St. Augustine

Raydiance (center) on mooring in St. Augustine

St. Augustine from our mooring

St. Augustine has to be one of my favorite places so far. On a windy Sunday (the 25th) we picked up a mooring ball in the field south of the Bridge of Lions.  When we were with the Hans in Key Biscayne, Susan showed me the method she used for picking up the mooring line using a grapple hook attached to a floating line. This is the first time I had a chance to use it and I am here to testify that it is far superior to dangling over the bow with a fully extended boat hook.  My poor bent boat hook will attest to that also! 

 After going ashore by dinghy, we took the tram around town to acquaint ourselves with the area.  We ended up being the last two people on the last tram of the day and we had a great time joking with the driver.  Then it was on to dinner at the A1A Ale Works.  Put it on your list and be sure to order the cheese soup. Wonderful!!

Breakfast had to start at Sara's for crepes.

 The next day we donned hiking shoes and walked all over the historic part of town-Castillo de San Marcos, the Lightner Museum which at one time was a hotel owned by Henry Flagler, Flagler College which also at one time was a Flagler Hotel, and of course the not so old shops!

View from top of Castillo de San Marcos

Long gun demonstration outside of fort.  Glad we were moored on the other side of the bridge!

Castillo de San Marcos from the ICW

 The Lightner Museum is reminiscent of House on the Rock but classier.  It has numerous unrelated exhibits including a room of old music machines which were demonstrated while we were there.  Lunch was at Café Alcazar which is located on the floor of the hotel’s old swimming pool.  

Sorry, friends, I couldn't figure out how to liberate all these buttons.

Lunch on the swimming pool floor

Two heads are better than one!

This disgusting shrunken head fascinated me.

Flagler College

Lightner Museum

Henry Flagler, a partner in Standard Oil who built the railroad all the way down the east coast to Key West, built two hotels in St. Augustine.  One is now Flagler College and the other is the Lightner Museum.  He also had a third hotel which, according the the trolley driver, he swindled from the original owner.  

Other interesting sights were the old city wall and the oldest wooden schoolhouse in the US.

Plaque at the old city gate

Tom by the old city gate.  The pillars and  wall are made of coquina which is a "cement" made of sand, shells, lime and water.   The walls of the Castillo were also made of this.

Oldest wooden schoolhouse.  The horse is Sarah's school's mascot.  I am doing a separate blog for her class,so Jefferson (the horse) is occasionally in the pictures.  As you can imagine,  Tom is thrilled to hold the little horse as people pass by with questioning looks!

The day ended with dinner at Harry's  on the Bayfront.  Another yum.  Thank heavens we are walking a lot!  Still may need weight watchers upon return.