St. Augustine

For each anniversary getaway, my wife and I "keep it in Florida". Our first was at Disney World. Last year, Key West. St. Augustine was our destination this year and it was fabulous. You really should go, invisible audience. Even if you're reading this in an Internet cafe somewhere in Asia. It's worth the trouble at least once.

We stayed at the lovely Carriage Way Bed and Breakfast on Cuna Drive in Old Town. The house is well over a century old, inside and out very Victorian in structure. A literal stone's throw from the main drag, St. George Street. Our hosts were unbelievably gracious, within minutes of our arrival giving us the lowdown on where to (and where not to) eat and take in the city's rich history. And certainly, they offered one of the best "hotel" breakfasts I've ever had. Their crustless quiche was memorable. So were the moist, warm cookies left out in the afternoons! For eating out, all of their recs were excellent:

1. Casa Maya - A very small (maybe 10 tables) Mexican restaurant with a menu that includes touches of Cuban cuisine. I had a pork dish with plantains. We ate early enough to avoid the lines (we were warned).

2. Harry's - Locally famous, two-storied eatery on Avenida Menendez, across from the Intracoastal Waterway. Menu is weighted toward seafood, and my pecan crusted trout was tasty and hearty. Don't forget to sample the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer.

3. Gaufre's and Goods - We happened upon this lovely, family run spot on our own while wandering down the ancient Aviles Street (the oldest in the city). Predominently Polish fare, with some Greek dishes. The cheese stuffed perogies were a refreshing change. Great coffee, too.

We spent a sunny morning touring Flagler College, a private liberal arts school on King Street. It is frequently listed in various magazines' "Best Of" features. It would certainly rank as one of the most architecturally ornate places of higher learning. Thank entrepreneur Henry Flagler, who commissioned the structure in the late 1800s not as a school but the Ponce de Leon Hotel, a palace for the obscenely wealthy. Folks like John Rockefeller, at that time the man with the greatest net worth in the U.S. (Flagler was #2). As the tour guide (a current student) informed us, hotel guests could not stay merely a night, a week, or even a month. One had to book the entire season, which adjusted to today's currency is somewhere around a quarter of a million dollars.

We learned quite a bit about Mr. Flagler from our cheerful guide, his wealth accumulation and loss and regain. Also his several wives, one of whom he divorced after using his influence to change Florida law for one day (divorces were illegal). His estranged son who shunned the family business and went into music. There are no known descendants.

We also learned that none other than Thomas Edison set up the electrical system for the Hotel, illuminating room after stunning room, including the ballroom and dining areas. You'll note the lightbulbs bordering this room, each in a dragon's mouth.

Mr. Flagler would later head south and build his new home, Whitehall, in Palm Beach (just a stone's throw from where I'm typing this) as the winters were warmer there. Thus, the tourists flocked accordingly. His palace would later become the Flagler Museum. Soon after he built The Breakers Hotel, well known to this day, a convenient stop for those on his East Coast Railway. The railroad would push all the way down to Key West (a hurricane irreperably damaged the tracks after his death). The Ponce de Leon remained a hotel until 1967. In '68 Flagler College was born, first as an all-girl school.

Across the street from the college is the Lightner Museum. Built around the same time as the Ponce de Leon, this building was originally known as the Hotel Alcazar. Today the museum features sections meant to evoke a Victorian village of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including a music store with very rare instruments. Another section is devoted to African-American culture. On the upper levels are glassworks and sculptures. The Museum also retains the steam baths used by hotel patrons. Originally, the world's largest indoor swimming pool was there. And it was filled with the rather odiferous sulpher water central Florida is so notorious for. Flagler was able to convince his guests (who complained of the smell) that the water had "therapeutic" properties before he was forced to install filtration systems.

On Day 3 we took a trolley around the city, passing through charming neighborhoods filled with attractive houses that belied their bloody histories beneath the eaves. Stories of Spaniards and Brits and Indians who warred and burned every domecile to the ground in their bids for conquest. One of our guides (we hopped on and off the tram throughout the day) was, in my opinion, a bit too chipper as he described some of the carnage. He also described, as we passed an ancient cemetary, where the expression "saved by the bell" originated. It seems that yellow fever outbreaks rendered many into comas and they were buried with a string attached to a bell that could be rung lest they had been buried alive. Also, many were buried in the same plot due to space restrictions (and rules/ordinances regarding where Catholics and non-Cathlolics could be buried); only the last corpse interred was identified on the tombstone.

Speaking of carnage, we walked in and around the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument ("The Fort"), which was built in the 17th century during Spanish rule. Over the centuries as the Brits took control and Florida became a United State, this massive fortess made of coquina - a shell concoction that when mixed formed a sort of limestone - saw many attacks but was never overtaken. The coquina was ideal for cannon attacks as when the artillery hit it, the walls did not shatter, rather "holding" cannonballs in its elasticity. As if made of peanut butter. We missed the daily cannon firings but did the self-tours, wandering through living quarters (many bunks in small spaces) and hideouts. We also returned in the evening for the full moon:

It was strangely peaceful, strolling the grassy areas near the fort, staring upon stones that were centuries old. I wondered what those stones had seen. What was cast in front of them? Warring soldiers then, swarms of tourists now.

Another trolley stop: the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, spot of the U.S.'s tallest free-standing cross. Hovering over Mantanzas Bay, the "Great Cross" (erected in the mid 1960s) tops out at 208 feet. It is filled with cement to withstand hurricanes.In the 17th century, The Mission of Nombre de Dios was established here after explorers from Spain had landed on the marshes 50 years prior. It was there that the first cross (a modest, small wooden piece) in the new territory representing Christianity was placed. Several Catholic missionaries went forth to spread the Gospel through Florida. On the grounds west of the cross are a shrine, a chapel, and a cemetary, many of the tombstones denoting nuns who had served the church and mission over the centuries.

St. Augustine is both a tranquil and active town, sure to appeal to everyone in some fashion. History buff and pub crawler alike should be pleased.

Addendum: The picture at the top of the page is of a statue of Juan Ponce de Leon, founder of Florida (in 1513) near the town square. We were informed more than once that he was merely 4'11", taller than many of his peers!