Tag Archives: St Augustine

Amenities Add Up for St. Francis Inn Guests in St. Augustine, Florida

Hotel Reviews, Land Adventures, Travel Journal/Blog, , , ,
St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, FL
St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, FL

 

A Hotel Review: St. Francis Inn

 

St. Francis of Assisi gave up all the trappings of a privileged lifestyle to follow God. Not necessary for guests at the St. Francis Inn in St. Augustine, Florida. In fact, the St. Francis Inn lavishes lodgers with more amenities than one might pray for.

 

The cozy Bed and Breakfast, located in the oldest section of America’s oldest city, offers a bountiful breakfast buffet for a few hours each morning (time depends of day of the week).  Guests do not need to sit and eat with others in the dining room unless they choose to. Lodgers have the option of using a tray to take their breakfast goodies out to the courtyard, into their room, or for that matter anywhere they choose.

Full Breakfast Buffet
Full Breakfast Buffet

 

Afternoon snacks include hearty hors d’oeurves plus wine, beer, ice tea, soda or flavored water. Cucumber and melon flavored water were beautiful displayed in glass containers when I visited. Complimentary non-alcoholic drinks remain available throughout the day.

 

Room at the St. Francis Inn
Room at the St. Francis Inn

Desserts are offered each evening from 8:00 – 9:30pm.  The scrumptious baked items are masterful homemade creations by Janice, the chef at the Inn. She makes special birthday, anniversary or other occasion delights upon request. Her chocolate covered strawberries are some of the best I have ever tasted.  And, late night snackers may help themselves to chips and soda.

The St. Francis Inn Beach Cottage
St. Francis Inn Beach Cottage

But St. Francis extras don’t stop with food.  Guests at the historic area inn are offered the option of exploring St. Augustine Beach, about 8 miles away, with access to reserved parking, beach chairs and full bath/shower facilities. This is a real plus in my mind because beach parking can be difficult. The Inn also offers beach sleeping options. Reserve their Beach Cottage and you’ll get 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, living and dining room, plus indoor Jacuzzi.

 

Complimentary high speed WiFi runs throughout the inn and the St. Francis has their own solar heated swimming pool. Guests also have complimentary use of bicycles in the Old City, free tickets to the Lighthouse and 50% off discounts for tours of the Oldest House.

 

A special promotion in 2013 gives Inn guests who stay for two nights Sunday thru Thursday at regular rates a complimentary admission (valued at $59 plus tax per person) for a two-hour Segway Through History ride. Advance reservations are required but this is a way cool way to see America’s oldest city.

 

Innkeepers Joe and Margaret Finnegan maintain a generous spirit and like to spoil their guests with abundance. Guests clearly feel welcome and many find they simply must return to re-experience the charm of the St. Francis Inn in St. Augustine.

 

Cozy Room of the St. Francis Inn
Cozy Room of the St. Francis Inn

279 Saint George St, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
Toll-free: 1-800-824-6062
Tel: (904) 824-6068 • Fax: (904) 810-5525
Email: info@stfrancisinn.com
Mobile Site: stfrancisinn.mobi

 

My stay at the St. Francis Inn Beach Cottage arranged by Leigh Cort Publicity.

El Galeón Retraces Ponce de Leon’s Route to St. Augustine

Sea Adventures, Travel Journal/Blog, ,
El Galeon sails into St. Augustine.
El Galeon sails into St. Augustine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

El Galeón, (The Galleon) replicates a massive 170-foot long wooden 16th-century ship from Spain’s West Indies fleet. Pedro Menendez, founder of St. Augustine sailed the San Pelayo, a ship similar to El Galeón, however, Juan Ponce de Leon and Magellan used smaller vessels (called caravels) to explore. Spanish galleons were used to transport troops of men, animals, munitions and supplies between the Caribbean, Spain and the New World. As many of 300 men might have been onboard.

