 |
 |
| Downtown (copyright on photo) |
When we visited Amelia Island and the tiny town of Fernandina,
it was Christmas. You would think that time of year would be the worst for “seeing”
the sights but actually it was the best, because even though there were
tourists like us, we didn’t have to deal with overflowing beaches and shops.
And Fernandina does have its share of shops, restaurants, horse drawn buggies
and historical houses, while Amelia Island has beaches, parks, and historical
landmarks, among which is Fort Clinch State Park. Definitely worth seeing.
 |
| The new and the old... |
 |
| Colorful town and shops |
 |
| A working harbor |
 |
| Oak-lined roadways |
Knowing a little of its history makes Amelia’s little slice
of paradise all the more appealing. Since 1562 Amelia Island has had eight
flags from, France,
Spain, Great
Britain, Spain (again), the Patriots of Amelia Island, the Green
Cross of Florida, Mexico, the Confederate States of America, and
the United
States fly its skies . It is the
only municipality in the United States that has flown eight different national
flags. (Wikipedea) And, hundreds of years before
Europeans came (in the 1500s), it was
settled by the Timucua Indians, who survived right up until the early 1700s. By the early 1900s, they were literally wiped off the face of the earth.
 |
| The Fishing Pier near the Fort |
 |
| Our view from directly in front of Elizabeth-Point Lodge. |
 |
| Birds and humans enjoying the weather |
 |
| When you live on a boat, creativity is a must to keep young ones occupied. These kids had a ball swinging from the mast. |
Some trivia: Amelia Island was chosen as the mystical land
for the 1988 film The New
Adventures of Pippi Longstocking. The site that stood in for Villa
Villekulla, Pippi’s home, is now Posada San Carlos, a pink-painted bed and
breakfast inn.
The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival
occurs during the first weekend in May. Events and activities of the festival
include vendors with seafood, arts, crafts, collectibles and antiques, live
music, the Miss Shrimp Festival pageant, a fireworks display and a parade.
We stayed at Elizabth Pointe Lodge and would again. Lovely and right on the
beach: http://www.ameliaisland.com/Accommodations/Hotels-Motels/Elizabeth-Pointe-Lodge
For car lovers check out this link to the "Concours D’Elegance,"
a trip through the land of Porche.
 |
| Fort Clinch State Park |
A bit more about Fort Clinch State Park, which offers a wide
variety of family-friendly recreational activities including swimming, fishing,
sunbathing and wildlife viewing. Shelling and shark-tooth hunting are
popular activities near the pier and along the St. Mary’s Inlet. Campsites
and biking are also in the mix. On the first weekend of every month, the park
holds a garrison of soldiers who demonstrate skills such as carpentry,
masonry, cooking, blacksmithing, and small arms demonstrations and cannon firing as
well as interpreting the use of many of the buildings such as the
quartermaster, infirmary and jailhouse. For a complete listing of
scheduled fort events, please visit the park events page.
For more information, check out: http://www.ameliaisland.com/
And just to make this post even longer: Look what hits stores today!
Dragon of the Stars By Alex J. Cavanaugh
Science Fiction – Space
Opera/Adventure/Military
Print ISBN 9781939844064 EBook ISBN
9781939844057
http://alexjcavanaugh.
The ship of legends…
The future is set for Lt. Commander
Aden Pendar, poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s
daughter. But when the Alliance declares war on their world, Aden finds his
plans in disarray and told he won’t make captain. One chance remains–the
Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s
only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of
commanding his own ship?
Purchase:
Amazon
- http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-
Barnes
and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Kobo
- http://store.kobobooks.com/en-
Chapters
- http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/
Amazon
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/
Goodreads
- https://www.goodreads.com/
Images from:
One year we went to Paris during the Christmas break, and it was awesome to see it decked up with all the lights and also to avoid the crowds and touristy stuff. The long, low angle of the sun was just amazing! A great time to travel.
ReplyDeleteYour pics are amazing. Looks like you had a great time in Amelia Island. Knowing the history of any place always deepens the enjoyment, doesn't it?
