June 16, 2017

Castillo de San Marcos

To give you a little insight into the life of a history buff, when I saw that this center room in the Castillo was open for the first time since I began visiting in 2001, I got way too excited. From left to right are the “Indian Room”, the “Commandant’s Quarters”, and the “Siege Room.” In the 1730s the center room was indeed the “quarters of the Lieutenant Governor of the Castillo”, while those rooms which flanked it on other side were used as provisions rooms.

San Sebastian River

St. Augustine is full of picturesque sights, some where you don’t expect them. Even waiting in traffic between King Street and U.S. 1 is a pleasure when you have this view of the San Sebastian River and its pretty marshes. I haven’t seen any alligators here yet, but I fully expect to some day. I have seen plenty of birds. I prefer the latter.

(c) 2015-2017 St. Augustine Fridays 

June 09, 2017

St. George Street

  

This place right here is a shopper’s paradise. It’s also a history lover’s dreamland, as there are many historical homes both original and recreated. And you can’t go wrong with using palm trees to frame photos. No matter the weather (and here it was about to rain, or so we thought; fate smiled kindly upon us and there wasn’t so much as a sprinkle), St. George Street is a great place and a major staple of St. Augustine’s tourist industry. Some people find it kitschy; I must respectfully disagree. Great food, terrific shopping, beautiful homes, graceful palms, a nice walk, and history around every corner. Sounds good to me.

Anastasia State Park

After walking on the beach, we took a quick little drive around Anastasia State Park (admission isn’t cheap, mind you, so if you come here you’ll want to make sure there are things that interest you so it’ll be worth your money) and saw these sandy dunes rising in the distance. Notice the palm frond at top right and the inviting bench along the road. There are always lots of people trekking around the island, but not a single person in this shot. It was a beautiful bright day and perfect weather, and I could have stayed a lot longer if I hadn’t been raring to get back into town and see all the sights. St. Augustine will keep you busy, no matter your interests. 

(c) 2015-2017 St. Augustine Fridays

June 02, 2017

Castillo de San Marcos

This is the west wall, with a view of Bastion San Pablo. After this bastion was completed in the early 1680s, engineers noticed that it was actually a few feet lower than the rest of the gun deck. It was at its proper height by 1686. By the 1860s the top of the tower had gone missing and was replaced after the Civil War. Every inch of the Castillo has a story, stretching from 1672 to the present day. Though the majority of rooms date from 1756 (the second building phase), there are some rooms which have remained more or less untouched since the 1670s.

Fountain of Youth

Another view from the replica 16^TH century watchtower shows a portion of the historic grounds. As previously noted, this is the place where Pedro Menendez de Aviles and his band of hearty adventurers set up camp in 1565, creating the colony that would become known as San Agustín de la Florida. Spanish and Native American feet walked this earth, and most likely other cultures as well. Captured Frenchmen who agreed to convert to Catholicism, Africans who'd accompanied the Spaniards, Moors forced to hide their background . . . all are rumored to have taken part in the founding of this tenacious colony. 

(c) 2015-2017 St. Augustine Fridays