A Capitol Visit and a Wedding in 2017

The rain was more or less stopped by the time we finished lunch So we soldiered on - we were actually on an interstate at that point but we got off at Tifton, and followed US 319 down to Tallahassee.

We got to the hotel about 4 (without stopping for gas like Bob wanted to do) and our daughter met us in the lobby and helped us get checked in.

I'm not a fan of this hotel. To begin with, the beds are so tall that I have a really hard time getting onto them. The things that we take for granted at a Hampton Inn - simple things which make your stay nicer - this hotel does not have. No suitcase racks to put your suitcase on to unpack. No mirrors except in the bathroom, so you have to go in there to see if your hair needs to be combed. And the bathroom has the sink separate from the toilet and shower/tub but there isn't a waste basket in the toilet section - only by the sink. And also of course, no free breakfast, There is a "Bistro" but the prices are outlandish.

We sat in the room with our family

until our daughter's friend and our grandson's girlfriend got here from Miami and then we went over to a Mexican place called El Patron. We walked over - I went on the scooter. I wore my sweater

It was very noisy. We ate out on the patio. and it we had a good time - even though it was noisy we were able to talk.

daughter and son-in-law

But the service was abysmal - they didn't have enough menus.

(Sharing a menu)

We had two rounds of chips before they got our drink orders. I had a virgin Pina Colada

Then it was a long time before the appetizers that our daughter ordered came. And another long wait for the food. We got over there about 8:15, and we didn't get our actual food until after 9. Fortunately they gave Bob his food first because he is not accustomed to eating that late. But everyone was served and they hadn't brought me anything. The others complained that their food was cold. The hot dishes which were usually too hot to touch were only warm. They did eventually bring me some food.

I think I can say without fear of contradiction that the food part of the evening was not a success.

My back started to hurt and we left about 9:45. Bob walked and I scootered back to the hotel. It was a very rough sidewalk. I found out on the way back that Bob had not packed a sweater. He was walking like an old man and he said he was cold and the weather had gotten much cooler since the rain.

May 5

Perhaps because of the Mexican food, Bob and I both had to be close to the bathroom on the morning of the 5th.

I had a shower and another deficiency of this hotel has been revealed - the bathtub is very slippery and there is only one grab bar. I wanted to wash my hair and it was hard for me - normally if I can use a hand held shower I don't need an actual handicapped room, but this was a fixed shower head and when I leaned back to get my hair wet it made me dizzy and so I stopped tilting my head back and got soap in my eyes.

We didn't leave the room until close to noon - skipping breakfast entirely. We stopped at Burger King and when I ordered a cheeseburger the lady at the register said that there was a bundle rate - two cheeseburgers, a fry and a small drink for $3.29 plus tax, So that was what we got. I got a glass of water,

Burger King water cup

and a cheeseburger and Bob had the small drink, a cheeseburger and the fries.

And then we got gas - I had looked on the internet to see which gas stations were the cheapest ($2.32/gal). We got 42 mpg.

I decided to go to Maclay gardens which, based on their website which said that wheelchairs were available, I thought would be accessible for the scooter. The bloom season is January to April and I knew we were a bit out of that time frame and the house would not be open,

National Register of Historic Places sign

but I thought it might be an interesting place to go. So with the phone giving us directions, we went to the gardens. The admission was $6.00 and the very cheerful lady at the booth gave us a brochure and directions.

The dark curved line on the map is the brick pathway

We went down to the parking area and Bob got the scooter out. I was comfortable with my sweater, but Bob is cold. He expected unremitting heat, and it has been really cool and windy since we got to Florida.

Bob ahead of me on the path

I did the brick (very jolty) path but the side areas - the little walled garden

and the gazebo on the lake -

Gazebo on the lake

all had steps. I took some photos. There were only a few flowers still in bloom.

Last Magnolia flower

I thought maybe I could go around by road instead of back up the jolty brick path, because I saw a road past this gate, but it wasn't possible

Other places I could not go

The gardens were beautiful, even without many flowers - lots of Spanish moss and beautiful old trees

Spanish moss on a Pine Tree

automatic watering system

Bob suggested that we photograph some cemeteries so I picked two near the Maclay gardens - Lake Hall and Lake Hall Community Cemeteries.
Lake Hall was first. We got to the place where the map said we should turn (Roslie Street) and due to yesterday's rain, it was a muddy hole with deep tire tracks.

Entrance to Lake Hall Cemetery

We decided not to go there. So next we tried Lake Hall Community Cemetery We went down the residential street and at the end we came to a driveway marked Private Property - No Trespassing. We would have had to trespass to get to the cemetery so we didn't go to that one either.

