St. Augustine, Florida

When someone says Florida, 98% of people picture the beach. And rightfully so, with the state of Florida bordered by water on 3 of its 4 sides. Don't get me wrong, Florida has some GORGEOUS beaches, but if you're like me and have skin the color of a porcelain doll with the delicacy of a piece of tissue paper, then the beach might not be your best friend.

Welcome, to the beautiful city of St. Augustine, where the history (and Spanish moss) is bountiful.

I had only visited here one other time before last week. Lucky for me, this time we drove an RV so we had to park a ways away from downtown and walk down the shady green sidewalks that were in full summer bloom. (Oh darn, right?) 

Our first stop was the Castillo de San Marcos. This Spanish fort is the oldest masonry fort located in the continental United States. It first opened in 1695 and was built using the materials of the area, which included a large amount of shells and sand, and you can see them in the walls. 

I love history and all things old..and I also like taking pictures, so here is the outside of the fort 

For $10, you can go inside and do either a guided or self-guided tour. We chose self-guided since we had been there before, and it was a particularly hot day already, so we didn't figure being in a crowd of people in a place with no air conditioning would be much fun.

Inside the interior rooms of the fort, you might think that since there are few windows and it's not well lit that it might be cooler...wrong! The air was stagnant and the moisture from the harbor made the air sticky and moist. The walls were all fortified and at least 6 inches deep throughout. I don't have many photos from inside the rooms, but I do have this one. Though my husband is walking away in the photo, the emphasis is on the door. I thought it was neat

You can walk up some uneven, yet completely safe, stairs to the exposed top of the fort where they kept the cannons. The views of not only the harbor, but the fort itself, are breathtaking. 

I didn't stay up top for long though, because as I said: the top is completely exposed (no shade or cover from the sun). Plus, I also got yelled at for not sitting on one of the designated benches they had for people to sit in. The wall is just about butt-height and I didn't even think about it and sat down on top of the wall where I was... My bad..

But, I have to say: 

I admire the staff here. They were watching everyone (including me) to make sure that the fort didn't decay any faster. We heard more than one of the tours going on around us and the people here are passionate about this history of this place. They weren't just there for a job, you could tell that they enjoyed making history come alive. (Plus, it was easily in the 90°s and some were dressed in costume. Wool on a summer day? No thank you...). 

As we were leaving, the man at the welcome desk right inside the drawbridge was talking to some children and had a photo of him shaking the King of Spain's hand from when the King and Queen visited the fort earlier in the summer, and this ranger/volunteer was so genuinely excited to be showing people that he got to meet the King of Spain because of his job. 

Leaving the fort, we walked past a cemetery. I don't usually photograph cemeteries out of respect for the dead, but this one was just so pretty for some reason. Call me crazy I guess.  I wish I had walked around the old stone wall and got a picture of the iron gate, which was easily made in the 1800's. (Again, I love old things!)

It was hot enough outside, and we were bound by time constraint, so I didn't get to walk downtown to the heart of St. Augustine. Instead, our group walked a block to the original Ripley's Believe it or not museum. Located, you guessed it, in a neat historical building that resembles a castle.

I am a self proclaimed history nerd, so let's talk about this building for just a minute. Its neat, right? 

The now home of Ripley's believe it or not museum was actually, originally, the Warden Castle. Built in 1887, it was the winter home of William Warden, who was a business partner of John Rockefeller. This castle was owned by the Warden family until sometime in the 1930's. Then, in 1941 it was purchased and renovated as an upscale hotel for the rich and famous. 

The castle suffered a fire in 1944 and claimed the lives of two women, who, oddly enough, were not burned in the fire, but died of suffocation from wrapping themselves in wet towels to prevent themselves from burning in the blaze. Those are the only deaths reported in the history of the building, and it is said that they haunt it to this day. (And this is also an exhibit inside the museum)

Robert Ripley loved this hotel, and tried several times to purchase it, however he could never get the owner to sell. Ripley died in 1949, and in 1950 his descendants were able to finally purchase the property, and today we know it as the first Ripley's Believe it or not museum location. 

I don't have many pictures from inside the museum, though you are free to take photos as you wish. I do, however have this photo of Frank Sinatra. I love the music of Sinatra, so this stuck out to me. 

But it's just a portrait, what's it doing in a museum that boasts the biggest collection of weird, unbelievable, amazing, unique, (and sometimes gross) things?

Well, it's constructed completely out of crayons..if that helps it become more amazing to you.

The museum is three floors of, well, things you won't see everyday. Artifacts from the space station, a door wreath made of human hair, an iron maiden medieval torture cabinet from Germany, a vampire killing kit, African fertility statues, a dress made of newspaper, statues and sculptures galore, taxidermy animals with extra limbs: you can spend anywhere from 2 hours to a full day inside this museum. 

They even have an entire section designed to shift your perspective and challenge your mind. 

This was the "can you connect all the gears to make one big working unit"

The exit of the museum is a black light lit tunnel where the room spins around you. (Don't worry, they also have a "cheaters" exit for people like me that get motion sickness..) and it leads you into the gift shop. 

Once outside, we took advantage of the photo op, which in my true fashion, required several attempts..

But all in all, a great day. As we walked back to the camper, we had lunch at the Village Inn restaurant, who boasted having the "best pie in America". Of course, that had to be put to the test. I can't speak for everyone else, but my Strawberry Rhubarb pie was pretty delicious.. and so was the burger I ate as my main dish. 

Some other things St. Augustine offers that we didn't get to do:

• Ponce De Leon's Fountain of Youth
• St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum
• Countless ghost tours
• An Aquarium
• The first colony of Spanish Origins
• Taking the bridge across into Anastasia Island

Pretty much the entire rest of the city ;) 

I would love to go back and explore some more of this historical city! Oh and I would be totally ok with it if our next visit was NOT the middle of summer, during the hottest weeks of the year