Day 23 - Key West - St. Augustine - a day of travel
Apart from a few lemon tree groves, there was nothing out of the ordinary to see - and even those photos were blurry as we took them while in the car, so we have not included them here.
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Day 24 (January 24th) Saint Augustine, FL - Savannah, GA
We took a trolley tour of the town to get a feel of where everything was, and from there it was easy to decide what we wanted to visit for a closer look.
St. Augustine is billed as the oldest settlement in the U.S.A., and the buildings and architecture are very reminiscent of old-time Europe.
High Alter in the R.C. Cathedral |
The various religious edifices bear testimony to the spiritual origins of the settlement, with Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Greek Orthodox, and United Methodist denominations all historically represented through being the oldest buildings in the country for these communities.
Greek Orthodox Shrine |
The Old City Quarter is of special interest, and the uneven, cobbled streets and sidewalks were quaint - with buildings that had a charm all of their own. Of special interest was the oldest, wooden schoolhouse, that has remained intact through the centuries. I couldn't resist ringing the old bell in the courtyard - some things are never forgotten!
Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in the U.S. |
School Kitchen |
Time for lessons! |
The Privy - or 'Meditation Room' |
The city also boasts two replicas of Spanish Galleons - celebrating the arrival of Ponce de Leon (the first mate on Columbus' second expedition to the New World). They are in the harbour, tucked beside the working drawbridge.
Enticing restaurants, wine-tasting tours, and chocolate factories continued to beckon us inside - but we were on the second day of a 2-day cleanse and were able to summon the necessary fortitude to withstand the temptations - until next time we visit!!!!
Finishing our sight-seeing for the day, we made our way north to Savannah, Georgia where we will be staying for two nights. On the way, we visited St. Augustine Beach and the height of the waves fired our excitement.
What we found particularly interesting was the sand dunes that skirted the ocean and over which boardwalks had been erected for pedestrians to access the beach areas. These dunes were home to a plethora of wild species and were protected by law.
Upon arrival in Georgia, Mark decided that he wanted to have a very classy picture taken to prove he had visited the State. As you can see, he is very photogenic!
We are staying in a hotel just over the border, in South Carolina. It's 20 minutes away from Savannah, so it's not too far from our destination for tomorrow's day trip.
Our Vision
Happy, Fit, & Free !
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