Category: Florida

Climbing for a Birds Eye View at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

11/6/2013

If you love to see the world with a bird’s eye view, you need to stop by one of Florida’s historic lighthouses. There are thirty of them still existing, and the Lighthouse at Jupiter Inlet, in Jupiter Florida, has had a colorful history from its inception during the Third Seminole War and Civil War Intrigue, through its use fighting Germans during WWII.

We climbed the curling antique iron stairway all the way to the top to hear more about this tall imposing tower, stopping only to catch a breath and judge our progress at a window along the way.

In 1853 Congress authorized the building of the Lighthouse at Jupiter Inlet and it was one of six sites chosen in the state. These lighthouses were built to safely guide the increasing shipping traffic up and down the Florida coast and provide military defenses also. Unfortunately, the Third Seminole Indian War broke out just before construction started, and the unarmed work crews were faced not only with dangerous warriors, but also with malaria from stagnant inland waterways.

Construction was finally completed by Captain Edward Yorke in 1860. The one-hundred and eight foot lighthouse was officially lit on July 10th.

The fact I found most amazing was that the lighthouse was partially designed by George Gordon Meade when he was a surveyor for the Army Corps of Engineers. This is the same General Meade who defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg three short years later! Small world!

This was not the only Civil War connection for this lighthouse though! Shortly after the start of the war, two Confederate assistant lighthouse keepers stole lantern parts, darkening the light until after the war ended. When the parts were finally located again, the lantern was re-lit in June of 1866.

The lighthouse again earned a place in history during WWII when it acted as a Radio Detection Finding Station and Intelligence Listening Post for the US Navy. This secret installation was designed to intercept German U-boat radio messages and warn Allied ships so that US forces could attack enemy vessels.

After the long many-stepped climb to the top of the light-house, we were greeted by a knowledgeable guide who told us all about the lighthouse construction and its huge glass lantern. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized that lighthouse lanterns could actually be pretty interesting! Did you know that the “blinking” ray of light you see projecting out from the lighthouse is actually caused by the lantern rotating behind metal screens, so the light is blocked for that moment.

The tower of the lighthouse is built of brick and is double-walled. The outer wall is conical and the inner wall is cylindrical to help keep the lighthouse rigid and to keep the center of gravity low. I have to assume this helped to keep the tower strong against the stormy Atlantic Ocean elements.

After learning all this information, we finally simply stood silently and took in the magnificent view of busy Jupiter Inlet and the expansive Atlantic Ocean beyond. Climbing all those steps was worth it, just for that moment!

**Click Here for a 180 deg. view from the top of Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
(Sorry Ipad Users, Its a little blurry for you!)

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Learning About Southeastern Florida Habitats at MacArthur Beach State Park

10/31/2013

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The lush natural heritage of the subtropical habitat of Southeastern Florida is almost obliterated now by tall condos, hotels, beach bars, fancy restaurants and upscale shops. But on a barrier island in the Atlantic, just off the Florida coast is one of the last refuges in Palm Beach County.

The website of this amazingly beautiful place states:
“At a time when natural areas along south Florida’s coast are almost nonexistent,
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park stands out as an ‘island in time’.”

We felt enveloped by nature as we finally parked and walked down the leafy trail toward the welcome center/nature museum.

Let me tell you; if you want to spend time with your kids, learning about the habitats and ecosystems of the park, the interpretive center is full of fun and educational opportunities for discovery. There are also programs for children in which you can enroll or which you can book for groups.

We had to stop and talk with the park rangers as they returned an endangered baby “Green Turtle” to its protective tank. They told us that they found the juvenile turtle lost and disoriented on the beach and that they would be returning it to the wild when it reached an approved length and its shell was completely hardened. It was pretty cute to see it paddling around after its checkup!

When you have learned all about this amazing subtropical ecosystem, you can have a blast kayaking and snorkeling, swimming or fishing in the clear blue water. If you are worn out from all this fun, you can picnic or just soak up the bright Florida sun lying on the beach.

