Outdoor Wednesday: Grown Men Playing Dress Up, And It's Not Even Halloween!

The sight of grown men playing dress up is not just for Halloween. Why, in St. Augustine, it's an everyday occurrence!



From their uniforms to their eye glasses, these boys take their role playing very seriously...



Even to the type of tankard they use and probably what goes inside... ;-)



You never know whether you'll see a pirate in Publix with knee britches and a cutlass wheeling a grocery cart down the aisle or a faux pirate simply hanging around a local pub...



And you may rest assured that on given days, you will see a park ranger, dressed like Smokey the Bear, leading fort visitors around like ducks in a row...



Or escorting the troops to the cannons...



And you're quite likely to see red or blue-coated Spanish soldiers going about their business...



Guarding the fort and the time travelers who happen into their ancient world...



Or you might see the boys firing up a cannon on the lawn near the fort...





Particularly when there are pirates about...



Or you might catch soldiers fielding questions from anxious little girls wanting to know, "Sir, are you the leader? Well, can you please tell me where to find him?"...



Surely out of all of these soldiers, one has got to be the leader!



Maybe, he's the one, do you think???...



Regardless of who the leader is, Florida is a state filled with tourist amenities, and St. Augustine is ranked the most popular tourist destination for Floridians after Disney and the like...



Floridians are a pretty choosy lot...



And we do appreciate St. Augustine's close to three hundred years of Spanish rule and history (being the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States)...



Just as we salute close to two centuries of St. Augustine's American heritage...



And there's a lot more here than grown men playing dress up (although we love them, too)...



There are wonderful restaurants...



Some pretty cool architecture...





And lots of bed and breakfasts (though most don't take children). So save those for a romantic getaway...



And of course, there is a lot of water...



And palm trees...



And it's a town where you can either bike...





Or walk...



Or take a carriage...



Or even ride the tour train...



Which brings me to this suggestion. Beginning around November 21, there is something called "Nights of Lights" in St. Augustine. It is one of the best free events our city has to offer. Click on the link in the last sentence to see a slideshow of some of the millions of lights that fill the plaza and surrounding buildings to create a veritable wonderland. And the viewing is FREE. Then on the first Friday of each month, the city's numerous art galleries have an art walk known as First Friday. That is also a free event and always a lot of fun.

But beyond the free, I read that one of the tour trains will be offering the following (that sounds like so much fun!), and I quote:

HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS TROLLEY TOURS

Caroling, hot apple cider and homemade cookies add to the fun of these tours. Plus, guests receive complimentary magical viewing glasses handcrafted by Santa's elves, that add a special twinkle to the Nights of Lights. Trolley tours depart continuously between 6 and 8 p.m. from the St. Augustine Visitors Information Center located at Castillo Drive and San Marco Avenue. $7 for adults and $4 for children.
Phone: 904.829.3800

Click here to get to their website and for more information about activities in St. Augustine during the next few months.

I know I sound like an advertisement for the Ancient City, but I'm only a person who enjoys the ambiance. We have been blessed to own a retreat there for the last decade or so, and I can tell you from first hand experience, it is a fun place. Just thought I would share this with my blogging friends because St. Augustine is one of the best kept secrets in Florida, though the City Gates have been welcoming fortunate visitors for several centuries. Hopefully, you will be one of those visitors someday soon. :-)



Now, I'd like to thank Susan for hosting Outdoor Wednesday and would encourage you to join Susan and a host of her friends to see what else is going on outdoors today! You may get there by clicking right here .



Thanks for visiting, and I look forward to visiting you in return!

Warmly,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)