A Trip to the Oldest City...

Deer Park's 4th graders took a field trip to St. Augustine, FL yesterday. St. Augustine was founded forty-two years before the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts - making it the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American continent.

We left the school at 7:00 Friday morning on four charter buses. It was a 3 and a 1/2 hour trip which was actually much quieter than I expected. The fact that there were probably as many parents as kids and that movies were playing helped I'm sure.

First, we visited the oldest wooden school house in the USA.

I loved the kids faces as the tour guide told them about dunce caps and paddling.

We also visited Castillo de San Marcos Fort. The fort was started in 1672 and took 23 years to build. The Spanish built it to protect themselves from future attacks after an English pirate attacked in 1668.

Sydney's 4th grade class

I just liked this picture from the top of the
fort looking over to the lighthouse, so I threw it in.

Sydney and her friend Emma posing inside the fort.

We got to drink from the Fountain of Youth. ;)

At least that's what Ponce de León thought he had found.

I was only able to manage a sip with my nose held.

The sulphur smell and taste was very strong.

While we were listening the Timucua Indians

tell us about trading, this pirate was doing what you see above.

Below is his work of art...

Sydney and her teacher, Mrs. Linden,

showing off with the wood the pirate had burned.

This "Spaniard" fired the cannon for us.

This is the Love Tree. Its very strange looking

because it's a palm tree growing inside an oak tree.

The legends say that couples that kiss beneath this tree

will seal their love for eternity. Awww...

Sydney and I had a great time learning some Florida history today.

We finally got back to Deer Park around 10:30. After no sleep on the bus,

this was Sydney 5 minutes after we walked in the house. I think she enjoyed her day!!