Jim and I decided to set off on a self-tour to view the estuary and hike the nature trails and visit the beach, lucky for us, one of the many circulating golf-carts pulled up to offer us a ride from the museum, across the estuary to the outer barrier island and beach.

Conveniently, the shower and toilet facilities are located right at the entrance to the public beach and trails.

Our wanderings took us through each of the ecological zones along this subtropical coast.

The following descriptions which accompany our photographs were referenced from the John D. MacArthur Beach State Park website:

The Maritime Hammock
“Hammock is an Indian word that means “shady place”. The maritime hammock includes a thin, intermittent strip of vegetation behind the beach dune and a mature hammock between A-1-A and Lake Worth Cove. The main portion of the hammock includes many large tropical trees like strangler fig and mastic, and some temperate ones like live oak.”

We met a few creepy crawlers on the trails!

The Beach Dunes
“The beach and dunes of barrier islands protect the mainland by absorbing the energy of the ocean waves…… Plants that grow on the dunes usually have thick, waxy or fuzzy leaves to protect themselves from heat, salt, blowing sand and drying winds.”

The Anastasia Limestone Rock Reef
“This community was formed more than 125,000 years ago. The reef is limestone as opposed to those made of coral reefs found mostly south of the park. Many species of marine animals inhabit the reef. Some of the more spectacular are parrotfish, barracuda, damsel fish and loggerhead sea turtles. The reef stretches along the 1.6 miles of beach within the park’s boundary. Unlike many coral reefs in the Florida Keys, the reef is visible from the shoreline and can be easily reached with a mask and snorkel.”

The Estuary
“The estuary at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is a small cove off the northern portion of Lake Worth. The water in the estuary is a mixture of salt and fresh water. Conditions in this community are always changing. Water levels rise and fall with the tide.”

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is a wonderful place to really step back and take in the true natural environment of Southeastern Florida. We loved it!

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Indulging Our Inner Child at Lion Country Safari in Florida

10/27/2013

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Sometimes we responsible adults just have to give in to our inner child and bask in that amazing feeling of awe and wonder that we barely remember these days.

About twenty miles before we reached our destination, Palm Beach, we saw the sign loom larger on the road in front of us LION COUNTRY SAFARI. Jim and I looked at each other and quickly said “have you ever been there?” Neither of us had, though we both had heard of the place when we were youngsters and secretly longed to visit, so there really was no debate. We turned off the highway with a quick last minute left into the park to finally see the amazing African wildlife at Lion Country Safari.

Since this is a “drive-thru” adventure, naturally, they have dozens of signs that say “Keep Windows Rolled Up for Safety” and “DO NOT Open Windows!” But that didn’t keep Jim from wanting to do just that in order to get better photos. After a brief argument over whether we would obey the rules or not (I won on that one and the windows were kept tightly sealed except for when we cracked it slightly to stick the lens through the top to take a really good picture of the awesome Rhinos. (We do not condone or recommend this behavior!)

The park is separated into simulated ecological zones of Africa so driving through them was quite interesting and as we listened to the CD provided upon entry, we learned a lot about the African animals we were viewing.

I had forgotten that as a couple of old boomers, we could still laugh in amazement as two Ostriches ran up to the car to check us out close up, or excitedly point at baby Giraffes and stare with awed admiration at the huge Rhinoceros with a tiny white bird riding its back.

Here are a few photos from that brief journey into the heart of Africa!

The Aldabra Tortoise is one of the largest land tortoises found anywhere in the world. Native to coastal islands near Madagascar

The South American Rhea is the fourth largest of all birds in the world today. The Brown Pelican is not from Africa, but Lion Country Safari serves as a rehabilitation center for the birds since 1984.

Kudu found in the grasslands below the Sahara Desert

Ostrich, the world's largest bird. This female is checking us out!

