Archive for December 9th, 2007

chrisliz01.jpgWe’ve finally made it to White Rabbit Acres organic farm in Vero Beach for our extended workamping stay after spending too much time waiting for the space shuttle to lift off.

We did have fun – and lots of margaritas – with our new friends in Port Canaveral. But our longer than expected stay just proves that time flies like, well … it seems to fly better than the Space Shuttle Atlantis right now anyway.

We didn’t even have time to catch everyone up on our stay in St. Augustine. René wrote about our visit to the Fountain of Youth, but the oldest city in the U.S offers much more history than that small artesian well which now rests some twelve feet below a room of dioramas depicting Ponce de León with his newfound Seminole friends.

I’m not just talking about the first Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum, nor the umpteenth Thomas Kinkade Gallery. For starters, the Castillo de San Marcos is much more prominent and majestic. Walking its grounds, I couldn’t help but think of all the bloody battles that took place on the same spot so long ago.

(more…)

As we drove into St. Augustine, Florida we had a memorable introduction to the diversity, disparity and delicate fragile environment that makes up Florida.

We left the scrubby forests of the mid-state, and drove East to an area filled with sparkling blue water, lush, green oversized jungle plants, giant birds, and communities living in poverty right next to decadent housing developments that are closing in on all of this natural beauty. Northern coastal Florida is a land of contrasts.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
– St. Augustine”

St. Augustine was a lovely town filled with ancient ghosts, artifacts and tourists. It seems affordable compared to elsewhere in the state. But it still felt crowded, and its small town charm is in danger thanks to big box stores that surround the historic downtown area. I hope that it the kitschy charm and open coastal areas can last.