The drive between Pensacola and Kennedy Space Center is slightly over 500 miles and routinely takes between eight and nine hours. A bright side to this long journey to view space shuttle launches is that I can stop off in St. Augustine on the northeast coast of Florida and visit relatives.
For the trip which began November 1st and lasted many days longer than anticipated, I took advantage of the Canon T2i digital SLR camera I had in my possession and took some photographs of the historic Castillo de San Marcos fort while in St. Augustine. I arrived too late in the day to tour the inside of the fort but did get plenty of photos of the exterior. Hopefully I’ll be able to add interior photos at a later date. I’ve also included a couple of photos of the St. Augustine Lighthouse – another of the many historic landmarks in St. Augustine.
A bastion of the largest empire ever created, the Castillo was built to protect and defend Spain’s claims in the New World. Though caught in the whirlwinds of colonial warfare and intrigue, it was never defeated in battle. Its scarred walls still stand witness to over 330 years of history and culture.
Learn more about the Castillo at the National Park Service website.
I love St. Augustine! Have you been to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm? That is one of my all time favorite “zoo” experiences. It is so lush and tropical and there is every kind of alligator and some crocodiles and a lot of nesting birds. I bet you could get some gorgeous photos there.