Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Does Orientation Really Matter?


I went to St.Augustine for the first time ever with my family this past weekend. For a bit of back story: I used to live up north and am quite familiar with the culture and architecture therein. I have been living in Sunny South Florida for some 15 years now and have been to the Keys and many coastal areas. I had never been to St.Augustine, until now. Very interesting. It is a combination, in my personal opinion, of both ends of the Eastern Coastal Spectrum.

We were able to stay in the heart of St.Augustine; inside the major shopping areas and along the Castillo Fort on the bay. The small alleys which were soley dedicated to pedistrians brought me back to what life must have been like in the late 1700's to the turn of the Century. Apartments built upon varied shops and markets; the oldest Wooden School House in Florida; small inlets with bakeries and coffee shops crowded the cobble-stone walkways. The architecture is very much reminiscent of northern towns; pennsilvania almost. Which is odd considering that St.Augustine was mainly inhabited by the Spaniards. Bringing the feel back south was the oddly familiar feel of Key West; Ghost Tours and Trolley Tours were advertised at every corner.

In all, it was a very interesting little town; one I will most definitely return to. Especially when it is Pizza Time!