Thursday, June 11, 2015

June 12, 2015



Castillo de San Marcos


One of my favorite things to do in the whole world is to stand right at this spot, because I have my ticket and I’m ready to spend a good long while exploring the Castillo. This is the first drawbridge (the ladder is, as far as I know, fixed in place) and to the left, out of sight, is the ravelin dating from 1762. Also visible is the “San Pedro” bastion and the curtain wall between “San Pedro” and “San Agustín.” The second drawbridge leads to the entrance. (Must have gotten some rain that day; there’s a veritable moat down there).

Fountain of Youth


I love history, but “natural Florida” is awesome too. I find it difficult to imagine anyone standing here among the palms and Spanish moss, feeling the breeze and smelling the salt air, maybe sitting on a bench or picnicking down by the pier, without feeling peace. Everything is carefully manicured, and even in the hottest weather you can find some much-needed shade. I could easily spend hours just wandering around and soaking in the atmosphere. I don’t care for the fountain water --- in my opinion folks who come just for that are really missing out. Speaking of the fountain of youth, there stands Juan Ponce de Leon on a pedestal at right. He’s not very talkative, though.


(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

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