Thursday, June 16, 2011

Florida - Side Trips Pt 2 - lots of snaperoos

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends here we go with Part 2 of my Florida Adventure.
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In Daytona Beach is a gem of a Museum.  The collections are terrific and I usually try and get there each time I visit.  Click HERE for more info.

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One of the side trips I took was sort of last minute.  I had just finished up breakfast and was sitting there....  thinking what to do, what to do...  I think I'll drive to St Augustine.  I hadn't been there is years and have always enjoyed visiting there immensely.  You can click HERE for a site that has some info, but is very commercial.   The drive is about an hour or so and it was another beautiful day.  I did take a bunch of snaps......

I think the main reason to go is to visit the Castillio de San Marcos - it is a wonderful historic site and you can climb and walk all over most of it!!

There are cool armaments to see....

There a great battlements to scamper around and imagine firing the canons - they actually fire one at 1:00pm which you can hear all over the city!!


Standing here daydreaming and looking out over the Bay towards the Atlantic ocean you can easily imagine Pirates ships coming in for attack.

Looking down from the battlements into the interior of the fort.

.....and just like other historic sites you have the costumed interpretation team.

These are the old city gates


I love the old houses and buildings the litter the historic district - they are now restaurants and small shops - some good some not so good and some just dreadful.  But, you get that anywhere that lots of out-of-towners gather with vacation bucks!!

I couldn't go to St Augustine and not visit the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Augustine.

an interior shot of the Basilica.

The High alter

A beautiful side alter to Our Lady.

A great old cemetery that is closed to the public... but look into the distance and you can make out the Castillio.  I love looking at older cemeteries they are just bursting with history and info!!

On the way home - I drove up taking US 1 - and going home I went across the Bridge of Lions and took A1A along the beach - a great drive, but not fast.  You can see the ocean most of the way and get some super breezes!!  I did stop one more time at the Light House in Anastasia State Park.  You can click HERE for more info.



The 1874 Brick Lighthouse



The 1876 brick Lighthouse keepers house - it is a really beautiful site!!
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That about wraps it up for today sports fans.  Only one more day with a few more things 
- if you can take more of my trip!!  :)

Thanks for stopping by, do come again.

Take care,
edgar

16 comments:

  1. Lovely photos ... you have a knack for making me want to visit the places you write about. Typical NYer that I am, I tend to think of Florida in terms of Disney, 'gators, hurricanes and overwhelming heat and humidity ... none of which rank on my list of favorite things. Thanks for expanding my horizons.

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  2. I LOVE St. Augustine. It looks like you had a great trip.

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  3. Gorgeous pictures. I LOVE the cathedral.

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  4. Wow, so cool! I've only been to a couple of forts, one in NYS, one in Nova Scotia. Didn't know about St. Augustine -- very nice! Loved all the pics!

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  5. Beautiful pictures Edgar! Thanks for sharing a bit of your trip with us.

    So VERY glad you back...you were missed.

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  6. Edgar...thank you for that wonderful picture stroll through St. Augustine! I was born there and love everything about that wonderful city...it is definitely worth a trip.

    Glad you enjoyed your vacation!

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  7. Fabulous pictures, Edgar! Thanks for sharing. Sandy. :)

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  8. I;m enjoying your Florida tour!

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  9. Beautiful photos. I think that most of us don't realize all the history that has gone on down there and the beautiful buildings.

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  10. Your St. Augustine snaps were great. I have visited there a couple of times. The view from the top of the lighthouse is spectacular. I loved walking around the Old Town area. Unfortuanately, the nice little restaurant from the 1st trip had closed when I visited a couple of years later. We really enjoyed a tour of the old Flagler Hotel, now part of the University.

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  11. Hi Edgar! Your pictures make it feel like we were also visiting St. Augustine. It sure looks like you had a great time of it in Florida! I love old cemeteries also, for the same reasons--so much history. I did genealogical research exclusively for over 20 years, until Katrina changed my sister's life. Then I began focusing on the living! But, the stirrings to enter a cemetery are always there! Hugs.

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  12. Great pics! Looks like another good day in Florida.

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  13. Great photos! I love the Castillo and the lighthouse.

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  14. I had no idea there was a cross stitch store in Ocala. MIght have to grab a friend and make a day trip of it!

    I live in the area - two great restaurants to try would be Caps on the Water (beautiful views) and the Columbia (downtown St Aug). They're two of my favorites. I'm glad you enjoyed my part of Florida!

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  15. Edgar! I was in St.Augustine! It was fabulous! I didn't go to the cathedral though! I'm glad you did so I can see the pics! :)

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  16. Gorgeous pics! That church is beautiful!!

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