Then we went to Publix because this hotel does not have a free breakfast, to buy some breakfast stuff and lunch stuff. Bob said was I coming in? (as opposed to waiting in the car the way I usually do) and I did intend to go in and pick stuff out to buy because Bob doesn't really know what I like to eat as well as I know what he likes. I got a roast beef sandwich and a salad, some bananas, some bagels and some cream cheese, and Bob got some cereal and cookies. Cost $28.00

We got back to the room, and didn't eat what we bought for dinner because our daughter gave us a nice veg/fruit tray, and we ate all those veggies for dinner. Plus a couple of the cookies that Bob bought.

May 6
.
Our daughter suggested that we check out this morning instead of waiting until tomorrow, because unfortunately we were there at the same time as the FSU graduation and the rates go up 400% (from $136.00 for Thursday night to $612.00 for Friday and Saturday. But it would be a lot of trouble if the hotel would even let us leave early.

I discovered that I was checking out of Mayport on the 10th and not getting to Hinesville until the 11th, but I made the necessary changes to the reservations for both Hinesville and Summerville.

This morning I was sticking to the bathroom again, but I thought we should go see the capitol as long as we were here.

Old and new capitol

I looked on the Internet and they said there was free handicapped parking behind the House side, so that's what we did.

Parking lot

The website had little red arrows to get us to the elevator. In person there were signs.

Instructions

The door was locked and we had to press a button to get the people inside to unlock the door. When we went up the elevator, the first thing I saw was a gift shop and we went in and bought Bob a Tallahassee sweat shirt. So he's a little warmer now.

We toured the old 1902 capital building -the museum is free for a donation. It was interesting. The desk in the front where most people come in had a diagram of the various modifications they made to the capitol. They added wings to it, but when they built the new capitol behind it, they found that they couldn't get fire engines and emergency equipment in around between the two buildings. So they took the wings off and went back to the 1902 configuration.

On the main floor was the governor's office and the Supreme Court, and also the gift shop and some extra exhibits.

Governors secretary's office

Governor's office


old Voting Booth

Supreme Court room

Upstairs there was the Senate and the House and exhibits on the history of Florida.

Senate from the speakers desk

Woodwork detail

Senator John Spotswood's desk

Looking down from the second floor

Dome from the inside

Stairs to the second floor

Restoring the old capitol

House chamber

Richard Linn's desk

Representatives's desk

Red and white striped awnings

Seminole doll

Bob suddenly said that he had lost his hotel room key. We found it (it is bright yellow) on the floor by the elevator.

When we finished the tour I took some photos of the outside

Old Capitol Building

New Capitol tower

The afternoon of the 6th we went out to Roselawn Cemetery

and between us took about 400 photos.

Then we came back and watched the KY Derby and I processed photos. I ate the sandwich I got at Publix for lunch and the salad for dinner and that way we finished up most of what we bought at Publix except for two bananas and four bagels.

May 7th

This morning, I ate one of the bananas. I delayed until 9:15 on leaving because we weren't to check in to Mayport until 3 and it was only about 200 miles across. We stopped in Lake City and were going to go to Subway but it was not there - not just closed, but non-existent. So we stopped at Burger King. ($16.55). Bob had his usual - whopper Jr, small fry and chocolate shake.

Bob iat the counter in his new sweat shirt

My Steakhouse King

My caramel sundae.

For some reason if I am using the phone for navigation the radio plays U-2 songs - the same ones over and over. I can't seem to get any other music. Not that I object to U-2, but I'd like something different sometimes. My Texas daughter said that someone was so irritated by U2 on their phone that they talked to her son about it when he took his sister to Tae Kwan Do practice, and when he fixed it for them, they paid him $20.00

May 7th
We drove through Jacksonville

Lighthouse 'sign' at a parking garage

And crossed the St. John's River

Crossing the St. John's River

We ended up at the Mayport NAS a little before 2.

After we got gas on the base (42 mpg), we found the Lodge checked in.

Navy Lodge

Breakfast area in the main building

There are small steps some places (like a threshold into the room), but the room is nice. It has A/C

Bed and closet

Mirror selfie

Tv

Kitchenette

Dining table

bathroom

We look out on the ocean and there is a pool right next door to us.

Window to the beach

I was looking at the base information - I didn't think they had a commissary, but the base info book said it was with the exchange on Mayport road. But I couldn't find it on the map. Bob insisted that we should go because it will be closed tomorrow, so he asked and found it was off base - just like in Key West.

My phone found it and we got there. But when it came time to show my ID, I had left my wallet in the room. But Bob told them I wasn't going to pay for anything and they let me come in without it. We bought some chicken for dinner and some other stuff. Celery, peanut butter, cereal, turkey bacon, cranberry juice, ice cream, grapefruit and cheese. $37.65 ($3.00 tip for the bagger).

