First, let me apologize for the lack of blogging since we arrived in South Carolina. We were “just” visiting family and seeing the area that they inhabit. I am not the most humble or modest person in the world, but I do kind of look at some of this as who really wants to hear this? It’s just us and the Carolina family. After reading a comment from our son Michael I realized that our friends and family want to hear. It is a reminder to all of us that no matter how trivial we think the things that we do are, there are people in our world that are affected by them. Let this be today’s little sermon. Do not underestimate the impact the things you do in life might have on other people’s lives.
After Sunday service at Bedon Baptist church with Ron’s sister Roberta, her daughter and son-in-law, Robert and Sherri Driggers, and her granddaughter Daphne and children, we left for St. Augustine, Florida.
For those reading this that may be somewhat rusty on their American history, St. Augustine is the oldest European settled city in the United States. Ponce de Leon arrived at St. Augustine in 1513, named the territory La Florida and claimed it for the crown of Spain. The Spanish sent several expeditions to try and establish a colony there, but for many different reasons they were not successful. Finally King Phillip II named Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles as the governor and commander of the Spanish forces in the area and he founded the city and named it after St Augustine of Hippo, whose feast was the very day that Don Pedro sighted the land. In 1572 Don Pedro initiated the building of the Castillo de San Marcos. It was completed in 1695 and was never taken by force in its existence. The city was under Spanish rule until 1763, when the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and ceded the territory to the British. After the Treaty of Paris that marked the end of the American Revolution, it was returned to the Spanish. The Spanish finally ceded the territory to the United States in 1821. Spain was being invaded by the French, led by Napolean, and were dealing with uprisings in Latin and South America. As a result trying to maintain forces in Florida became too difficult.
As a result of the different occupations the city has different cultures, foods and architectural styles. The architecture starts with the Spanish era of the Castile and the oldest schoolhouse in the USA and really hits its stride during the Robert Flagler era. Robert Flagler was a partner of
John Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Co. and moved to St Augustine for the climate. He was the prime mover in the development of the city as a destination resort like Newport, Rhode Island. His ornate Ponce de Leon Hotel was the standard in the early 1900s, and is now Flagler College. Another of his creations was Memorial Presbyterian church, which was built in the Venetian
Renaissance style, like St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy. He actually had to secure the permission from the Pope to mimic the Cathedral. 
Our evening meals were as amazing as any food we had ever tried. Needless to say, given its location we ate seafood. We ate at OC White’s the first night and Raintree the second night. We had crab stuffed Mahi with crab cakes, and lobster, scallops and shrimp in a champagne alfredo sauce with pasta the next night.
The weather while we were there was beautiful with 63 degrees the first day and 70+ the next. After touring the Castile we just spent the rest of the day wandering through the town browsing the little shops on narrow, cobblestone streets.
After Sunday service at Bedon Baptist church with Ron’s sister Roberta, her daughter and son-in-law, Robert and Sherri Driggers, and her granddaughter Daphne and children, we left for St. Augustine, Florida.
For those reading this that may be somewhat rusty on their American history, St. Augustine is the oldest European settled city in the United States. Ponce de Leon arrived at St. Augustine in 1513, named the territory La Florida and claimed it for the crown of Spain. The Spanish sent several expeditions to try and establish a colony there, but for many different reasons they were not successful. Finally King Phillip II named Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles as the governor and commander of the Spanish forces in the area and he founded the city and named it after St Augustine of Hippo, whose feast was the very day that Don Pedro sighted the land. In 1572 Don Pedro initiated the building of the Castillo de San Marcos. It was completed in 1695 and was never taken by force in its existence. The city was under Spanish rule until 1763, when the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and ceded the territory to the British. After the Treaty of Paris that marked the end of the American Revolution, it was returned to the Spanish. The Spanish finally ceded the territory to the United States in 1821. Spain was being invaded by the French, led by Napolean, and were dealing with uprisings in Latin and South America. As a result trying to maintain forces in Florida became too difficult.
As a result of the different occupations the city has different cultures, foods and architectural styles. The architecture starts with the Spanish era of the Castile and the oldest schoolhouse in the USA and really hits its stride during the Robert Flagler era. Robert Flagler was a partner of
John Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Co. and moved to St Augustine for the climate. He was the prime mover in the development of the city as a destination resort like Newport, Rhode Island. His ornate Ponce de Leon Hotel was the standard in the early 1900s, and is now Flagler College. Another of his creations was Memorial Presbyterian church, which was built in the Venetian Renaissance style, like St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy. He actually had to secure the permission from the Pope to mimic the Cathedral. Our evening meals were as amazing as any food we had ever tried. Needless to say, given its location we ate seafood. We ate at OC White’s the first night and Raintree the second night. We had crab stuffed Mahi with crab cakes, and lobster, scallops and shrimp in a champagne alfredo sauce with pasta the next night.
The weather while we were there was beautiful with 63 degrees the first day and 70+ the next. After touring the Castile we just spent the rest of the day wandering through the town browsing the little shops on narrow, cobblestone streets.
1 comment:
I have to agree with Michael.
I like to read what you guys are up to also.
Love the pics.
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