Antelopes, Impalas and Sables

Gemsbok

The Ankole-Watusi is a breed of cattle originally native to Africa. Its large, distinctive horns, that can reach up to 8 feet (2.4 m) from tip to tip.

Some type of Water Buffalo I think!

You know what these are.......

I can only believe that if Jim and had such a great time watching the animals as we drove through the park, children of all ages would love it too!

Be sure to check out their website because in addition to the “drive-thru” safari, there are lots of other family fun things to do and see at Lion Country Safari!

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Bringing Back Greek Wine Memories in Tarpon Springs FL

10/23/2013

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When we take our annual trip to the Gulf of Mexico each year, we also make a pilgrimage to the Sponge Docks at Tarpon Springs to soak up authentic Greek food and fishing culture and re-explore the shops in the lively sponge-dock village.

But this time we found a new gem to explore and this place took us mentally back to our amazing visit to Katakolon, Greece and the Mercouri Estate vineyards. Katina’s Greek Market is stuffed with delicacies imported from Greece including several varieties of Greek Wine and Beer, and I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that we had to stop by and do some wine tasting!

We tasted more than a half-dozen different types of whites and reds which were all pretty good, but the red my palate loved was the Costa Lazaridi Oenodea Cabernet Sauvignon Agiorgitiko Syrah 2009

The website vivina.com reviews the wine as “dark red color with violet edges. The scent opens fine in typical Rolland-Nose: Blackcurrant, dry brush and dish (coconut, vanilla, butter, cinnamon, rubber) and a fat, apple-like acidity. ….. Delicious, soft fruit in the mouth with very juicy, dark red berries. It is a soft wine, but the structure is still ok grip with fine acidity and medium full-bodied dark fruit. The finish has good concentration, ok acid cadence and soft tannins. Leather and English licorice in the aftertaste….”

I have to agree with this assessment and we bought his last three bottles on the spot!

But the wine that brought back our fabulous memories of our Mercouri Estate tour was the Mercouri Estate 'Foloi' Roditis & Viognier 2012. The wine was exactly as I remembered from our wine tasting in the lovely garden of the estate!

Reviews say that wine has a “typically elegant mid-palate, yet it has quite enough solidity, plus some grassy notes and a crisp, sunny and invigorating demeanor.” This is an accurate description of the refreshing wine so I bought a case with visions of sipping this crisp wine on our deck even in the chilly fall weather!

And yes we had to buy a couple of the beers Jim and I had sipped back on those hot summer days in the Peloponnese; nice crisp Pils Hellas and Mythos.

Now, let me tell you more about our visit to the Mercouri Estate in Katakolon, Greece!

Mercouri Vineyards is near the Greek village of Korakohori on the Peloponnese peninsula and the winery is lovely with an old Italianate residence which stands gracefully, its faded pastel stucco walls draped with ivy and stone buildings that house the winery and lush gardens dotted with antique vineyard equipment, populated with colorful peacocks, and surrounded by tidy rows of grape vines that seem to go on for miles.

When we gathered in front of the visitor center we were greeted by a huge friendly St. Bernard who seemed to be keeping an eye on the peacocks.

The estate was founded by Theodore Mercouri, a wealthy cotton merchant from Egypt in 1860 and in 1870, Refosco grape vine trimmings from Italy were planted and the first wine was produced under the name Mercouri. The first modern winery was established in the 1930’s and now the fourth generation of the family remains involved in wine making.

They have experimented with planting of several varietals including, the red varieties; Avgoustiatis, Mourvedre, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and Grenache and the white varieties; Malvasia Aromatica, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon Blanc, Tourkopoula and Viognier. Those that worked well became part of the blend for the wines they produced.

The tour of the winery takes you back through time to the old days of hand operated wooden presses and oak barrels, stone wine amphora and rooms that look as if their occupants from early in the century just walked away for a moment, where a beautifully laid table and grandfather clock still wait for them.

The tour ends at their spic and span modern facility equipped with stainless steel vats bottlers and the storage rooms filled with rows upon rows of oak barrels and which smelled of wine and yeast.

