St. Augustine, Florida

Our two day journey started with a bumpy trolley tour of the city. Our first stop the jail built to look like a hotel, but inside constructed by the same makers of Alcatraz. Our second stop was the Castillo De St. Marcus. We pick up our Jr. Ranger books and started our trek through the barracks, storage areas, chapel and jail. The structure of the Castillo is made up of oyster shells, lime and sand that makes a hard working materiel called coquina. The castle has been in St. Augustine since the 1700's. The diamond shape Ravelin that protects the front gate from cannonball fire at the maingate. The diamond shape bastions caused a overlapping effect for cannonball fire. The Spanish Soldiers loaded there muskets and shot over the bay. Our next stop lunch a delicious cafe with Greek salad and panni. We refreshed on a strawberry smoothie and continued our trolley tour to the Sebastian Winery with a short tour. The next day we drove back. We toured, Flagler College which back a 100 years ago was a fancy hotel, called The Ponce De Leon. It would cost over a quater of a million dollars to stay there for a three months stay in today currency. We were able to see the courtyard that was in the shape of a Celtic cross, with a working sundial fountain. The grand entrance with eight carve mahogany pillars and ornate paintings in the rotunda. At the dining hall, we were awed with many panes of Tiffany stained glass and more murals on the ceiling. The final and grandest room, The Ballroom. It was like stepping into a movie set with the marble fireplace and murals on the ceilings. Very gorgeous and ornate detail in every curtain, and chandelier. It was like stepping back in time. To end the day, our last stop to Anastasia Island for a quick dip in the ocean.