Floridays15 - Little Dude's Disappointing Day

Mini golf...I hate mini golf but begrudgingly tag along as scorer leaving the three boys to squabble over who played the best shot, as they usually do. Unfortunately the one we wanted to go to on Anastasia Island didn't open until 10.00 so we had about 40 minutes to while away so went for a bit of a stroll along the beach...cue beach photo...

The mini golf went without incident, hubby won as usual, Little Dude lost interest about two thirds through resulting in him messing about. 

My reward for scoring was an ice cream which within seconds of being given to me was dripping from my elbow...note to self...'ice cream outdoors in Florida isn't a good idea'. The main event of the day, was a trip to The St. Augustine Distillery. A tour that hubby was looking forward to as we hadn't been able to do it the previous time we visited. It wasn't a long tour, had the usual video telling us all about it, followed by a tour of the production line from the chirpy comedian Benjamin...'long for Ben', who passionately told us about the process.

 

Then came the tasting session, I have never liked Gin, nor Vodka but tried both and still don't like the stuff - even when made lovingly by the locals from organic farming and such like. However we purchased two bottles from the gift shop along with a copper mug to take home and offer to our guests who come round for all the parties and get togethers we don't have. I expect in 30 years time they will still be there unopened along with the 60 year old bottle of champagne we were given for our wedding day in 1988. Oh and I loved the ladies restroom...

Part of the tour included information about the ice making factory they had there back in the early days. Now it had never occurred to me before, that if you lived in hot tropical climates in the days before Zannusi and Hotpoint freezers you'd never know what a cold drink tasted like. So they would get ice shipped from New England to Florida, until they built an ice factory of their own. When the rich folk from the north started to flock to St.Augustine using the new railroad system, they expected to have cool drinks! Fascinating.  Apparently the tour of the distillery was the most boring thing that has ever happened to Little Dude, even worse than the most boring school assembly. This on top of the fact that the gift shop had no marshmallows put him in a fettle and there followed a couple of 'Mr Uncoperative' hours while trying to buy him new shorts and t-shirts. Eventually the mood dispersed and we were all happy chappies again - well apart from the slow wifi.   

Tonight is our last night in St. Augustine and I doubt we will be back here with the boys again as there really isn't a lot for them when you have been here before. There are still lots of interesting places to see that hubby and I would do if we came alone. I wrote a blog a few years ago about the 460 years history of St. Augustine which fascinated me, so would like to have time to wander around the museums and learn more about it one day.  In the morning I'll pack again before driving back to Orlando and Universal's Royal Pacific Resort Hotel for 5 nights. See you soon x