The actual tasting area is a lovely area behind the winery where you can sit at tables under tall shady trees and eat samplings of the estates olives, spicy sausage and bread with olive oil, while the gracious host and vintner tells you about the intricacies of the wine you are sipping. After the tasting, we headed directly into the purchasing area to buy a half-case of our favorites.

Alas……only a couple of the bottles made it home since we drank most of them sitting on our balcony outside our stateroom on our cruise ship watching the sun set over the Ionian Sea. We simply couldn’t resist and wished we had sent a case directly home!

Jim and I agreed that the day had been wonderful and I personally thought that Katakolon was one of the most fun and interesting ports of call during our Mediterranean Cruise with Holland America.

READ THE FULL ORIGINAL POST FROM OUR EXCURSION TO OLYMPIA, MERCOURI ESTATES AND KATAKOLON HERE!

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Want to Drive a Speed Boat? Cruise Tampa Bay with Speed Boat Adventures!

10/14/2013

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If you want the thrill of driving a speed boat while taking in the sparkling beauty of Tampa Bay, book a tour with Speed Boat Adventure Tours.

The tour is lots of fun! Our group was made up of three single drivers and Jim and I (no I didn’t want to drive!) and the boats were compact fast speedboats. The tour guide led the group of boats and we followed in line like ducklings as we cruised through the marina and the exclusive community of Terre Verde where each impressive waterside mansion was fronted by a large boat dock, most of which held expensive sparkling white yachts.

But the real fun began when we reached the open water of the bay! We had been told to go full throttle at the signal from our guide and the tiny speedboats flew spaying water behind us. Our boats danced on the water as we cut wide curving slices through the bay towards the first of a few bridges we were to navigate beneath. At the signal from our guide, we slowed our boats and floated quietly under the bridge and on to our next burst of speed.

Flying on the water again, we headed out toward the graceful Skyway Bridge which towers over the bay; its delicate harp-like cables stretched toward the sky, seeming to pull it up, arching from the sea. In the distance we could see the mangroves and palms of Fort De Soto Park, a lush green strip that seemed to float on the blue-green water.

We weren’t alone on the bay though….. dolphins played, crossing daringly in front of us, and a devil-ray exploded from the water so close to us he almost ended up in our boat! Pelicans floated out on the shallows waiting for big fat fish to swim by, and sea-birds perched on the channel markers, squawking at us as we made our way back into the protected area of the marina.

During our pre-tour lesson, we were advised by our guide to slow down a little when some of the larger speed boats rocketed by creating deep wakes. Pay attention here…… and do as they advise. Our small boats bumped so high over those wakes that when we came down my poor tail-bone complained mightily! Slowing down slightly will soften your landing as you navigate them and hopefully you won’t have the sore butt I have as a souvenir.

Even with a sore butt, I have to say this was a fun and exciting adventure and we highly recommend it! Check out Speed Boat Adventures!

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5 Fun Things to do with Kids in Florida that DON'T Involve a Theme Park!

10/7/2013

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Jim and I are like migratory birds when it involves St. Pete Beach Florida. We are drawn back to our favorite hangouts each October. Why October? Well……. Don’t tell anyone, but all the summer vacationers are gone and the Canadian and British tourists are just beginning to arrive, so the beaches (and more importantly, the beach bars) are beautifully empty, the hotels are less expensive and not overcrowded, the weather is just beginning to cool from the summer highs and the occasional squall blows over to add drama to the sunny days.

That being said, as we contemplated bringing family to our favorite beach, we cringed at the thought of spending hours at one of the many theme parks in Florida and finally decided that we would find alternatives that were fun for both a small child and our adult tastes and what we found made for a fun and educational vacation for all of us!

So here they are……
Our top five recommendations for entertaining kids and adults alike while never entering a theme park.

