Marina Puerto Escondido is all by it’s self sitting outside Loreto by about 30 km (18 miles) and at this time there isn’t a scheduled transportation to and from Loreto. You have a choice of a taxi that will come from Loreto or renting a car. It is actually less expensive to gather some friends and rent a car for a day. That is just what we did. We will do some sight seeing and some much needed provisioning.
Our first stop is to San Javier Mission nestled up in the steep mountains of the Sierra De La Giganta range. The second mission established in the peninsula of Baja California an
d stands as the best preserved holding the title “the jewel of the missions of Baja California” . Built in 1744 in a brogue type off architecture, that is a mixture of rough stone and smooth stucco popular in the 17th century it has a certain ornate and theatrical feel to it.
On the outside the building has a medieval feel to it as carved heads peer out behind the bright rose bushes. Ente in through the large carved wooden
door way and step into the cathedral that is still used today for worship, ceremonies, and festivals. As the faithful silently pray and ponder others walk through with the quiet respect that is deserved of such a place pausing quietly to admire the large as life religious oil paintings that hang on the walls and the ornate podium at the front. Exiting to the left you enter the old cemetery crumbling under the harsh desert sun. Most of the headstones so deteriorated making it difficult to make out the names.
You can exit the walled cemetery and head towards the back of the building where you meet up with other paths coming from the courtyard. Passing by the rear of the mission and the courtyard we headed out back to the orchard. As we walked around in the flat dirt winding around the large boulders laying in the shade of ancient olive trees fluttering their delicate leaves in the gentle breeze. 
The locals are near by ready to sell delicious empanadas and other tasty treats. Delicious wine made in San Javier sold out of a rustic wooden carriage parked under the largest olive tree. We tasted and purchased a bottle of whine and indulged in some mango empanadas. Then began looking around.
Spinning in a three hundred and sixty degree circle with dust at your feet, roses and vegetables growing by your side in the shade of citrus, olive, and pomegranate trees listening to the gentle trickle of water as it runs from the spring into the rock and concrete irrigation ducts while birds chirp happily from the bushes it isn’t hard to give in to the urge to sit, relax, and enjoy the ambiance of the area. We did just that until our tummies began to grumble and we searched out lunch in one of the towns restaurants before heading off to Loreto.
Taking the winding steep mountain road back down we head to Loreto. We will do a quick provisioning run and take a look around. Then head back to Puerto Escondido Marina.