Yes, I’m back in frigid WNC, back since last Wednesday. I rushed back so I wouldn't have to drive in the snow on Thursday, so lucky me, I got to be snowed in immediately after my Florida vacation. I am losing the feeling  of being there, and rather quickly in the cold, so I’ll pour out the few things I can still remember and a few photos to go with. See my earlier posts on my road trip:  Sentimental Journey,  Sentimental Journey - update in Jax,  Sentimental Journey - Home & Home, and more photos on my website. 

I arrived at Anastasia Island State Park Monday, and reveled in the only solitude I was to get on the trip that evening, fussing around the campsite and checking out the park.  It was a great camping spot, if only it wasn’t so far away from the beach!

See the RV site next to me? The pop-up camper? The retired couple who were my neighbors? No? Neither did I!

The palmetto alcove that was begging for illicit activities of various kinds. 

The next morning, I walked up to the pavilion and rented a bike for the next few days. I rode it back and by then, my sister and her boyfriend had driven up from south Florida to spend a few days in St Augustine too. (they stayed in a nearby motel, not being of the RV persuasion) They drove us back to Old Town and we spend the rest of the morning at the Fort. 

Looking at one of the corners, you can just see someone on the ramparts, where they would shoot down at invaders. The moat is not filled, probably easier to maintain.  

The front gate and drawbridge, and my sister in purple 

Castillo de San Marcos was built in the late 1600s/early 1700s and St Augustine dates to 1565. It has a fascinating history, and the fort itself is updated and expertly managed by the Park Service. I completely recommend this one touristy attraction in Florida - I have been to the fort countless times in my earlier years, and it never gets boring. St Augustine, while having more tacky tourist shops than practically anywhere else, is still charming, interesting and fun to visit. Here are some photos, more of which are on my website:

The interior of the fort 

A view from the ramparts down on the shoreline. You can see the construction in the distance on the Bridge of Lions. The light yellow blocks on the wall are newly replaced coquina blocks, which are still gotten from the same quarry that the Spaniards used to build the fort.  

The cannons are works of art! I have lots of photos of the different cannon designs on my website.  

A volunteer in 18th century drag, talking about the virtues of wool in the tropics (a subject close to my heart) and why garlic helped the Spanish succeed in colonizing the New World when the French and English failed. 

Old Town St. Augustine, in the morning before the tourists show up. 

The Monks Vineyard, a little bar in Old Town, which has barely changed since I came down during high school and college to drink here. St Augustine was our party town, and still has some great bars and clubs.

Lots of courtyards and Spanish stucco and tile roofs. 

The old Flagler Hotel, now Flagler College. I have more photos of the building on my website.  

 So after we got back to the campground, I found out that Sharon had come down to the beach from Jacksonville to meet up and the two of us went and sat in the dunes (it was too damn cold right on the beach) and talked and talked and talked. (I DO have a photo of both of us, but we request camera silence, so, sorry.)

Afterwards, my sister and her bf took me out to dinner at The Columbia - fantastic! Another highly recommended spot, where the quality transcends the touristy elements. The original restaurant is is Tampa, but the new one here fits right in and is en experience in itself. 

Well-stuffed and feeling well-loved, I went to bed. It was really cold in the van since it was in the 40s and I forgot to bring a space heater, but I was snug in my sleeping bag. 

The following morning I rode my bike up to the pavilion and sent off the last post, and then sis, bf and I did some more sightseeing and shopping. Yup, I dropped some cash on cheesy mementos. By the time we had dinner and got back, it was time to go to bed again, colder that night, but still, I slept damn well. 

And the the next morning it was time to leave for Tampa. 

The strange thing about this part of the trip, ( in hindsight, it was the theme of the whole trip) is that it was relentlessly social. I spent lots of time with my sister, whom I rarely see, and we had a great time! I also had lots of quality time getting to know Sharon, and we started the plans for another OS get-together in Tampa, (more about that in the next post.) But I had barely an hour to myself the whole time, and I felt really great about that. I spend so much time alone at home that busy, busy, busy seemed to work for my vacation. Funny, I expected to be alone at the campground but never missed it!

More to come.