1. Visit “Winter” the Dolphin from the movie, Dolphin Tale at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and watch the staff play with Winter and all the other dolphins. Just watching the staff attach the fake tail to Winter is an amazing learning experience I found fascinating. Explore the other amazing sea creatures at the aquarium many of which you can touch and hold, while museum-staff tell you all about the creatures and their habitats.

2. Learn all about the Circus at the Ringling Museum of Art. Don’t the name fool you! While the entire museum and gardens are absolutely fabulous, and its prestigious art museum well worth visiting, we headed straight to the stunning home of the Ringlings, Ca’ d’Zan, built in the style of a Venetian Ducal Palace and then the part kids absolutely love, the Circus Museum.

To be perfectly honest, we loved The Circus Museum as much as any kid would! The museum presents the history and behind the scenes story of the Ringling Brothers Circus and includes the most amazingly detailed diorama of an entire circus town. It is filled with tiny surprises as you carefully look at all the miniature people, tents and animals. You will want to spend hours just looking at all the authentic circus artifacts.

3. Walk around the small sponging/fishing village that is the heart of Tarpon Springs. The town, was named after the jumping Tarpon (fish) that were spotted from shores. When Greek immigrants arrived in the 1880’s to harvest sponges, they developed Tarpon Springs into one of the finest Sponge Industries in the world but the industry almost disappeared in 1947 from a devastating algae infestation. It was not until 2007 that with great effort, the sponges were brought back to a point where they could be successfully harvested again.

The dock area is filled with restaurants, shops and museums, and let me tell you, you can find the some of the most delicious authentic Greek cuisine at Tarpon Springs including my personal weakness, Baklava. The usual assortment of shops line the streets, filled with fun tourist stuff, but my favorite shops are the ones filled with sponges of every size and shape imaginable.

There is also a small aquarium where you can see a living reef, live sponges, coral, interesting fish, and sharks which you can feed, and even an alligator. You can also catch sightseeing, fishing and dolphin viewing, boat tours from the docks.

4. Visit Snooty at the South Florida Museum. The museum’s Parker Manatee Aquarium has been home to this venerable manatee all its life. An exhibit area within the facility helps to educate the public about manatee anatomy and offers above and below water viewing. It is really interesting to hear all about the habitat, nutrition and physiology, while watching the staff interact with this amazingly prehistoric looking animal as they feed him and play with him.

The aquarium’s mission is commendable “Working closely with US Fish and Wildlife and critical care hospitals for manatees, the Museum's Parker Manatee Aquarium is a second stage rehabilitation facility. A second stage facility provides a temporary home for manatees that will be released back into the wild after having received treatment from an acute care hospital. The Aquarium has housed 27 manatees as part of the rehabilitation program.”

The museum is actually a conglomerate of three museums, the aquarium, a natural history and archeology museum, and a planetarium. The history museum tells the story of the natural history and culture of the gulf coast of Florida, and the planetarium has a fun children’s show, but you should check the musuem’s calendar for particular, demonstrations, tours, and planetarium show times and dates.

5. Explore Fort Desoto Park. This park, is made up from five offshore keys (islands) lying to the city's south-southwest: Madelaine Key, St. Jean Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key and the main island, Mullet Key.

We never miss an opportunity to drive out to Fort Desoto park to walk the pier and watch the fishermen (and women) throw out their lures to catch small silver fish which they put into buckets. I still don’t know if these fish are for eating or bait! But I must say, it’s fun to watch them and kids are tempted to chase the small flopping fish as they are released from the hook and left free for a minute on the deck. There are also dozens of egrets, pelicans and cormorants busy diving for the same silver fish.

The pier is also a fantastic place to watch for dolphin. Depending upon the season, they often come right up to the pier to feast upon the schools of fish that swarm there and we love watching them leap and play and shoot like torpedoes through the water.

When you are tired of watching the action at the pier, you can rent a bike to ride around the lush tropical park or just hang out on the beach.

