We headed up to St Augustine, Florida. The oldest city in the US. Ponce De Leon landed here in the early 1500’s and claimed Florida for Spain. In 1565 Juan Mendez came and started the city of St Augustine. It is a small town, with a lot of history here. First the Spanish were here, then the British, then the Spanish again, and then the Americans, then the confederates, and back to the Americans. The weather is beautiful.
Pretty boring photo, but it is warm enough in Florida, many of the Laundromats are outside. Spring is here, these are I think wild shamrocks blooming.
This is the oldest house in the US. and the garden of it.
St Frances barracks, A1A-beaches. A1A is the state highway that runs along the east coast of Florida, mostly on the barrier islands.
Florida, the sunshine state, the episcopal church
This is the biggest wells Fargo bank I have ever seen. It has a HUGE safe. They won’t let you take photos of it. John on the sidewalk with lots of motorcycles. There is some kind of rally going on in Daytona so there are hundreds of bikes.
The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. The first fort in the US. It is huge. It has diamond shaped bastions on the corners. The cannon fire overlaps, in case a cannon or two are out of commission.
The drawbridge over the moat seen thru a cut away in the parapet called a embrasure. The drawbridge seen from the corner on the outside.
Sue with the guard at the end of the drawbridge, John behind the heavy sliding door called the portcullis.
couple shots of the outside-it was closed the first day we arrived. Had to go back the next day.
outside and John and Sue in front of the Castillo
the necesaria and some of the weapons used in the fights
inside one of the casement rooms. These were originally used to store weapons. Later they were used to house troops. A window and door.
The plaza de Armas. When St Augustine is attacked all the residents come in here for protection. The gun deck the watch tower once housed a bell that was rung to warn the town of attack.
what the gun deck looked like when the Spanish were under fire, some old Mexican cannons.
this is were the sentry’s stood
the sidewalk by the ocean, the catholic basilica of St Augustine.
stained glass in the basilica
more stained glass in the basilica and the A1A brewery where we had dinner
The hotel De Ponce De Leon. A luxury resort built by Henry Flagler a railroad baron. It is now Flagler college. It is dorms and the dining room.
the fountain, and a detail by the front entrance
the lobby. It had a huge dome above the lobby. This was a private house built to look like a Spanish castle. It is now a museum.
John on Palm Row.Notice the brick street. John in front of the oldest wooden school house in the US. You get a free diploma with admission.
a fountain and mile zero of the Old Spanish Trail.
azaleas in bloom all over town. Red, Pink and White.
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