St. Augustine--Fort Castillo de San Marcos

     While everyone else had a three-day weekend of relaxation, pool-time, and grilling over Memorial Day, I was stuck indoors helping the future of America pass their chemistry finals.  In between my tutoring sessions, I was throwing things into a suitcase in my own preparation for a slightly delayed vacation.  Tuesday morning and after 15 hours of gas laws and periodic table trends, I drugged my dog (like any good parent should do with their pet.....or child) and boarded a plane.  Destination: Florida.  Purpose: Beach Hopping.  First Stop: St. Augustine.

     Most people think the first colony in America was Jamestown, but they would be wrong.....and how do I put it?  Not smarter than a 5th grader.  The first colony was actually settled by the Spanish in 1565 and named St. Augustine.  The city would become Spain's capital of the new world for two hundred years.  Like any strong colony, protection was needed, so a military base was constructed and named Fort Castillo de San Marcos.

     The Spaniards first built their fort out of wood.  Now I'm no expert and have never been to battle, but I am pretty sure "wood" is not the best fort material.  Holding true, the fort was burned several times (even once by its own unhappy soldiers) and finally rebuilt with a local material called coquina, completely made out of shells.  Surprising enough, the shells acted as a sponge when hit with cannon balls, a very useful defense mechanism.  Today, the fort still stands and has become a National Park.

Doubles Shark Whisperer, my travel buddy, at the entrance to the oldest standing structure in the United States.

From afar, the fort appears to be tiny, but in all actuality, it is very big.  A perspective used to confuse enemies.

I'm pretty sure I could take this fort in a matter of hours.

The moat never had water or sharks (with lasers on them).  Instead, it allowed for the structure to be built lower into the ground, giving that tiny perspective when seen from afar.

The central courtyard of the fort.

Dolphins!!!

What'd I do to you?

Pondering......if I should've eaten that fourth cupcake or not.

Considered one of the best views in the city.  I'd have to agree.

Thoughts.....by Doubles Shark Whisperer.  A very scary thing.

Tasty drinks with some live music to cool off a hot afternoon at the fort.  The singer would announce when the drinking part of the song was.....for every song.  That wasn't annoying at all.

And to finish off the evening, I scarfed down some waffles covered in BBQ pulled pork with berries and maple syrup.  One word: YUM!  (Or is that even a word?)