For those who love history, exploring Fort Desoto is a lot of fun. While the location on the west of Florida was used as an important defense location since the 16th century, the fort you see today was built in 1900 and used as a strategic stronghold during the Spanish American war and again during WWII. You can wander through intact room in the fort such as the Quarter Master Storerooms, Guard House, Bakery and even see the original Mortar Batteries with their huge cannons.

Fort Desoto Park is a place you can spend a whole day and even camp overnight at their secluded campground tucked in among the mangroves and palms.

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Fort De Soto Park -Terre Verde Florida: Our Pilgrimage Place

7/30/2013

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Fort De Soto Park in Terre Verde, Florida is one of our favorite places on the planet. It draws us back every year and we never tire of the familiar but oh-so-stunning view.

The seascape is filled with sugar white beaches, dense tangles of mangroves, and tall palms gently curved from the breezes. Old Fort De Soto with its antique black cannons pointed out to sea, is an imposing historic presence and fun to explore. Vietnamese fishermen cast lines off the pier catching buckets of small silver fish.

I love watching the stately Egrets and graceful Cormorants, the darting Terns, and Mating (yes mating!) dolphins, They are just a few of the beautiful wildlife that make up the complex ecology of the park.

The park is made up of five interconnecting keys (small islands), and bike paths wind through the park. You can rent kayaks and boogie boards and bikes and beach rovers. You can camp all night or just grill out in the park. There is something for everyone.

This beach has been voted one of the most beautiful in world and it truly is a wonderful place!

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Oasis of Peace inside a St. Augustine Basilica

8/7/2012

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Our last day was a lazy day…… after our brunch by the sea and barrier island drive, we headed back to St. Augustine to visit one place I had really wanted to see before we left, Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.

Jim assures me that I have a compulsion to visit every historical chapel, church or cathedral I come across and I’m not ashamed to say he’s right. They are beautiful, serene places to visit and I love the feeling of calm that envelopes you whenever you enter one of these spiritual and artistic spaces.

No difference this time either………… After the oven outside, the interior of the Cathedral was cool and peaceful where only soft whispers could be heard and a few lone worshipers sat silent in contemplation in the pews.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine was built over five years from 1793-1797 and was built in the Moorish style while Florida was under Spanish control. In 1887, a fire damaged the Cathedral, so when it was repaired by the great architect James Renwick, it was expanded and changed to look more like the Spanish Missions in the West, including the addition of a bell tower with the exposed bell which was a well known symbol of the Spanish mission. Classical elements and the painted beams were also added along with a transept so that it would appear more European.

The interior is charming, filled with colorful light from tall stained glass windows. The portions of the walls that are not painted a cool white are covered with religious and historical frescoes or sparkling mosaic. The high altar is flanked by tall organ pipes and gold leafed sculptures lean forward in blessing from their niches while golden angels fly above them toward a painted canopy and decorated ceiling. We wandered mute with eyes cast upward taking in the amazing architecture and holy art.

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Day 2 - Hanging with Pirates & Splendors of the Gilded Age

8/5/2012

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Since old town St. Augustine is pretty much a vacation tourist town, Jim and I suspected that if we got out early in the morning when most vacationers would still be nursing their hangovers, the streets would be deserted and we were right. This was definitely the best time to capture beautiful photos.

We headed out to old town St. Augustine in the relatively cooler morning air. (Still humid, but not steaming.)

St. George street was quiet and we had only birds for company so we wandered, free to stop and plan our photos at a leisurely pace appreciating the smells of the tropical plants and really taking the time to look closely at the centuries old buildings noting that many of them had tiny pink and white seashells imbedded in the walls of lumpy conglomerate they used as local concrete over 250 years ago.

When the shops and museums started to open up, Jim had only one request……. The Pirate Museum. So we headed over to the museum that was clearly meant for kids. The reason for this request? This museum has a 400 year old pirate chest and another one almost as old that you can actually touch! I don’t care if you are six or sixty, you will love this museum! It’s packed full of treasures from the days of the Caribbean Pirates. There are artifacts from Captain Kidd to Blackbeard and Disney has stepped in to make you feel as if you are on a real pirate ship. It’s magical! Unfortunately, no pics allowed inside so you will need to visit their website to see what’s inside.

