Check out was 11:00 AM so we just lazed around until then and left. Most comfortable bed and night’s sleep in awhile. Today’s drive was from Jacksonville to the Orlando area. It’s around 150 miles. I surprised Michael by making a slight detour and going into St. Augustine to check it out. We were there last year to visit Ron and Joan (other full timers), but we didn’t get into the city. Once we got into St. Augustine, we stopped at a local Denny’s and had breakfast. We both got the senior veggie omelette with English muffin and fruit. Very good.
Started off in Jacksonville this morning and it was very overcast.Edie wanted me to get a picture of this old beast.Denny’s senior fit fare egg white omelette – veggies inside, English muffin and a bowl of fruit.
We drove around St. Augustine for awhile and then headed out to the lighthouse. The GPS took us the back way and we got to enjoy the narrow and fun streets (a lot like Key West). We both got the senior discount ($7.95 each) and walked the grounds, walked up to the top of the lighthouse, went into the lighthouse keeper’s residence, and just had a great time exploring. Beautiful lighthouse.
Picturesque draw bridge.
The St. Augustine lighthouse.Pretty new, and pretty.Beautiful home with lots of curves near the light house.Fun mail box too.The trees at the light house and through out this area have beautiful growths on the branches.
Pretty woman headed to the museum and gift shop.Edie loved these, twenty-five bucks each. She decided it would not make it home.Trail to the lighthouse.Light keeper’s house. He lived there with his wife and five daughters, (shoot me).Prehistoric looking tree.Beautiful woman outside the lighthouse.Here we go again.Much respect was given to the light keeper.I lifted it, it was heavy.Would be fun, the first three steps.Pretty woman admired the Christmas tree and set off, following me to the top.Nice plaque for 21 years of his life.All the east coast lighthouses we have visited have the same ornate iron spiral stairs.
Someone shot up the Fresnel lens.
Here we go….Overcast and windy day, but still great views.So pretty.The Fresnel lens.Nice catamaran out in the water.
Lone pelican, I think playing.
Lens from inside.And here we go down.I asked the woman on the left if I could take her picture. Told her I wanted to put it in our blog and title it, “the woman who tried to kill me.” She knew my pride wouldn’t let her pass me and she just kept coming, faster and faster, she tried to give me a heart attack!Inside the house.
Nice front door with side lights and transom.It was a great home in its time.I do love the design that captures almost all the light and focuses it into a powerful beam, precursor to the laser.In the basement.Neat cannon“Prepare to repel mortars.”
Edie loves polished brass and copper.Selfie on the way out.We were told this was a natural shelter for small animals in inclement weather.Gorgeous bell.Too many good men and women have been lost to this rehash of prohibition.Grumpy.
After the lighthouse we drove around, up and down the streets, saw many of the architecturally fun buildings, the people dressed in period costume, the fort near the bridge. Fun. We then headed to Fort Matanzas National Park. We had read about it and it just sounded wonderful as you take a boat to enter the park. By the time we got there the ibuprofen for Michael’s foot had worn off and he wasn’t up to walking a lot so we decided to come back another day.
A preservation city.It shows everywhere.Concrete power poles, required to cope with the termites.Florida is a water state.Love the skyline.
Has a New Orleans, Key West feel to the place.Looks like $200 for a half hour to me.
Love the architecture.Strange chain and mace fence line.
Really enjoy the views every where we look.
Tours right, left and center.
Mr Flagler, who founded Flagler College.Beautiful churches out doing one another.Not sure, maybe a foundry.
Strange looking folks around here.
They were firing muskets.
We left the area and gassed up. The 87 octane was out of order.We were down to one square.Big little store.Strange rainy day, high 70’s and low 80’s.
Love the growths on the trees.
We headed to Orlando but I had to stop and go to the bathroom in Winter Park (so close but couldn’t hold it any longer). We stopped at the Denny’s in Winter Park and got a little something to eat and then hit the road again. The traffic was horrible for the next twenty miles. Looked like there were at least two accidents and bumper to bumper both ways.
So strange, designing a house for the ocean to flow around in a storm.This is golf country.Swimming pool screen, keeping the bugs out.Nice freeway billboard.Orlando skyline.Interesting buildings.Edie wants to go here. We’ll see.From our room.We get a home tomorrow.
We had a hard time finding our hotel room for the very last night for awhile (yahoo). We ended up going about ten miles out of our way but finally got here at around 5:30 PM. Check in was quick and we are now in our room. What can I say – another hotel room.
