More St Augustine

St Augustine historic district is great for walking around, in fact we specifically chose our hotel for that reason and our car didn’t move off the hotel car park until the day we left.

 

Our exploring almost always started with a walk through the old city gates

 

from there we enjoyed meandering around the narrow, mostly pedestrianized streets.

 

This English Pub is part of the Colonial Quarter and while you don’t have to pay to use the pub, there is a charge to visit the quarter itself.   We thought the Colonial Quarter was more for kids and wouldn’t bother to go again.

The Spanish Military Hospital was an entirely different story and we found it really interesting.  Our guide explained how the hospital used infection control techniques far ahead of its time and how different herbs were used to prevent and control illness.

Just opposite the Father Miguel O’Reilly House Museum, which at one time was run as a school for freed slaves, we discovered the Cofradia Site Coquina Well.

 

The well, thought to have been built in the early 1600’s, was, as the name suggests, constructed of coquina.   In about 1670 it was quickly filled with household items including rare, for the St Augustine area, furniture fragments, it isn’t known why the well was filled in, but it’s thought to be due to a fire or an enemy raid.

 

 One building I really fell in love with was the gorgeous Ximenez-Fatio house.

Built in around 1798 for a Spanish merchant Andres Ximenez, it was first used as a general store, tavern and family residence.  After Florida became a US Territory it was run as a boarding house by Eliza Whitehurst.   It was a very select establishment you couldn’t just turn up and ask for a room, a letter of introduction was required.   At that time running a boarding house was one of the few respectable occupations available for a woman.   Photographs of the inside of the house are not allowed.   I’ve always liked this style of house, but somehow I don’t think it’d look quite right in deepest Cheshire!

Tucked away in a quiet part of historic St Augustine we found the Prince of Wales English pub.   The pub serves real English beer and food we found a seat outside on the wrap around porch while we read the menu.   I can’t remember what we had to drink, but do remember that DB indulged in bangers and mash, while I had fish and chips, (real chips, not french fries) both of which were really rather scrumptious.    

Have fun, we are!