St+Augustine

St Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United States. Ruled by Spain for the first 200 years St Augustine has seen a number of flags fly over it in the following periods - English, then Spanish again,until it was ceded to the United States in 1821. It was admitted to the Union of States in 1845 but only 16 years later (1861) it seceded joining the Confederate cause during the civil war. In 1865 the Federals retook the city and it once again became part of the United States, being fully restored to statehood in 1868.

St Augustine is only about an hour north of where we are staying so Gail, I and Van Hiep (down for a few days from Montreal to visit) heading off to have a look-see. Its a beautiful town with a wonderful old Spanish fortress "Castillo de San Marcos", quaint narrow shopping alleys and some delightful old houses to explore.
 * [[image:IMG_7051.jpg]] || [[image:IMG_7070.jpg]] ||
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on right: St Augustine lighthouse || ||
 * [[image:IMG_7041.jpg caption="young couple on top of lighthouse"]] || [[image:IMG_7037.jpg caption="view from lighthouse showing part of the IntraCoastal Waterway "]] ||
 * [[image:IMG_7146.jpg caption="Micanopy - an old historic town we stopped over on the way back from StA - lots of antique shops in old buildings"]] || [[image:shed.jpg]] ||
 * [[image:gail.jpg caption="Gail pretending to be a local"]] || [[image:IMG_7133.jpg caption="A "real" local - cuter than possums eh?"]] ||
 * [[image:IMG_7158.jpg caption="Spanish Moss hung eerily over the road ... whooooo"]] || [[image:IMG_7168.jpg align="center" caption="close up of Spanish Moss"]] ||
 * [[image:IMG_7032.jpg caption="Why we haven't been swimming yet."]] || [[image:3ofus.jpg caption="Toasting ourselves with the French champagne Van Hiep brought with him."]] ||