Cheers,
Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse
Lisa, what a lovely get-away! I'm not a ocean and beach kinda person, but I do enjoy reading about other people's relaxing trips. We were fortunate to visit friends in Naples a few years ago. I admit for a non-beacher the trip south in March 2013 was a welcome break from winter's chill. I do like the coast line, especially along Maine. We haven't been back, since 2004. The lighthouses are captivating. I want SO much to take another trip north! Thanks for co-hosting the fantastical A2Z challenge!
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful. I'm not much of a beach person, but historical sites and restaurants get my attention :)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Lisa, another amazing Florida destination. I just ordered a visitor's guide. I can't believe this is near Jacksonville. Thanks for a great post. And it wasn't too long. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fantastic place to visit, though I will have to look it up to figure out exactly where it is. The history would enthrall my oldest son who wants to teach history. The pictures are amazing (did you take all of them?)
ReplyDeleteOff to check out Alex's book as well, thanks for putting that info out there!
See you on the Blog Challenge!
www.heathermccubbin.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing those gorgeous pictures. The bus made me chuckle, and I could practically hear the kids swinging on the mast screaming with delight. I need to order Alex's book!
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
Thanks, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteThat black and white shot of the pier is awesome.
I imagine more people flock to Disney than the beaches at Christmastime.
Looks like a fun place to visit! I like looking at all the warm weather places when it's still cold and snowy up here.
ReplyDeleteLove that painted van... thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous beach line. I wouldn´t mind going for a stroll there. Interesting trivia about Pippi Longstocking.
ReplyDeleteI love that van! And oak-lined roads are my favorite. The oaks give it a feel of mystery and magic...sometimes even eeriness if it's dark outside. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa - it probably was such a wise choice .. Christmastime when it was quiet. I'd love to visit - but I too am not that happy just lying on a beach .. I need some brain stimulus ... sounds like you had fun and was a good find .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteGreat eye. Love the pics. The really captured the area.
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
Another great place to add to the list!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a place with a lot to do. I love the picture of the old ship and the new yacht side by side and the lane with the willows draping over it.
ReplyDeleteHorse-drawn buggies and cobblestones are always nice. I do wonder what America would look like if it was never colonized. Great pics!
ReplyDeletehow can i get there? i think i need to sit and stare at the beautiful sea to calm my nerves.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great place to visit. Loved seeing your pictures.
ReplyDeleteI love port towns. But a fort town? That I need to check out. :)
ReplyDeleteThat picture of oak lined roadways makes me thing of the Carolinas too. Particularly the Orton plantation at Wilmington, NC. Lots of good fresh seafood there I bet.
ReplyDeleteOh wow... I loved the Pippi Longstocking movie as a kid... and I don't think I've thought about it in like 20 years until you just mentioned it.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a lovely place!
ReplyDelete2015 A to Z Challenge Co-Host
Matthew MacNish from The QQQE
What a gorgeous place, Lisa! Definitely where I'd like to visit :)
ReplyDeleteEight flags! Interesting :) And kind of sad that the whole native population disappeared. Dark side of history...
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
Another beautiful place! Love you!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if my previous comment posted so I'll try again. Thanks for sharing another beautiful place in Florida that I'd love to visit. Love you!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun visiting these lovely, historical and quaint places in Florida with you. Thanks so much for the extra details and mentions of Trivial Pursuit clues and answers. Your photos and text make me feel like I've been there in person. How exciting for Alex's book to debut during the Challenge. Hope it's a block buster. Thanks for visiting CollectInTexas Gal.
ReplyDeleteSue at CollectInTexas Gal
AtoZ 2015 Challenge
Minion for AJ's wHooligans
Interesting place and I love your photos to go with it.
ReplyDeleteSunni
http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/
Beautiful pictures. It looks very peaceful and quiet.
ReplyDeletehttp://stormiekent.com/blog/
I loved the pier!
ReplyDeleteG is for Gilt hair ~ A Poesy Discourse
I've never heard of Amelia Island before. Your photos are gorgeous, especially the view of the sun on the water! I'd love to be there right now.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I did a craft show there last year and had a great time. Very nice place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words over on my blog, I really appreciate that :) Best of luck with the rest of the Challenge.