Conditions: 64 degrees, sunny
Location: Saint Augustine
We said our tearful goodbyes to Mom in Jacksonville last night only to catch her in Saint Augustine today, it wasn't as far of a sail as we has thought. We actually beat her here as she had meetings to attend in Jacksonville all day. Dad and I explored the town before she arrived. It was much cuter and tourist friendlier than Jacksonville. The town is beautiful, centered around a large boulevard with a town green in the center. The streets are flanked with art boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Trolleys run up and down the boulevard, reminding strollers that it is Christmas, singing carols and waving Santa hats. The entire town is decked out in Christmas lights. They really do it up. I feel that all the southern towns we have visited have shown this reverence toward Christmas. I think they do it because without the lights, the Santa hats, the bells, and the garlands there is little indication that it is the Christmas season. I do miss the snow, especially since this Florida weather hasn't exactly been tropical. After exploring Dad and I met mom under the Christmas lights and went to the nearest bar to watch our Lady Huskies take on Duke, the number one vs the number two team in women's basketball. At the bar we sat next to a Duke fan, Meg. Meg was from North Carolina, where she said that the light blue of UNC and the dark blue of Duke were gang signs. Meg was so interesting that after we dropped Mom off at the shuttle to her hotel Dad and I went back to the bar to continue the friendship. Meg had lived in Boston before moving to Hawaii so she could "thaw out," among other things. Meg told us she would take us to all the good spots around town. We first went to the bar where she worked. It was a tiny, one room bar with just enough room for a few couches and coffee tables. It was not your average bar. Squeezed into the back was a small walk in humidor. Meg picked out two of her favorite cigars for us and we bought her a drink. Up the small, rickety stairs in the bar was a dark lounge area. Embedded in the floor was a skylight in which you could see into the bar below. It was all very cool. Dad and Meg played a long (and slow) game of chess before we left. Dad won but I'm pretty sure Meg gave up the goose so that we could final get out of there. Next we went to The Ice Bar. This new bar and restaurant had opened up in an old ice house, where ice was cut and sold back in the day. The building still faintly smelled of saw dust, in which ice used to be insulated in. The restaurant still cuts it's own ice for it's custom drinks. The drinks were fabulous and we forgot the time as Meg told us the interesting stories of her past. By the time we got back to the boat it was way past our bedtime. We didn't discuss what time we would leave in the morning but it was understood that it would NOT be very early.
Dad and I were slow to move this morning and seeing as how late in the day it was we decided to stay. We said it was to explore some more but we both knew that it was really to recover. We went ashore and took advantage of the internet, showers, and coffee shop. We took a peak into Flagler College. It was beautiful, seated in the remnants of the former Flagler Hotel. Walking through the college was like walking back in time. The buildings seemed to be in perfect conditions. You expected a woman with a parasol or a man with a pocket watch to walk by at any minute. Later we went to an Italian restaurant that was recommended to us. It was just like Paul's Pasta, a favorite restaurant of ours at home. The food was delicious and we left with bulging bellies, both of us feeling that sleep would be immediate tonight as it always is after red wine and pasta.
Loved the family photo!
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