July 14, 2017
Our Historic City
We live in the oldest continuing city in the United States. Actually, our city is really a town – everyone here knows everyone else. We are friendly and have fun. On holidays, like the Fourth of July, our town comes together in a menagerie of period costumes, pirate ships, haunted buildings, and eager children. Everyone turns into a child as they travel back in time in our town. Our streets are narrow and the buildings old. (Of course, old only for New World buildings!) Trolleys, bicycles, and horse-drawn carriages maneuver the streets. (Those riding in “New” automobiles must avoid these picturesque obstacles with care!) Stately one-time hotels (one now a museum, the other a college) stand facing each other next to the Casa Monica (another old hotel) – the Lightner Museum and Flagler College have some amazing artifacts and display unique architecture.
One of my family’s favorite things to do in our town is to go downtown and to play tourist. We park behind the Lightner Museum (free after 6pm, metered before then) and stroll around. We explore the Museum and the children are entranced for at least fifteen minutes by the koi in the courtyard pond. Sometimes a local anole (lizard that camouflages itself by changing between green and brown shades) shows up and that steals the show! (As excited as they get, you’d think that was their first anole sighting!)
We waddle like Mom and Daddy Mallard with ducklings trailing behind through the colorful shops and cobblestones on St George Street. Occasionally we comment on items in the windows, and we women like to stare dreamily at the artwork (especially the jewelry) displayed at the various galleries. We might run into one of the local pirates! Several pirates walk our streets at random times.
We cross to the Fort (precisely named, “The Castillo de San Marcos” National Monument) and they race up the hill (yes, what someone from any other region calls a mound of dirt, we flatlanders call a hill) and proceed with a game of “tumbledowners” (this is really just children rolling down a hill emitting high-pitched noises) while the adults walk royally along the sidewalk at the apex. (No, we are more often seen rolling down the hill like maniacs too! But on only dark, moonless nights to avoid recognition.)
From here, we walk the bayfront. The girls talk to the empty carriage horses, we watch the water carefully and spot dolphins, fish, and the occasional manatee, they jump from the walkway and back up, racing in the grass between the street and the upper walkway.
The bridge is opening! Now the race is on! The girls love to watch the boats go through our Bridge of Lions (it is a drawbridge) and enjoy it even more if they are on the bridge when the boats go under. (They wave as if the passing boats are putting on a parade – and most boaters wave right back.) Walking the bridge is a highlight for the baby – this is because the pedestrian lane on each side of the bridge is protected by bars keeping baby from the water and a short concrete wall keeping the cars from baby. Except for having to rescue the baby from the occasional bicyclist this spot is one long baby-proof runway!
Once on the Anastasia Island side, we walk around a bit. I like to time our return to match the sunset. This makes for some awesome views of God’s nightly artwork on the canvas of the sky.
Every time I walk downtown in my town, I am reminded of the quaint, simple beauty that attracted and has kept me here. Saint Augustine is a beautiful place to see. The friendly people make it a wonderful place to call home.
Thanks for reading,
Type at you later…
~Nancy Tart