Good Bye to the Oldest City

May 3 2011

 

Finally the dinghy looks like new again.  The repair, actually the replacement of the tube, was delayed by 8 days in US Customs.  Walker Bay has the tubes made in Mexico and even though the order was filled immediately, it took 4 weeks to get from Mexico to St. Augustine and then the installer needed a couple of days to swap the new for the old.  Anyway it looks good, feels good and runs good so we are back in business.

Tomorrow we will be heading for the town of Fernandina Beach near the border of Georgia.

Just to close off our stay here in St. Augustine, I will give you some of my observations and preferences.

Flagler College, a must see tour.  Henry Flagler was an exceptional person with great vision and an ability to get things done.  So many unbelievable facts will blow your mind.  The building was built in 1894, in 18 months, as one of the most modern hotels of the time.  It is now a community College.

Entrance from 1894 still in Tack

Cafeteria still uses antique Tiffany Chairs

The Lightner Museum is also worth a stop.  It too was built by Flagler.

 One of the most impressive collections is of working music and juke boxes from the early 1900's.

The Castillo de San Marcos, a fort right in town, was somewhat disappointing, nothing like the Forts (eg. Lunenburg, Upper Canada, Fort Henry, etc.) that one can visit in Canada

Favourite Bars and Restaurants:
- J P Henleys - 56 beers on tap, friendly staff, excellent appetizers and sandwiches and warm soft pretzels.

- A1A - micro brewery (I could NOT find one I liked) but had a killer Blue Cheese and Chips appetizer; rest of food was decent.

- Harry's - Excellent food and service; make a reservation to eat in the courtyard if the weather is nice.

- Camillo's - Best pizza and good prices; no ambiance though.

- Sangria's Tapas - Good food, good music and good location.

For every favourite there are 3 not worth mentioning but no real losers.

Don't forget the beach at St. Augustine; not quite Daytona but pretty darn close. 

St. Augustine was a good place to be stranded.