Nin and I were doing laundry last night, and we'd been watching Queen of Swords. We're endlessly amused by the constant mentions of Monterey, and how in the day, when it was capitol of California, it was the center of all that was civilized in the colonies. Now, we're the boonies [g] So, we decided to try and figure out where the fictional Santa Helena actually was. After some discussion over folding clothes, we decided it would be somewhere between San Louis Obispo and Paso Robles. Though, for the record, where QoS was filmed in Spain looks nothing like central California. If you want a good idea of what the countryside around here looks like a few miles from the shore, check out the movie 'Sideways'. It was filmed in the Paso Robles/Atascadero area.

A fine example of a mission from that period, is Old Mission San Juan Bautista, about 1/2 hour north of us in San Juan Bautista. And here locally, is Carmel Mission. Though when Montoya came to Monterey to greet the new Viceroy, he would have done it here, at the San Carlos Cathedral, the Royal Presidio Chapel. It really is an exquisite building architecturally. It still functions as the local parish church, and I have many Catholic friends here in Monterey who attend services there. It's located in what we now call 'Old Monterey', as opposed to 'New Monterey', and 'North Monterey' -- we may be small, but we have lots of sections! Old Monterey is essentially downtown, the harbour, city hall, and the originally settled part of Monterey, complete with the always annoying circular Spanish street design [g]

So there you go! TV can be educational, and now you know a bit more about where I live.