#2 Florida Trip - St. Augustine

June 28, 2016

#2 Florida Trip - St. Augustine

I left Jacksonville and headed south to St. Augustine where I had reserved a Bed and Breakfast
for the next two nights near the Old Town so that I could explore on foot this old city I had
long wanted to see. I must admit my initial reaction was that it was very touristy with lots of
little souvenir shops and the like, but I soon came to really enjoy walking the old streets and learning a bit about its history. I enjoyed sketching here as well and will start with a few sketches from my watercolor journal. See if you recognize their names when you see the photos!
Click on the photo to see the whole image.

Pages from my Sketchbook / Watercolor Journal:

Now the Photo Essay:

My comfy BandB "Southern Wind" in St. Augustine

Castillo de San Marcos which dates from the 1600s is the largest most complete Spanish fort in the U.S.

I enjoyed wandering along the picturesque streets of Old Town

Tapas and Sangria made a tasty lunch!

The Tower of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine

Interior of the Cathedral surprised me with its red ceiling!

Casa Monica is one of the oldest hotels in the U.S. first opened in 1888

The most impressive campus of Flagler College opened in 1888 as the Ponce de Leon Hotel

The Lightner Museum, formerly the Alcazar Hotel, a museum devoted to the collections of the Gilded Age.

Staircase inside the Lightner Museum

Above two photos, the Villa Zorayda Museum, built in 1833, is a 1/10th scale replica of the Alhambra Palace in Spain.

Ximenez-Fatio House built in 1797 as the home and store of a Spanish merchant. The House has been owned and managed by women since the early 1830s, an era when it was unusual for a woman to own property or earn a paycheck. These astute businesswomen used their household management skills to earn a living. In the process, they set the standards for modern tourism, the backbone of Florida’s economy today. The following photos were taken inside the house.