My heart is still in St. Augustine

I’m BACKKKKKK!

But I think my heart is still laying on the beach in St. Augustine. Or roaming the shops on St. George Street. It almost feels like I found myself in Vilano Beach. Where I sunk my toes deep into its sandy shoreline. Like a little piece of me belongs there still. I can see myself there. St. Augustine might just be my new favorite city. With its rich history and endless supply of brick paved streets. The only way I know how to explain it, is through the eye of my camera lens. So let’s dive in…

Can I start by disclaiming that my auntie lives a whole 3 minute walk to the beach. Guys, 3 minutes!! It was like I had died and was shipped off to my own personal heaven built to my exact specs. So you know naturally, we had to spend some time, okay, every day at the beach.

And I will follow up with with saying that its not like we LIVEDDD on the beach because come on now, we were in St. Augustine. The oldest, seriously go look it up, oldest city in America. Hold on to your hats ladies and gentleman because I am about to toss some new knowledge at you tourist style! So the first day we ran around town with the top down on the bug and checked out all the cute and small brick lined streets.

And check out this, this was the largest indoor swimming pool in the United States. I was busy laughing at the “swimsuits” that they use to wear. Apparently we edged towards risky on our attire today compared to then! Could you imagine wearing a cotton one piece while swimming. You would be handing me a pool noddle, that is for sure.

This is the original street in St. Augustine. I also got to drool while someone took their wedding portraits on it. I am now taking applications for a St. Augustine wedding. I will even waive the travel fee 🙂

So the halls that my super cute auntie and mommy are walking through below (also drool worthy for whatever bride takes me up on my St. Augustine Wedding offer) are part of what was originally Flagler hotels. This is the “less” expensive side to the hotels which also contains the largest indoor pool that I mentioned above. Today, the original high end Flagler hotel is home to Flagler university. They still maintain the originally Tiffany Glass in it today. The less expensive side to the Flagler hotels (below) now is home to city hall and has a chapel for weddings;)

These are the original city gates to St. Augustine. The wall use to surround the city with these gates standing guard. Today, it is the head to the well known St. George street where I spent too much money on clothes but can you blame a girl!

They had two separate cemeteries  originally. One for the catholics and one for all other religions which sits right outside the gates. I was amazed at the dates and ages of some of the headstones because I am weird like that:)

These heads that are spitting out water are replications of the original six drinking fountains that supported the town.

 

This made me step back in shock and them step forward in aw. What I would consider the center the downtown houses the location of the old slave market. Today, they host mini farmers markets on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

When I said the streets were narrow, I wasn’t kidding. My auntie and mom (auntie is from England, mom was just there) said it is exactly like the english streets. We couldn’t even put our hands out the bug window without grazing the walls. The man hole cover is the original seal for St. Augustine.

 

We also got to tour the original fort (see above). But it gets better, as we are in the middle of wondering around this thing and reading the signs, my auntie notices that there are a lot more military in the fort than normal. As in, there were navy uniforms from present day military instead of just the reenactment uniforms. As we are walking to the top of the fort, the uniforms all get into formation. We were just as confused as everyone else but we soon learned that there was a treaty being signed. Guys, I witnessed with my brown eyes a treaty being signed!! It was between the Argentina and United States Navy so now I feel super special and have a great story to tell grandkids some day.

 

See the piece of land in the top left? That is Vilano Beach, you know, the island my auntie lives on? Excuse me, I am just going to book my flight back down there now…..

I am kidding, I have to finish my story to you all first. So this lighthouse (see those people on the top?), we climbed it and I didn’t die! (#teambode for the win). It is the first lighthouse in St. Augustine.

These are just some of what I caught at the lighthouse. I did enough panoramas on the top of that thing to last me a lifetime! Our last stop on the journey was the one I requested. A visit to the other side of the island for the beautiful (you guys will have to wait and see) Washington Oaks Garden. I also had the pleasure of photographing three amazing people and an even more amazing #1416puppers in this park. (Stay tuned for those blogs where I gush about Spanish moss. Where is that bride at already:) ).

Ahh, now I am sad because this includes the end of our journey through St. Augustine and I can promise I haven’t even brushed the surface of this amazing town. So I guess I will just have to go back, oh wait… See you in April 2020 Auntie!!!! I might need a moving truck because I am soooo ready to stay:)

But as always, I can’t wait to report back for more travel which I figure out the next spot. But for now, bye my 1416 lovelies!