Road Trip to St. Augustine
As usual, we ventured out on some road trips this year. I wrote about our Low Country SC/GA trip in the Spring newsletter, and we ventured down there, again, later in the year. We went a little further afield this time, down from our usual stop in Savannah to St. Augustine, Florida. I can’t believe what I was missing all these years--driving up and down I-95 (since the 1970s), just five miles off the interstate from the center of this old, old city. I spent some Spring breaks in Sarasota with my grand-aunt, Ida; I lived in Orlando for a few years after college; I spent some Winters in Miami Beach; and have vacationed all over Florida, umpteen times, since I got my driver’s license. And yet, somehow, I’d missed St. Augustine.
To begin with, St. Augustine is the oldest city in the U.S., settled in 1565 when Florida was a Spanish territory. The old, downtown area is just that: OLD. It’s wonderful. Mostly a pedestrian area, the streets are narrow and the structures are built for the climate, with many overhangs and balconies. I get the immediate feeling of being in Europe, which is nice since I haven’t been back to Europe in a few years.
Immediately adjacent to the oldest quarter is Flagler College, which REALLY looks European: turrets and tile roofs and domes…it’s magical. We wondered through the surrounding neighborhoods, full of stucco cottages surrounded by walls enclosing tropical gardens. The next layer of neighborhoods includes charming old Southern homes, surrounded by wide porches and lovely gardens. There are treats around every corner.
In the oldest sector of town, the gardens tend to be hidden, behind tall walls, like so many gardens in the Mediterranean countries, New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah or Old Town Alexandria. Occasionally, there will be an open gate or a "clairvoyee" —an opening in a wall or fence that allows passersby a peek. These are my favorite towns through which to stroll because of the delightful surprises and opportunities for great photos. I’m a lover of gardens that don’t present themselves all at once…I love gates, portals, openings that tease and beckon me into gardens, wondering what is around the next turn. Several portals and passageways are present in my own garden, and I love especially how some of the plants have matured enough to walk under, creating tunnels and passageways.
Besides its beauty, one of the things we love about St. Augustine is its compactness. It’s a walkable city. There are two barrier islands visible from town: Anastasia Island, where St. Augustine Beach is located, and on the other island (some say part of Amelia Island, or just no name) is beach town Vilano Beach. Anastasia Island is so close you can walk over from town on the gorgeous Bridge of Lions, which looks as if it was imported from Venice, Italy, or some other European city. There is a great amphitheater on Anastasia Island, too.
St. Augustine has something going on constantly—there is so much to do. Jacksonville is only about 30-45 minutes away, with all its big city amenities. The climate is more Low Country than tropical (and I still get my beloved Live Oaks smothered with Spanish moss), yet it is just far enough South so that the weather is seasonably mild—and there are seasons, if more subtle.
Who knows what’s ahead for us this Winter—the dreaming, planning and anticipation are half the fun!
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