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Old 21 Oct 18, 12:56 AM  
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walt4it
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:) A Mi11ion Dreams = 2018 - Day 2 - Miami to St Augustine - Thanks Dale!

Welcome back and thank you for all of the lovely posts. PM's and messages - really appreciated and as I have said before it is what ensures a trip report gets to completion. I really do appreciate every word you share in response to all of mine

Proper Day 1 - can be read here

The whole index is here

Welcome to a very early in the holiday moving day - and I have to admit it is to places unknown, yet somewhere that will need to be on the list to return.

Our initial plan was to head to the West Coast and beautiful places that we have seen before, that was until we watched Dale Winton's Florida TV programme. His trip to St Augustine was something that really hit home and in my eyes became a must see place.
I had not even had this place on my radar before and now it became a 'must see' and when you share the next couple of days with me , it will become a must see again.



Friday 27th July 2018

Day 2

Well that prediction last night proved correct, too early to sleep meant 5 am was experienced by many, amid “get to sleep” messages and shushing of the highest order, peace and quiet reigned, although it took a while before Alison and I managed to get to snooze again.

But, we managed it and at 8am got showered and ready to grab a bit of breakfast at the Italian Bakery opposite the hotel.



Our room was right above the blue canopy.

We stumbled across the hotel bill which was shoved under the door, any wonder! $33 dollars per day to park! On top of resort fee.

Now do not get me wrong, we have loved every single minute here, it is an incredible place to be and awash with so much decadence that every single one of the places can charge what they want for anything, water, food , drinks and with parking being so limited this becomes becomes a huge money spinner. (A bit like Disney Resort Parking in the future, but without the vast parking areas)

Our breakfast was superb and at $28 for 3 pastries, 2 coffees and an apple juice, maybe just proved that point again. It was nice though!



Joe wins the breakfast decorum photo comp!
Coffee was really good.


We had the car delivered back to us and thanked the guy profusely, he was different than the valet parking guy who really had looked after us.

We set up the SAT NAV and were headed north.

I had toyed with the scenic route to avoid the road through Miami but decided to take the hit on the steering wheel clenching experience that is Miami driving, and so it proved!

As we reached the Turnpike it became a little less, although I am sure there are still parts of my nails embedded in the steering wheel, especially when the rain started!


We drove for around two and half hours and split the journey with a little stop off at Vero Beach Outlets. It had been a while, 2014 in fact.( I checked back on the trip report)

We headed to Hilfiger as on that previous occasion we bought a jacket for Joe that was such a bargain he wore until it became way too small(to throw a spanner in my typed up notes Joe decided to wear it this week just to prove the point that it is still wearable.)
If ever there was a top that will be difficult to retire , this one will be it.

Today we were all glad to get out of the car and not in the mood to shop, although Alison found two tops and I found two pairs of Hilfiger Jeans ($20 dollars each and then 15% off!) – all for the grand total of less than $60 including tax.

We have learned from the past, if you see it at this price and your size in a place like this, you buy, as you will spend weeks trawling Orlando for a bargain like this. (in retrospect – we never saw this price ever again throughout the holiday)

A quick Nike and Adidas look round and no buying. Led to food – there is no food court here but had spotted a Wawa , just down the road– a cash opportunity for the Clarity Card, and a quick McDonalds stop as it was right next door.

We deliberately avoid the place at home, but we needed food and this allowed us to get back on the road to avoid the incoming blackening skies above. A typical Florida moment when you know that the weather is going to change, so you do something about it!

We made it to I95 just in time.

For those who read all that has gone before with care – I know there are many this was us once again forcing Joe to go against his principles, he will gladly walk miles to find another food provision than McDonalds but we left him with no choice. Sorry Joe.

The journey was a long one, but made a little more pleasurable thanks to having a whole Springsteen ‘River Tour 2016’ Gig from Seattle to enjoy.

I’m loving this Sirius XM addition to the car(Once again!) – E street Radio – wow again for anyone who has read previously, Springsteen is a big part of every holiday!

We arrived into St Augustine at 4.30, some 6 hours after leaving Miami and you know something, apart from the stop and the sporadic thunderstorms, the drive was uneventful, although my aircon induced migraine was keeping me awake and focused on the road whilst others snoozed.

This is where we arrived at


Some fantastic directions from the owner of the place we were staying meant we avoided chasing around. We unpacked the car then did a quick google of the nearest Publix, which turned out to be a lot closer than the one on the SAT NAV. Now enjoying its 10th trip, it owes us nothing , but I am fast getting used to it being very out of date – we do need to google on wifi before we leave anywhere!

We grabbed essentials for a tea in the House tonight.

