 |
| www.nationsoldestcity.com |
From earliest times, this has been a place of color - sometimes wild and untamed, often surprising, but always pleasing to the eye. When Juan Ponce de Leon first sailed along these shores in 1513, it was the splash of color created by thousands of exotic wildflowers that caught his attention and inspired him to name his discovery La Florida – a place of colorful flowers. Two hundred years later, it was still color that welcomed weary mariners to St. Augustine’s harbor – the alabaster walls and crimson towers of the Castillo de San Marcos rose above the waves and signaled that at long last another perilous voyage was at an end.
Today, colors help create the moods and atmosphere that make a visit to St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches so cherished. The reds of a memorable sunset viewed while sipping a Vintners Red created at the San Sebastian Winery provides a glow that can’t help but inspire those seeking romance in the Ancient City. For golfers, our greens, both literally and figuratively, are the background for endless stories of proud successes, as well as wistful what-mighthave-beens. (Plus, after leaving a frozen wasteland behind, what Northern visitor can fail to be warmed by the welcoming green of our tropical palms and towering live oaks?) And the blues! From the sky above the azure sea to the beckoning blue of Olympic-dimensioned swimming pools at luxurious resorts and the flash of blue-white flags at the annual Greek Festival, this is a shade that finds a way to brighten each day.
I hope that you will have the time during your visit to truly appreciate not only the obvious colors of this place, but also the subtle hues that those of us who live here are fortunate to experience. The chesnut-brown flecked with honey-gold in a carriage horse’s mane…the myriad pastels of tiny coquina clams dancing in the summer surf…the moist brick-red hue of ancient paving after a summer shower. They’re all here along with thousands of other shimmering shades and tints that form the palette of this special place in the Florida sun – a palette that visitors can easily use to create the unforgettable portrait of the perfect vacation!
