, from the last time I had visited. Probably around ‘55 (that’s 1955). Granddaughters Natalie, who’ll be 5 on Aug. 21, and Ella, 2, had a great time. They especially like loose rocks, pretty flowers and running water. Oh yeah, there was a security man at the mission who kept staring at us as though we were vandals or people with two heads. He kept warning us about getting too close to this or that, etc. Every time we turned around, he was glaring at us. Give some guys a badge, and ...
Well, speaking of airline travel, as at the beginning of this dispatch, I am still amused by the announcement for “preboarding.” Probably the airlines mean “special,” “early” or “privileged” boarding. But using “pre” sounds as though people can board the plane before they board the plane. Weird.
Then there’s the pilot announcement that we can feel free to move about the cabin. Yeah, right. If we were on a train or a bus, that would be entirely possible. But on most flights, the “Fasten Seat Belt” light is almost always on, and those large refreshment carts block the aisle at either end of the aircraft. Not conducive to moving about the cabin, unless you have a dire need to reach the amazingly tiny restrooms.
I’m not complaining; just keep those pretzels and peanuts coming.