It is difficult to describe the building, it would be impolite to call it a shack/bungalow or villa – it was so much more than any description, it was an old building that dates from when the railway came to Florida and built by Flagler for his workers.

It was a little piece of history in itself. The kitchen and master bedroom have been added later. What was there originally has floors that make you feel as if you are on a boat- the floor rocks and rolls and you walk uphill and sideways and it simply exudes the characteristics of a home built more than 100 years ago. In just one word this place had CHARACTER ( capital letters fully deserving!)

















I hope I can tell you more in upcoming days but this whole building exuded history, and as we popped everything in the fridge we headed out to explore. We were a 5 minute walk from the most incredible sights.

St Augustine simply took our breath away, this place was a history piece all of its own and one which we would have always thought to be too far off the Orlando holiday trail. As much as the art deco architecture of Miami was inspiring, this blew us away.

It is just a place of such beauty that we were recognising that two nights here was not going to be enough, we also noted that the prices here were significantly cheaper than Miami – phew!
Photos don't even do justice to the whole experience...

















We just walked and walked and stopped, listened to some amazing street music performers and explored once again. The boys fancied a game of putting at the oldest crazy golf in The USA(alegedly) - so Alison and I avoided the dusk and shared a pint overlooking the golf.



The boys played quickly as they felt the weather closing in, as we met them we walked at a pace to get back before the impending rain, we made it just in time as the lighting filled the sky although it remained tantalizingly dry.

We had all very quickly fallen in love with this place- the history, the buildings and the whole atmosphere that pervades the place is something that I think will stay with us forever. In a matter of hours we already knew this place will be on the list for they future.


With tea cooked quickly (Spag Bol with bruschetta in case you were asking!) we headed to bed after a long day. I typed this again in the knowledge everyone will awake early, but with a 10.30 sleeping time.




Lets see what happens, I lay typing this until 11.30 and …

Well I'll tell you tomorrow!

Thanks for reading - day 3 is just a click here away
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Going out in a Blaze of Glory- Our Summer of Sorcery 2019 - COMPLETE! 4 Weeks, from The Yacht Club for 10 nights onto much more Florida fun too

All of our previous Trip reports and escapades can be read here.

Edited at 01:36 AM.
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Old 21 Oct 18, 06:50 AM  
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KittyBlackDog
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Springsteen and the open road 😎

Looking forward to reading your further explanation of your ‘CHARACTER spot’ in St Augustine. I hope the place has faired well in the recent weeks as it’s a place we would like to visit.

Thanks for sharing as always

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Old 21 Oct 18, 10:40 AM  
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Quensabob
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Loving your report so far!
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Old 21 Oct 18, 05:41 PM  
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mick
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A long drive but well worth it we went to St Augustine a few years ago and thought it a lovely place

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Old 21 Oct 18, 07:09 PM  
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i love jack
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St Augustine Looks lovely, as does your house, love the swing seat!
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Old 21 Oct 18, 11:01 PM  
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Wow! Long drive (sounds like a couple of our long days on west coast this year) but sounds worth it for you
The oldest crazy golf
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Old 21 Oct 18, 11:04 PM  
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walt4it
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Originally Posted by KittyBlackDog View Post
Springsteen and the open road 😎

Looking forward to reading your further explanation of your ‘CHARACTER spot’ in St Augustine. I hope the place has faired well in the recent weeks as it’s a place we would like to visit.

Thanks for sharing as always


Should maybe include a bit of this for reading - my most favourite song and version of it




Video has been pulled from You Tube

this one will stay a bit longer



Day 3 will unveil the CHARACTER bit - impressed you noticed the capital letters the whole of St. Augustine has CHARACTER in abundance.

Thanks for reading - as always x
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Going out in a Blaze of Glory- Our Summer of Sorcery 2019 - COMPLETE! 4 Weeks, from The Yacht Club for 10 nights onto much more Florida fun too

All of our previous Trip reports and escapades can be read here.

Edited at 08:08 PM.
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Old 22 Oct 18, 07:03 AM  
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I saw that Dale Winton Florida programme too and thought St Augustine looked lovely. It sounds like such a lovely evening, wandering about and taking it all in.
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Old 22 Oct 18, 06:07 PM  
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Originally Posted by walt4it View Post
Should maybe include a bit of this for reading - my most favourite song and version of it



Day 3 will unveil eth CHARACTER bit - impressed you noticed the capital letters the whole of St. Augustine has CHARACTER in abundance.

Thanks for reading - as always x
Thank you for the music
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Old 22 Oct 18, 08:49 PM  
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I already wanted to visit St Augustine... your photos and positive description make me want to go even more. Thanks again for such a lovely trip report, I'm looking forwards to reading more as ever.
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