I'm going to relax here. But.. While the pool is right next to our room, it isn't open until Memorial day. Bummer.

Monday May 8th

We drove around and I took photos of the two lighthouses. I was processing photos that we took until almost 11, so when we finally left the unit it was 11:30. The St. John's lighthouse is visible from the Navy Lodge, so that was easy.

St John's Lighthouse

But the other one was over on the perimeter road near where the ferry terminal is, (We visited this lighthouse in 2005) and I mistakenly thought we could go all the way around the air strip.

Heliocopter

We ended up out on a peninsula with all the ships.

We did eventually get to the perimeter road.

St John's River Lighthouse

2005 photo of the St. John's River Lighthouse

The story is that the Navy had to fill the area to build the airstrip, and the fill covered the bottom of the lighthouse. The door is underground. If you want to get in, you have to use a ladder and go through the window. You could see the shadow of the roofline of the old oilhouse on the side of the lighthouse

Bottom of the St. John's River lighthouse

They have parged the bottom of the lighthouse so the shadow of the old oil house isn't as visible.

2005 photo of the bottom of the St. John's River Lighthouse

On the way out

Station entrance

I took a photo of the Otter Crossing sign - (there was a wild area around the perimeter fence.}

Caution otter crossing

Mayport NAS golf course

Then it was time for lunch, so we went out gate 5 and went all the way out to Singletons.

Singleton's

There was a sign on the porch that said not to bother the cats and we did see a cat, but I didn't get a photo.

Please Seat Yourself

Cooks at Singletons

Appetizers Specials board

Specials board

Inside of Singletons

No Swimming

They had four kinds of hot sauce on the table- Professor Phardtpounders Colon Cleaner,

Colan Cleaner

Texaspet original Hot Sauce,

Texaspet

Trinidad Habanero Pepper Sauce, and

Trinidad Habanero

Louisiana Hot peppers in vinegar (one drop does it).

Louisiana hot pepper

We both had a cup of clam chowder, which was good but thick enough to stand a spoon in.

Cup clam chowder $4.00

Then Bob had a steamed shrimp basket

Bob's shirmp basket $8.00

and I had catch of the day (mahi) sandwich.

My sandwich - grilled catch of the day $10.20

From the restaurant window

We could watch the ferry coming and going from the window.

Mayport ferry from the restaurant window

I took the crackers (to eat with cheese) and the cole slaw back to the room. Bob went to the mini mart and got some mayo and hamburger rolls (he said there was no point in buying a whole loaf of bread) so that we could make chicken sandwiches out of the chicken. The station fire truck came in to get gas while he was marketing.

Fire truck getting gas at Mini-Mart

So that's what we had for dinner - chicken sandwiches, cole slaw, grapefruit, cheese and crackers and ice cream. If we have a room with cooking facilities that is what we usually do. We eat breakfast in the room, and when we are out and about, we have lunch. Usually a lunch will have more food than we can eat, so we bring the leftovers back to the room and have supper there.

Tuesday May 9th
I was looking up the cemeteries on FindAGrave and found one that was really located in Nassau County FL but they had the pin in the middle of Alabama. So I decided that Tuesday the 9th, we should go up and see where the cemetery really was (I couldn't find it on Google maps). There is a big wildfire in Okefenokee Swamp which has been burning for a month, and I was a little worried that the smoke would be a problem, but we got underway about 9:15.

First we went to the NEX (which Bob says is huge) so that we could buy a cooler to put the stuff we bought but didn't finish eating for when we check out of the Mayport Navy Lodge tomorrow.

Then we headed up I-95.

Bridge on I-95

There was some smoke when we got to a place called Yulee, but we found the cemetery with no problem - it was on a different street than the directions said, but it was in Nassau Co. and not in Alabama. It was a small cemetery with only 27 people buried there. We added 4 burials and pictures to 5 of the graves that didn't have photos.

Next - visiting Fernandina Beach

After we went to the cemetery, I wanted to go back to the Amelia Island Museum which is in the old jail.

One of the lizards on the handicapped ramp

Museum entrance

Old bike at entrance

We got there about 2 minutes after the guided tour started and paid our $8.00 each. The guide was still taking about the original inhabitants

Original inhabitant

Timucua drawing by artist who had never been there

The women are French, and the bow is a European style.

Dubious Description

The drawings show metal plows, but the indigenous people had no metal tools

model old Fernandina and Fort San Carlos

Franciscan monk (painted in the wrong color cassock)

I was not too impressed with the guide, who was a retired GYN and an AF vet. He concentrated on taking us through the sequence of the eight flags that flew over Amelia Island but he really didn't know that much outside of what the docent tour information had given him.

