St. Augustine & Beaches, FL

We are on our way back to Florida to visit friends and relatives as well as to take the grand-kids to Disneyland. Although we stay on the same plane for this trip, we do make two stops, one in Las Vegas and another in Denver.

Morning flight out of San Jose to Jacksonville, FL

Wow - the Sierras are loaded with snow this year

Red Rock Canyon

Landing into Las Vegas

Although water is scarce in the desert, it still leaves marks on the terrain below.

Narrow deep canyon with stream bed

Colorado River

The river bed has changed course over the years

High plains close to Denver

Midwest plains

Landing at Jacksonville FL

We pick up a rental car and make our way to Jill and Mark's for the evening. Jacksonville, like many cities is surrounded by circular beltways. Coming out of the airport, it's confusing to us as to which way to go. After a few wrong turns, we find our way to their home. It is great to see them again and enjoy their hospitality. It's such a luxury to be made to feel at home in an unfamiliar city.

Jacksonville manhole cover

Jill walking Enzo

Beach "cottage" in Ponte Vedra

The next day we go to the beach close to Sawgrass golf course.  Hurricane Matthew devastated this part of the coastline in late September 2016.  Even the houses of the very rich got significant damage.

Collapsed deck

Bulldozers fortify protecting sand berms

This one looks like it escaped major damage because of higher ground

That afternoon we move down to our beach rental house in St Augustine.

City limit

Magnolia Avenue

Beach close to rental

Our daughter Christine with the grand-kids arrive later that evening. Of course, the first thing we do the next morning is pack up the tribe head for the beach.

Brooklyn with beach cart

Peter teaches Cody how to catch a wave

Christine shows her muscle

Peter stays out in the warm water for hours

Cody and Brooklyn come back to shore

Royal Terns

After a full morning on the beach, it's time for ice cream at Cone Heads. Despite my skepticism, I buy the kids enormous cones and much to my amazement, they polish them off. That is, except for the chocolate that each one ends up wearing.

Great place for ice cream

Cody's a happy camper

Brooklyn is determined to finish hers

That evening Mark and Jill join us at the beach house.

Cody ponders Mark's hand trick

Christine and Jill

It's great to have everybody together

On our last day in St. Augustine, while Christine and the kids go paragliding, Peter and I meet Jill & Mark at the Conch House for lunch. We get a palapas outside table and thoroughly enjoy ourselves.
After lunch we walk down the marina pier picking out which boats we would most like to own and take in the expansive views.
Mark takes the car into old town St Augustine, while the rest of walk over the Bridge of Lions to meet up downtown. We then tour some of the historic buildings and shops.

Lion guarding the bridge

Colonnade

Lobby of Casa Monica

One of the most interesting historical buildings is the former Alcazar Hotel, which is now home to St. Augustine's City Hall and the Lightner Museum.  According to the plaque outside the building:

The Alcazar Hotel

The Alcazar Hotel, opened by Henry Flagler on December 25, 1888, was designed by his architects, Carrere and Hastings. Flagler ordered it built to provide activities for wealthy winter visitors. It was the center of social life for half a century until its closing in 1931.

Hobbies Magazine Founder Otto Lightner of Chicago purchased the building for $150,000 in 1947, to house his collections of 40,000 to 50,000 antiques and collectibles, gathered from Chicago estates after the crash of 1929. The building and collections were left to the citizens of St. Augustine upon his death in 1950.

The hotel today houses the St. Augustine City Hall and the Lightner Museum. The City Hall occupies the forward section, originally hotel rooms surrounding the courtyard. The Lighner Museum occupies the rear section, originally the casino, featuring salons, steam rooms, a bowling alley and the greatest indoor pool of its time, 120 weet long and 50 feet wide, with a depth of 3 to 12 feet. The City Commission meets in the former ladies parlor in the courtyard section, while the pool area houses shops and a cafe.

Former Alcazar Hotel