This image sums up many of the pros and cons of St. Augustine. It was taken in the heart of the old downtown, which has been turned into a pedestrian mall. The center of town has certainly been touristified, but not in an especially unpleasant manner. The place still has “good bones.”
The winter sky is a bit overcast, but blue nonetheless. The weather is warm, as you can easily ascertain by the light clothing worn by our Juliet-stand-in on the balcony. And her pose sums up the relaxed, unstressed attitude of just about everyone I met while I was there.
It’s not clearly visible, but at the far end of that street is a marina and the Intercostal Waterway. Palm and deciduous trees are peaceably cohabiting. The town is built on a European plan and at a human scale, but its vibe is thoroughly American.
