Oct

5

I remember when St. Augustine was cool

Filed Under St. Augustine | 7 Comments

lookout tower st augustine castillo de san marcosIt was a while ago. A lifetime, really. Back when it was unique and had flavor. I even proposed to my wife in a lookout tower on top of the Castillo de San Marcos.

A while back the local government passed an ordinance to get rid of sidewalk vendors and performance artists. Local businesses hated them, because they competed for tourist dollars and tourist eyeballs, and created clogs of people on St. George Street, a foot-traffic only stretch of shops in historic buildings.

I can understand their point: They’re paying big bucks to own or lease space for their store selling paintings and pictures, while some guy can sit down on the sidewalk outside of their door and set up an easel and start whipping out paintings for the locals. Hardly seems fair, except that it IS a public thoroughfare.st george street st augustine florida

I always enjoyed that stuff. I never spent any money because I never saw anything I had to have, but I did drop a buck in a guitar case from time to time. I was also approached by panhandlers, but I just say “no” and they walk away, no hassle. No big deal.

But, it feels like the place is changing. The sidewalk artists are gone, the musicians are gone, and all we’re left with is shopping and restaurants. Hardly unique. The city pays people to dress in period costume and provide information to tourists, but issued a citation to a one-legged man dressed as a pirate that was charging $2 for a picture.

Really? Was he holding them down, forcing them to take pictures of him, then grabbing $2 from their wallets? Why can’t the tourists decide if they want to pay $2 for a picture?

May

30

Dead men don’t surf

Filed Under Humor, St. Augustine | Leave a Comment

I got a kick out of this - the director of the archaeological group didn’t let a find get in the way of his surfing.

I’m having an Apocalypse Now flashback… “Charlie don’t surf”…

Bits of nautical history rise in sands of Vilano
By MATT COLEMAN,
The Times-Union

With Capt. Jack Sparrow and the latest Pirates of the Caribbean riding high on top of the box office, the remnants of a 19th-century ship uncovered over the weekend at Vilano Beach are harkening back to North Florida’s nautical history.

One of the discoveries, a 100-pound, 6-foot-long piece of iron covered in seashells and mineralized sediment, would be barely distinguishable at first glance to a novice as part of a sailing vessel. The first indication of the item’s seafaring antiquity is the deadeye, a protrusion of ironwood jutting from the rust-colored surface of the metal. Despite its dilapidated appearance, the piece was actually attached to the hull of a ship that possibly sailed the St. Augustine-area coastline.

John W. Morris III, director of South Eastern Archaeological Services, found the pieces on the shore of Vilano Beach when he was preparing to surf Saturday. He said he immediately identified the items as the chain plate assembly of a ship, which helped in securing the standard rigging.

“Once I figured out what they were, I went surfing,” Morris said. “It’s not like they were going anywhere at the time.”

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May

29

Johnny Depp, Gotta Love Him! He’s Back as Jack!

Filed Under Pirates, St. Augustine | Leave a Comment

Can you tell that Tim is not writing this post? Hahahaha, well I do know he also likes Johnny as Jack Sparrow, no matter what he might say publicly. I am thrilled to read that the delicious Johnny Depp will be continuing on as Captain Jack Sparrow in a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film! And why, may you say, is this pertinent to the Florida blog? Cause if you watched part three, it alludes to part four being set possibly in or near Saint Augustine at the Fountain of Youth! Well something tells me that they won’t use the tacky tourist attraction for their set, but of course a beautiful authentic 1500’s city is waiting for youoooo! Yay! Can you say “extra”! Yep, me and the kids will be pirate wench or lil’ wenches if needed! Come on over Johnny!!!! I won’t tell big daddy!


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May

1

Fun Things in Florida: The Pirate Dinner Show in Orlando

Filed Under Florida Vacation, Interesting, Orlando, Theme Parks | Leave a Comment

If you live in Orlando or will be traveling to Orlando, the Pirate Dinner Show is one of several dinner shows available for night-time entertainment once you’re finished with the parks. I’ve been to a couple of the dinner shows, and they’re always great fun. The food is plentiful, and the sets and performances are always first-class.The Pirate Dinner Show in Orlando is convenient for visitors to the theme parks, located right on International Drive. If you’d like to enjoy an evening with the swashbucklers, visit mapleleaftickets.com, the sponsor of this post, to purchase your tickets.