We have spent most of the week touring the historical venues of St. Augustine, FL (the oldest existing city in the US.) It's been very enjoyable and the marina we stayed at was very nice also.
St Augustine was founded by the Spanish and has restored buildings that are 300 years old. Most of the streets in Old Town are only wide enough for one car. Many are closed only to pedesterian traffic. This is a town you can spend serveral days in and still find intersting things to see.
This is the Lightener Museum (originally Flagler's 2nd hotel called Alcazar, which had a huge swimming pool and spa for the guests to enjoy). The pool was 120 ft. by 50 ft. and is now a restaurant.
There were many collections here - we spent 1/2 day taking it all in.
Let me explain who Flagler was. He was Rockefeller's oil partner and had money to burn. He discovered St Augustine in the late 1870's and decided to build a very expensive winter resort for his rich friends from the north. It was only the 2nd hotel in the world to have electric lights and were personally installed by Edison. A three month stay cost $250,000 in todays money. He even built a railroad from Jacksonville to St Augustine so his guests had an easy way to get to the hotel. He built a second hotel across from the first which was more modestly priced. It still was not inexpensive but was more for "active" people and when built had the largest indoor swimming pool in the USA. He eventually built the railroad all the way to Key West with a string of resorts along the way. He is considered by many to be the father of Florida tourisum. Both hotels are still standing and are in excellent condition. One is now a private college, the other a musuem.
The largest collection of Tiffany glass in the world is here in these 2 hotels - worth millions of dollars and it is gorgeous!
Gorgeous is an understatment!! Pictures do not begin to show the beauty of these hotels or of the churches that Flagler donated the funds for.
Flagler College (originally the Hotel Ponce De Leon) - a beautiful structure built by Henry Flagler - the first luxury hotel for the rich people from the north to winter in Florida.
Castillo de San Marcos defending northern Florida - quite a structure, built of Coquina (a mixture of seashells and cement - a very strong substance)
This fort was build by the Spanish in 1670 - 1693 to protect Florida from pirates, France and England.
Daytona at night, from the anchored boat. (It was motorcycle week - Yeah!)
Daytona Beach was before St Augustine. We only anchored out there one night and then moved on as we had done the Daytona thing a few years ago.
We capped off the week with a wonderful dolphin show in the inlet where we were anchored on Saturday morning. There were 12 - 14 of them performing for us. What a show!
We are now in Jacksonville at a very interesting marina. The facilites are not very good but the people living here on their boats are interesting. The whole marina is made up of old hippies, artists, authors and burned out business people who have thumbed their nose at conventuial life. The boats run the gamut from nice to barely floating. The appeal of the marina is it's low slip fees and a live and let live attitude by it's clientel. Hang around here long and you'd have material for a book or two.
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