The morning was rather chilly, it was windy, the air temperature below 60°F/15°C. Misión San Francisco de Borja was not far away, we reached that place in just over an hour. In the settlement, only one family lives there today. The moment we stopped in front of the church, the two women approached us asking if we want to visit the mission. One of them was in her pajamas and robe.

Starting in 1759, the Jesuits along with local Indians erected the small adobe temple. However, it did not last for long. Only fragments of the walls stand to this day. The Dominicans that came later build out of stone. They erected a new mission, next to the Jesuits buildings. Completed in 1801, we can see these buildings today. I must admit that it is quite remarkable that they still stand in excellent condition. Probably due to the remote location, there was nobody who was interested in tearing down the walls and stealing stone to raise private houses. Unfortunately, this is a typical fate of such properties when they become abandoned. In 1818, this was the fate of San Borja when all missionaries left the place as the native population in this part of the peninsula ceased to exist. The mission not only lost its sense of existence, but also the workforce to support it.

We spent the afternoon in Bahia de Los Angeles. After late lunch, we continued our journey south. Right before sunset, we arrived at Las Flores, the precious metals, gold and silver mining place. Walking around, we found a small railway embankment and the old cemetery. Best-preserved building was a small prison.