Since this was to be Museum day, we trecked on over to the Lightner Museum. The Lightner was originally the Hotel Alcazar built in 1887 the height of the Gilded Age by railroad magnate Henry M. Flagler. The stage is set immediately as you walk into what was the original elegant ballroom which acts as the entrance to the museum.

The first floor is stuffed with Victoriana and if you are lucky to be there when they are giving demonstrations of the music instruments you can learn a lot of really interesting information about the historic music of the period.

My favorite room was what seemed to me a giant cabinet of curiosities! A taxidermied aligator hangs from the ceiling and a giant lion stands roaring in suspended animation. A Egyptian child mummy rests behind glass and a shrunken head stares out from its pedestal. It’s a really fun room to visit.

Upstairs we found elegant neoclassical furnishings and beautiful 19th century decorative items and gemlike Tiffany stained glass. In these rooms you can really appreciate the graceful architecture in rooms that the patrons of the hotel would have graced with their bustled dresses and topcoats. My favorite sculpture was a stunning multi-colored marble statue of Cleopatra from Italy, but there were lots of beautiful pieces of art to appreciate.

The best representation of the actual hotel days is in what was originally the spa/health facility. The old sauna room and bath area are still intact and the displays really give you sense of the people coming to visit and regain their “health”.

Caught up on our culture fix, we decided to drive out to Anastasia Island and the Conch House Marina and Resort which is known for its small thatched huts in which each are home to a table for dining and of course waterfront bar with its view of the marina on an inlet called Salt Run.

We were sitting out on the pier deck and drank rum and tonics watching the boats come and go when I spied Pirates. Yes, Pirates in full buccaneer gear, boots, hats, and swords, traipsing down the pier to bar! Actually, since that’s where you would expect to see a pirate on land, it took only a second or two for me to completely accept the scene. I was trying to secretly snap a photo when they noticed me and dragged me over for some friendly group pics. They were a jolly bunch and really seemed as if they had stepped right off their galleon for a taste of demon rum. I expected a Yo-Ho any minute!

Leaving behind our pirate friends, we made one last stop back in St. Augustine, The Prince of Whales Pub. It must have been our day for encountering figures from the past because we were greeted by kilted Scotts carrying bagpipes!

Sipping a pint of Boddington Cream Ale on the porch of an English Pub, under trees draped with Spanish moss while listening to the mournful wail of bagpipes! The perfect end to a perfect day!

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Using Marriott Coupons and a Hot Stay in St. Augustine Florida - Day 1

8/3/2012

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Hmmmm….... St.Augustine, Florida in the Summer………

One of the rules any good traveler should follow is “don’t squander a free hotel coupon!” If you can possibly help it!

There are a few loyalty programs that Jim and I really like and use. One of those is the Marriott rewards program. We try to stay at Marriott Hotels whenever we travel for business and we have a Marriott Rewards credit card so we can get points on our purchases. We had three free-night coupons at any mid range Marriott property, but had to use them by the end of August when they expired. The problem we faced was where would we want to spend three days in August? Not our favorite month to travel anywhere!

We decided to brave the tropical heat of Florida, hoping that being near the Atlantic Ocean would provide some relief with the occasional trade winds and sea breezes. The Marriott we picked was a Courtyard located about 6 miles from the old town of St. Augustine. When we arrived, the check in desk was manned by friendly helpful staff and we were soon unexpectedly upgraded to a suite! Another reason that loyalty programs can really be a benefit to a traveler!

The suite was modern and clean and comfortable (my personal criteria for a room), with a sink, microwave and fridge inset into a lovely granite topped bar. As with every Marriott we have ever stayed in, the bed was a top-notch perfect softness bed covered with a pristine fluffy duvet. There was a small but invitingly sparkling blue pool on the patio surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrella topped tables.

