MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM FLORIDA
We decided to stay in St. Augustine in northern Florida for Christmas. Our new friends that we met in Nfld, Rod and Rhonda, have a condo down here. They very kindly contacted us and offered to take us shopping when we arrived. After we had done our errands, we had a lovey dinner and then they kidnapped us, "twisted our arms"😎and we went and spent a wonderful 24 hours at their condo. What luxury, a queen sized very comfortable bed, a bath and wonderful conversation and meals. They have two dogs, a golden retriever and a Portugese water dog. After a gruelling session at the pool enduring the 80 year old female drill Sargent of an instructor in an aquasizes session we went to the beach and strolled down the beach while the dogs gambolled in the sand and surf. 
The room where the window are was and is used as a dining room which sits 400, and is still used by the current students and can be cleared to be used as a ballroom.
The ladies parlour which is used for college receptions now. 
After we returned the dogs had to endure a fresh water rinsing.
We returned to the boat and walked around town. We went into some of the wonderful buildings in the historic district. St. Augustine was settled by the Spanish and it is by evident by the change in architecture from Georgia.
We took a tour of Folger College. It was originally a very exclusive hotel which was built at the turn of the century. In order to stay at the Ponce de Leon Hotel you had to receive an invitation from the owner, be on the social register and pay $4,000 CASH ( equivalent to $100,000 today) upon arrival whether you intende to stay for the three month season or just a week. It was absolutely stunning inside with beautiful ceilings and the best collection of intact Tiffany windows in the world.
What you would have worn 120 years ago to dinner.
Chillaxing while waiting for the tour to start!