Three of the eight flags

display of cannon ball

Cannon ball from Battle of McClure Hill

One of the 8 flags

Racially integrated election 1865

The guide asked Bob if I had been a teacher. So I stopped asking questions or adding tidbits that I knew about the area.

Selfie in the top of the antique soda fountain

Antique soda fountain

I was almost certain that our tour 15 years ago started upstairs (and my sister who did that tour with us confirmed it later), but none of the docents there have been there more than four years, so they do not know. Upstairs is now just offices. For some reason, we did not see the old jail cell on this visit.

Safe

Compensating Binacle

The museum is very interesting, but it doesn't have a lot of things to take photos of that are relevant to what the docent was telling us. The lady's gown, for instance, was not mentioned at all.

wedding dress

old wheel chair

There were three other couples with us. One from central FL. At least two of the other men were also vets. Several of the men on the tour quizzed Bob about his service. One of them thanked Bob for his service, which I thought was odd because I think he was also a vet. Or maybe it was his brother who served.

windows (old jail)

Then we decided to find a place to eat, and ended up at Timothi's

Timothi's

No shirt, No Shimp

where you give your order in at the counter and then they call you to come get it.

It was after 12:45 and there was a long line waiting to give orders. So Bob stood in line. I got a seat and took a photo of the menu so I could look at it on my camera and see what I could get.

menu

I got a Rice Box and tea,

and Bob got a shrimp po-boy.

Total $25.45. I ate the fried fish off the top and some of the rice and brought the rest home.

Then we drove around Fernandina and I attempted to take photos of the historic buildings.

hampton Inn

railroad station

Marina restaurant

We stopped and Bob got some fudge - that is kind of a tradition with us.

Bob coming back to the car with fudge

I waited in the car and took photos of some of the shops from where we were parked

And we ended up at St. Peter's cemetery and took some more photos.

I tried to get photos of the lists on the very shiny reflective sign, and switched my camera to manual focus. Then I forgot to switch back so some of the other photos that I took are soft focus

We drove down A1A to the ferry. The fees were not listed on the web site where I could see them, but eventually I found it was $6.00. On the weekend the driver and children under 5 are free but everyone else has to pay $1.00. But this was not a weekend, so I was free. The guy that collected the money didn't even count it. We got the 4:15 ferry, and were back on the Mayport side by 4:30. One of the guys who was directing cars had a Santa Claus beard.

White bearded ferry worker

We had chicken sandwiches, and grapefruit for dinner and I took some of the cheese and heated it up on the rice. We also finished up the ice cream.

May 10th
On the morning of the 10th there was a lot of news on the TV about the fire and areas that would be evacuated around Okefenokee Swamp and areas that there would be smoky. Plus a semi had overturned on I-95 north and when a state trouper stopped to help, another car hit his car (with him still in it) and the whole highway was shut down completely from the accident up to the Yulee exit and US 17 was the alternate route and that was completely slammed also.

So we decided to take the ferry back over and go up A1A which would be as far as we could get from the smoke and it was also far enough from I-95 not to be involved in that accident.

We still haven't eaten all of the whole roast chicken we got at the commissary. So Bob packed up the chicken and cheese and the other things we haven't finished in the cooler and put the bags in the car. I shut down the computer about 8:30 - the one problem with the Lodge (other than that the pool was not open except to active military) was that there were no convenient plugs and Bob needed the extension cord we were using back to put in his suitcase - and we checked out about 9. They are replacing the toilets but they didn't get to our room before we left. There were some out on the sidewalk as we were leaving.

We drove out along the perimeter road and exited through gate 5 and got in line for the ferry.

Lighthouse through the chain link fence on the way out

There weren't a lot of people in line with us. One of the ferry people asked to look in our trunk. Apparently they ask one random car to look in the trunk - they did this to the car behind us yesterday.

Using the ferry successfully avoided the accident on I-95 We were over on Fort George Island and driving north by 10:00.

I wasn't in any hurry because we couldn't check in to the hotel in Hinesville until 1400 and it was only about 200 miles. When we were at the cemetery in Fernandina, I had set the camera to manual focus in order to try to get the writing on a very reflective sign - the camera kept focusing on what was reflected. And I forgot to switch it back, so most of the photos I took of the town were out of focus. So we drove around the town a little and I went back to the museum to get a birthday present for our daughter whose birthday was yesterday.

But we were still leaving Florida for Georgia by 11:30. We saw some smoke on the horizon, but it didn't really impact our trip.

We are heading for Hinesville Georgia as a halfway point between Mayport and Summerville - so the drive to Summerville will not be as long.