St. Augustine is a very old city. In fact it is the oldest European established city in the United States, founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and Admiral Pedro Menendez de Aviles. The area has a rich history of explorers, pirates, colonists and soldiers, but we weren’t ready to plunge into all that history yet. After an eight hour drive, that first afternoon, we just wanted to wander, find a cool drink and a snack before napping until dinner, so we hopped back in our car and drove to the old town of St. Augustine to do just that.

St. Augustine is full of wonderful restaurants and bars, but that afternoon, the breezes were non-existent and the humidity and heat were oppressive, so we ducked into the air-conditioned interior of Harry’s, a New Orleans Style Restaurant. It had a tiny bar so we squeezed in and checked out the menu as we sipped our drinks. It didn’t take us long at all to decide to come back for dinner later and we left dreaming of Etouffee and Jambalaya.

We took in the sun sparkling on Matanzas Bay, the yachts moored in the bay, the Spanish moss dripping down from the huge old oak trees and the long low ramparts of the old Spanish Fort and then turned up King Street where the long green “Plaza de la Constitucion” led us among palm trees, past the old market, a gazebo and strategically placed canons to where the fanciful Spanish Colonial meets Moorish Palace style at the hotel called the Casa Monica.

The Casa Monica is also a Marriott property, though unfortunately our coupons were not good for that particular level of Marriott. It was a stunning hotel. As we walked into the lobby, I was awed by flamboyant red and gold tiles, a splashing bronze fountain, carved and painted ceiling beams which connected ornate arches, and the green fronds of tropical plants that fanned out into the spaces. It was like walking into a courtyard of a palace in Andalusia Spain.

We lingered in the lovely bar cooling off with another beverage until we finally were ready to push off and out to further exploration. We headed toward St. George Street which is a pedestrian only street lined with historic buildings, shops and restaurants. The sun quickly roasted away all the coolness we had collected at the Casa Monica.

A timbered balcony hanging out from an old stone building caught our eye and the colorful flags rippling above us convinced us that we would find those missing breezes if we sat up there by those flags, so we entered the dark cool establishment. The view from the long narrow balcony of the Sangrias Wine and Tapas Bar was amazing. We could peek down into formal palm ringed gardens or secret high walled courtyards, and watched the cartoon-like sightseeing mini-trains snake through the lanes below.

The Tapas we ordered were superb. Jim ordered the Cervice and I had ordered a combination of dips with chunks of French bread. And yes…… we found the cool breezes we been looking for! Best of all, we were serenaded by some terrific music provided by the talented performer Colton Mckenna. I’m not sure how often he plays there, but it’s worth checking Sangria’s Facebook page or his website coltonmckenna.com for his schedule.

After recharging with Tapas at Sangria’s, we were ready for a quick swim and finally a nap at the hotel until dinner. I couldn’t wait to float around on my back in that cool blue water watching the clouds drift across the sky!

Later that evening we caught a taxi out for dinner at Harry’s. We sat outside in the courtyard as the sun sank down into dusk and the fairy lights in the trees began to glow. We listened to guitar music and ate huge piles of spicy Jambalaya which was full of shrimp, chicken and Andouilla sausage. We washed the heat of the Jambalaya down with icy cold sauvignon blanc and cool lager.

More full than we could have imagined possible, we decided to walk off our dinner and stepped out into the evening where a parade of carriages pulled by trotting horses vied with the cars touring down the seaside boulevard. The evening air was heavy and humid with a faint breeze from the bay occasionally drifting by and we could hear music and the hum of conversation drifting out from restaurant and bar patios and courtyards. Groups on “Ghost Tours” walked in the shadows of the old Spanish fort out on the point, flashlights and lanterns dancing as they followed their ghostly guide. When we finally caught our taxi home, the yachts in Matanzas Bay floated quietly on the black water; here and there, a glowing mast light reflected in the dark ripples.

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