St. Augustine, FL - 1st two weeks in March

It's March so it's time to knock off things on our list.

We start with a ride to Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Washington Oak, is the center of the Gardens and is estimated to be between 200 and 300 years old, it has withstood the test of time. The live oak one of Florida's oldest and sturdiest trees, able to withstand hurricane-force winds, fires, droughts and floods.

More remodeling

Took down the fake side curtains, velcroed at the top

and held in place at the bottom with two screws larger than the ones which held in the old Sofa Bed - I guess to make sure they didn't move during hurricane season.

and coverd the holes with a wall paper border

 

Started a new exercise routine

Tucson supervises

 

Spring is definitely here now

 

 

 

We continue our walks at Canopy Shores after church on Sundays.  Hoping to catch site of one of the owls we had seen a couple weeks before

 

 

No owl, but we dd see a Pileated Woodpecker

 

 

I do however see an Owl in the Squirrel Forest the next day

 

I have been wanting to go to a Museum for over a year now.  We finally get to Lightner Museum .  It is located ins the historic Alcazar Hotel, a Gilded Age resort hotel built in 1888 by railroad magnate Henry Flagler.

 

 

We also hook up with our friends Amy and Rob

 

 

Something of interest?

 Just some of the biggest Koi I have ever seen

The building is testimony to Flagler’s vision to make St. Augustine into a premiere winter resort for wealthy East Coast tourists.

At the peak of its popularity during the 1890s, more than 25,000 guests visited the Alcazar.

 

 The Alcazar Hotel closed during the Depression, and in 1947 the building was purchased by Otto C. Lightner, a Chicago Publisher, to exhibit his turn-of-the-century collection of fine and decorative art.  He purchased most of his 

collection at Tax sales.

 A lot of amazing furniture

 Sculptures

 

 

 

The Alcazar boasted the world’s largest indoor public swimming pool at the time, a grand ballroom, sulfur baths, a steam room, massage parlor, gymnasium, bowling alley, archery ranges, tennis courts and a bicycle academy.

 

 

 

Stained Glass Windows

 

 

an amazing place.  We head to another place I've been wanting to try - 

 

 

Peace Pie!  Home of gourmet ice-cream sandwiches

 

What a treat!

 

 

the City is coming alive at Spring Break

 

We take a drive out to Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka as 

the Azaleas are in bloom.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A ride out Palatka way with a stop at the Riverside Park

 A last trip to Jekyll Island to visit some friends and see the progress on the removal of the container ship that sunk last year.

Jacksonville is a busy Port.

 

 

 

 A stop at Jekyll Island Campground to visit friends.  It is where I worked 6 years ago and where I met my friend Jeanne, and Gary.

Lunch at the Beach House

 We both had the Fried Cod and Chips.  I had alread devoured some before I remembered to get a shot.  Best Fried Cod I have ever had!

 Then on to Driftwood Beach

 

It's low tide so all the trees are exposed.

 

 

 

 

We were hoping to see them cutting today, but no luck.  Think they only have 2 or 3 sections to go.

 

 

We end with a hike at Moses Creek East

 

Where we finally see the elusive Eagle

 

 

 A beautiful place to Kayak, it's times like this I wish we still had ours.

 Only two more weeks to go before the journey north!