Road trip to St Augustine!

My daughter's visit continued.  We started out in Flagler beach and headed to Fort Matanzas. Since it's founding in 1565, the military outpost town of St Augustine had been the heart of Spain's coastal defenses  in Florida. After the big Fort Castillo de Marcos was competed in 1695, the town had only one weakness, the Matanzas Inlet. Beginning with Francis Drake's raid on St Augustine in 1586 England had repeatedly harassed the Spanish colony. so to prevent the British controlling the inlet Fort Matanzas was built in 1742, and it was maned by only 7 solders but their canons drove off 12 ships from England and no ship got passed the fort. but as part of the treaty of Paris ending the french and Indian war, Florida was transferred to Britain in 1763. after that the fort was not maintained.  when the United States took possession in 1821, the Fort was never occupied again. 

It was a very small fort and so surprising what a big part of history it had in Florida.

Our trip continued to the St Augustine Lighthouse. Notice the look on my daughter's face she is yelling hurry and take picture, my sunburn legs are burning. So our time at lighthouse was short and sweet. So we continued on to the Fort Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine.  Our time there was even shorter than the lighthouse so we decided to head home.

On our was home we were passing the Alligator Farm Zoological Park and my daughter said she really wanted to see the alligators so we stopped. And that is when the fun began.  Not only was there alligators but a great bird sanctuary and crocodiles.

I was most impressed with the birds. so many and so beautiful. so before we watch the feeding of the alligators we spent quite a bit of time watching the birds. In the mean time my daughter had to keep putting water on her legs for the sunburn.

 From the birds we went to watch the feeding of the gators and what a show that was. They were very active and it was a good show.  So after a long day and lots we saw we headed for home and another day in my daughter vacation here in Florida. i am so hoping she is enjoying her time here. She deserves a good time. And I am enjoying having her. I really miss my family and spending time with her has been great.