Day 7 - Making discoveries in Santa Barbara

VM:  What a lucky family we are.  Today was a magical Santa Barbara day.  We started the day at a CA institution – Sambo’s.  A breakfast/lunch spot which according to JM used to be throughout the state, but then was put out of business because the name was considered “politically incorrect” even though it was a combination of the men who started the restaurant.  JM had fond memories of it and they were not wrong – breakfast was yumola.

Santa Barbara's famed palms.

Papa's girl... when she wants to be.

Afterwards, we decided to see the seaside city on bikes.  My favorite spinning teacher, Eileen, would’ve been proud – we rode nearly 20 miles around town including little EM.  Our adventure took us to check out the Presidio, and meet our first doggie of the day, an incredibly lovable mutt, Reese.  

Reese was sweet as could be.

The Presidio was built in 1782 by the Spaniards as the protective fort for the Mission Santa Barbara.  It was really fascinating as it is currently under restoration with archeologists working to find artifacts.  The goal is to eventually have the fort intact again, even through today it is actually intersected by a couple of streets.

A marker shows how the Presidio is currently crossed by two streets.

Chapel within the Presidio is incredibly beautiful.

A painting of the original Presidio.

From there, we hopped on our bikes again to go to our third mission of the trip, Mission Santa Barbara.  It was about a 6-mile ride at a deceiving grade.  Again, EM was a particular trooper. 

The mission was a highlight, not only because of its beauty but because we were able to discover JM’s ancestors there.  It turns out JM’s distant cousins were all Franciscan monks and at least two of them, including one who married his parents, are buried at the parish.  We went to the rectory and they kindly got a Franciscan brother to take us inside the inner sanctum to see their resting places.  It was quite something and a neat moment for him to share with the girls and his mom (due to cellular phone!) regarding their family.

How would you like one of these houses?  They face the mission and
an incredible rose garden in a tranquil park.

The flowers are without compare.

After returning the bikes we met up with JM’s work colleague and his daughter, KG.  After a lovely linner (our own creation of lunch/dinner) on the harbor, JM and KG’s dad had to head to San Diego for work, so KG is hanging with the girls and I for the next couple of days as we make our way down the coast.

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We ended our evening at a local festival.  The girls had a blast as part of the festivities includes buying eggs filled with confetti and smashing it on each other’s heads.  It really was funny but by 8:30pm we knew it was time to head back.  Many revelers were having a good time, but not family appropriate.

A gazillion eggs are sold by street vendors for the annual festival.

Friday we head to the O.C. to hang out in Laguna

The girls all loved cracking eggs on each other's heads.

Beach...

HM:  It's late... can't sleep. This morning I got to hit the Santa Barbara surf shop I wanted to visit (YAY!) I got 4 cool stickers to add to my board. Tomorrow we hit Laguna super happy! We saw some of our decedents today at the mission they would have been like 8th cousins! (WOW!) We got to meet KG today super exciting!!! We also rode a 20 mile bike ride with squeaky brakes... but all in all I HAD AN AMAZING DAY!!!! More fun to come!

- HM xx

EM:  It was cool seeing my two cousins in their graves, but sad too.  I liked seeing the Chihuahua puppies.  I want one.  It was fun cracking the eggs.  The problem was HM and KG were too big so I couldn't reach to crack on their heads.  I really liked riding my bike around the town.  I'm done.

Everyone gets into the festival, even the doggies get
"dressed up" and sell eggs.

Chihuahua puppy anyone?  We met a lovely family trying
to convince us.

Murphy is our new doggie neighbor at the inn.