October 14, 2021

October 14, 2021

This morning we walked to the main draw of St Augustine, FL, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. This is the closest thing we have to a real European castle in America. This is my third visit. I saw it for the first time as a child with my parents. I was impressed then and I still am. The first Spanish forts here were wooden and destroyed by the British. In the late 17th century they built this stone structure. Shortly afterwards James Oglethorpe of Georgia attacked and found the fort impregnable. Unfortunately, after the Seven Years War, the Spanish had to give up the Castillo in order to get Havana back. Spain regained it twenty-one years later by backing the winning side in the American Revolution.

We first walked around the interior spaces. The rooms are realistically appointed with period furnishings. The Castillo was stocked with emergency supplies but only marginally manned unless danger threatened. At that time the entire town of St Augustine took refuge in the Fortress. We then took the ramp up to the battlements to see the bronze cannon and enjoy the beautiful view over the inlet.

We then walked down the shore to the Bridge of Lions and then inland. We stopped at the Cathedral Basilica, the oldest congregation in the US. We crossed the street and popped inside the Governor’s House Cultural Center to view some exhibits on St Augustine history and enjoy the air-conditioning. The sun and humidity of Florida are draining. We also did some shopping on St George Street. Feeling hungry we stopped for a delicious fish taco lunch.

We strolled through the Historic District. Near our hotel room, we visited the Mission Nombre de Dios, the oldest Catholic mission in the US. A Great Cross was erected in 1966 to celebrate its 400th anniversary. We rested and then took a drive to Anastasia State Park to see the King’s Quarry. Here the Spanish mined the only stone available, Coquina. This is a mineral sedimentary conglomeration of seashells. It turned out to be the perfect building material for a castle. The British cannonballs couldn’t penetrate this spongy rock.

For dinner we walked down the street for a delicious dinner of Lobster Bisque, Mahi Mahi, and Key Lime Pie. At meal end we got a laugh seeing a Road Scholar tour arriving. This is the third time they have crossed our path! When planning this trip I joked with Aimee she was getting her own personal guide after seeing a similar historic fort itinerary in one of their catalogs.