In the sanctuary at San Juan Capistrano.  Everyone else was taking photos of the ornate altar.  I noticed that the ceiling was simple– and that the beams weren’t parallel.  That was how it was.  Elegant in its imperfections.  The whitewash contrasted with the dark green was lovely.  The simple candelabra fit with the elemental aesthetic.

There are incongruities and cognitive dissonance at these California missions, in their history and  also in their becoming tourist sites.  Recognize that and enjoy it for what it offers?