As part of the yearlong Viva Florida 500 celebration, El Galeón and her crew retraced the route of La Florida discoverer Ponce de Leon across the Atlantic to Puerto Rico then up along the Florida coast. The voyage took 22 days using technology of the past era and covered more than 900 nautical miles.

El Galeon slips between opening at Bridge of Lions.
El Galeon slips between opening at Bridge of Lions.

I went out to greet the ship as she arrived in the Matanzas’s Inlet from the Black Raven, a pirate ship that operates daily cruises from the St. Augustine marina. The Black Raven fired welcoming canon blasts.

El Galeón is one huge boat; I questioned whether the masts would fit between the openings of the Bridge of Lions. She entered the harbor with onboard power because the replica operates under majestic full sail only when out at sea – or in Captain Morgan rum commercials.

I boarded her the next morning by climbing up a steep gangplank. Polished wood gleamed from every surface and smelled of varnish. I discovered the ship’s wheel, the only way to steer the craft directly below the poop (uppermost) deck. Because this vessel was built just three years ago, modern navigational equipment is required, but hidden from view.

El Galeon's Wheel
El Galeon’s Wheel

Three masts support seven sails with 10,010 square feet of sail area. Raising the sails takes a crew of at least 20 over an hour. Currently crew consists of 18 men and two women, one who is the chef.

 

El Galeon ViewI took in the view of St. Augustine imagining a voyage that was likely quite unpleasant. You can also go below deck and see numerous canons and further below to watch a video. There’s 3,444 square feet of visiting area on six decks.

 

 

Information and tickets for El Galeón are available at www.vivaflorida.org or at ticket booths at Ripley’s Red Train Tours and the St. Augustine Visitors Information Center. Tickets are $8 for children age 12 to 6 years and $15 for adults. Children age 5 and under are free. The ship will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the St. Augustine City Marina. Hurry, El Galeón is only in town until June 3rd.

View of St. Augustine from El Galeon
View of St. Augustine from El Galeon

Picasso Exhibition Opens in St. Augustine, FL

Land Adventures, Travel Journal/Blog, , , , , , , ,

The PICASSO Art & Arena exhibition opened yesterday in St. Augustine. The show celebrates the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Florida by Juan Ponce de León. The show is also the first of many exhibitions planned as part of the St. Augustine’s 450th Commemoration.

Previewing the Picasso Bull Series
Previewing the Picasso Bull Series

The PICASSO collection includes 39 original pieces created between 1929 and 1961, on loan from the Picasso Foundation in Malaga, Spain.  They provide insights into one of the artist’s main themes: bullfighting. Bullfighting was a revered tradition in Spain, Picasso’s home country. Curator Maria D’Adamo told of Picasso’s fascination with the sport’s trilogy: the matador, picador and the bull.

The exhibition in the Visitor’s Center is set in the round, like a bullfighting ring, with two large photographic reproductions of spectators defining the space.

Faces in the crowd watch a bullfight.
Faces in the crowd watch a bullfight.

One of the highlights is a series of 11 lithographs, created between December 1945 and January 1946. They begin with a realistic drawing of the animal and succeeding works gradually reduce the strokes into a cave like primitive drawing. The final lithograph is only a few lines, but still recognizable as the animal.

 

The Bull
The Bull

I believe the bull series will appeal to both adults and children because they can clearly trace the transformation. Picasso said, “It took me four years to learn to paint like Raphael, and a lifetime to paint like a child.”

An intriguing 20-minute video is displayed on the rear wall showing Picasso painting on glass. The viewer gets to watch a work of art come to life right in front of their eyes.

In addition, the show includes some of the prolific artist’s ceramic pieces and illustrations composed for books. A timeline of Picasso’s life helps the visitor understand the stages of his artistic lifestyle.

St. Augustine Visitor Center

February 1 to May 11, 2013

www.staugustine-450.com and www.picassoartandarena.com

Picasso Banner hangs in St. Augustine
Picasso Banner hangs in St. Augustine
View from the Balcony
View from the Balcony