today i treated myself with a trip into st. augustine. i've driven through the old town area and visited one of the beaches, but haven't spent a day exploring. and frankly, i've still lots to see.

my first stop was at the ponce de leone's fountain of youth. it cost $7.50 entry and honestly, wasn't worth it. the tour was lame (even tho i did pick up some historical tidbits i didn't know about...like columbus never set foot in north america...ever...all of north america, the u.s part, at one time was called florida....and at a time, 1513, when the average adult lived to a mere 35, leone was 65 at his time of death, which wasn't from "natural causes" but rather from an injury received during an indian battle) other than seeing where the actual original spring was, and the "in the vicinity of" first landing, not much else. i also have to wonder why they went into the bay, not the oceanside, to land.

as for the "fountain of youth" itself, well, if you've ever lived in the country and drank well water, that's exactly what it taste like. boasting 52 minerals, it tastes like the sulfer filled crap we drank in mustang, oklahoma. the guide (i left after the second part of the lame-ass tour) joked she takes some home with her and drinks it everyday, but forgive her because as a 250 yr old woman, she doesn't get around a well as the rest of us...yuk yuk, yeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhh.

i wish i had saved my money for the trip to the top of the lighthouse.

however, i wandered down a few old streets of st. augustine. hella cool, with their spanish style buildings. it's jammed with tourists tho, even on easter, when i was hoping it would be near empty.

i stopped and had a nice glass of micro-brew--the bridge of lions dark ale---yeah baby! then headed up the street and stopped into a few art galleries. OMG, amazing, the paintings were. lots of inspiration. and, yes, i even bought a tourist t-shirt...sue me.

then i got back in my car and headed over the bridge of lions to the lighthouse. i couldn't believe it was so far off from the actual beaches, but i got lots of nice outside pics (one day i'll go back and climb the stairs)

i then headed to st. augustine beach. a pretty happening place on easter sunday. i parked by the pier but had to walk a half a mile for actual beach access.

lordy was it windy today! unfortunately, when i tried my camera, it said the battery was dead (which i just put in last week, for god's sake) and i was pissed. i'm doing the tourist thing for a promising project and i really needed the pics.

i did manage a few with my cell phone, but they are so small and poor quality.

but i took a short stroll down the beach, at the water's edge. lovely, just lovely. and almost like sarasota, the sand was white and fine and easy on the feet.

i then decided to head across the bridge to vilano beach, only instead of going to that beach, i headed back towards jacksonville towards ponte verde beach.

driving along 1A1, i could catch glimpses of the ocean. i was surprised to see so many beachside houses for sale, and lots of empty lots as well. where's my lottery money when i need it?

i found a turn-off, beach access place along the way, on south ponte verde beach and took yet another stroll. like vilano beach, ponte verde is not a pristine beach. instead it's about an even chewed up shells to sand ratio. there are so many little tide pools, and it's a wonderful place to go shelling. soooo many shells (so little time)and the place was EMPTY. only a handful of people. it seems the shoreline goes on for miles and miles.

i drove 1A1 a little further toward jacksonville, but unsure of how to get home from there (i left my map at home), i turned around and went back through st. augustine.

all in all, i had a wonderful day exploring history and beaches (i can't wait to get to daytona so i can go to the beach everyday if i want). i think tomorrow, i'll hit another one (or go back to st. augustine) because i need some preliminary (sample) beach photos for my project.

and honestly, i didn't even see all i could see in st. augustine. i still have the san marcos fort and there are some great homes further down san marcos blvd that i'd love to grab some shots of and, of course, i still have to climb to the top of that lighthouse.

but for now, enjoy the pic of the statue of ponce de leone just a few hundred feet from his estimated first landing.