The GypsyNesters

Swept off Our Feet at the Broom Corn Festival

Driving through the middle of America in early autumn meant we were bound to stumble upon some sort of fair or festival.

But we never expected to find one dedicated to something that we had never heard of… CONTINUE READING >>

The 2026 Broom Corn Festival is coming right up, September 11th through the 13th. Don’t miss it! Here is a look at our visit a few years ago…

Driving through the middle of America in early autumn meant we were bound to stumble upon some sort of fair or festival, but we never expected to find one dedicated to something that we had never heard of… so there was no way we could pass up The Broom Corn Festival in Arcola, Illinois, the self proclaimed “Broom Corn Capital of the World.”

We rolled into town just in time for the opening ceremonies and quickly received an education on all things broom corn. It’s not a kind of corn at all, it’s a type of sorghum that happens to have long, strong, thin seed stalks that are perfect for making the business end of brooms.

The name likely stems from the fact that the full grown plant looks quite like regular old corn.

Click photo to see a corn palace that still exists.

Legend has it that Ben Franklin was responsible for introducing broom corn to North America, and it became popular as a garden plant in the colonies.

Word spread that great brooms could be made from it, so soon farmers began to plant it as a crop.

By the mid 1800s most of it was being grown in East Central Illinois, and naturally a booming broom making industry followed.

Bifocals to broom corn, boy Ben Franklin sure did a lot of stuff.

Nowadays most brooms are made with synthetic strands, so the whole business of broom corn is nearly extinct, but the memory is kept alive with this thriving annual festival.

After the official kick-off we wasted no time getting to one of the main events, The National Broom Sweeping Contest.

We scrambled our way through the crowd to catch a peek of the contestants frantically sweeping broom corn seeds through a maze to a hole at the end.

The sweeper with the most grains in the hole within the one minute time limit is crowned Champion and presented with an authentic commemorative broom corn broom. Don’t be using that to sweep off the back porch!

As the excitement died down we headed over to the demonstration tent where real broom corn brooms were being made. These were no factory fashioned brooms.

Using a machine that tightly binds the strands to a handle, two guys were turning out a new, expertly crafted sweeping device about every ten minutes.

We next ambled through the myriad of food and crafts vendors that had set up shop along Main Street.

The usual gastronomic suspects were all represented, corn dogs, funnel cakes, elephant ears, sausages, fried this and that.

Then we noticed something different.

Bacon Dipped in Chocolate. Sounded pretty strange until we imagined something along the lines of a candy bar with a bacon center, might not be bad at all, so we went for it.

It was not encouraging when we saw the small vat of chocolate syrup right next to the bubbling nacho cheese, and even less so when we watched the girl fish out a few strips of extremely soggy bacon. It had been stewing in its own juices all day.

But we had come this far, so we were bound and determined to eat it. In mere seconds we regretted that determination. Awful, truly awful stuff.

WATCH: Your GypsyNesters are horrified by this version of chocolate covered bacon!

Feeling a little queasy, we decided to call it a day and rest up for the big parade the next afternoon.

We wanted to be at our best for the big performance by Arcola’s own World Famous Lawn Rangers.

In spite of their considerable renown we were unfamiliar with them, only having heard that they were a “precision lawn mower drill team” with the motto: You’re only young once, but you can always be immature. We could hardly wait to see them in action.

In order to get a better idea of what makes the Lawn Rangers tick, we took the opportunity to meet up with them in the staging area before the parade.

Founding member Tim Monahan was happy to give us the lowdown on the mower men. The Rangers haven’t missed a Broom Corn Festival Parade since 1980, that’s when they got their name from grand marshal Clayton Moore, TV’s original Lone Ranger.

Since then they have marched in the Holiday Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, the Indianapolis 500, the NFL Hall of Fame Game, and the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parades, but perhaps the pinnacle of Ranger performances came in the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Parade.

Honorary member Dave Barry may have summed up their performances best when he said, “What we do is push lawn mowers and carry brooms.

At various points along the parade route, we stop and astonish the crowd by performing broom-and-lawn-mower maneuvers with a level of smooth precision that you rarely see outside of train wrecks.”

Well if their performance was a train wreck, the crowd of at least double the 3000 people who live in Arcola, certainly loved the catastrophe.

We did too, making it a clean sweep.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Getting Geologic on Iceland’s Golden Circle

We didn’t have a lot of time to explore Iceland, so The Golden Circle Tour was perfect. Leaving Reykjavík early on a gray sub-arctic morning, we set out to see half a dozen of the island’s foremost highlights… CONTINUE READING >>

We didn’t have a lot of time to explore Iceland since we, as many people do these days, were adding a visit on to the end of a trip to France. Our two night layover meant that we had to pack in as much as possible.

The Golden Circle Tour was perfect for that.

Leaving Reykjavík early on a gray sub-arctic morning, we set out to see half a dozen of the island’s foremost highlights. We weren’t about to let a blustery drizzle dampen our spirits.

Our first stop combined two of Iceland’s most exceptional attributes, its place in history and its place on the planet.

Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir) is home to the site where the world’s oldest parliament first met in the year 930. The Alþingi (assembly) met here until 1800, because the location was reasonably accessible for representatives from most of the island. Then, after a short break, they resumed in Reykjavik.

Little did these pioneering legislators know that the Rock of Law they used as a platform for discussions, debates, and deliberations was part of the only place on Earth where the Mid Atlantic Ridge can be seen above sea level.

They were likely impressed by the natural acoustics of the stone walls while unknowingly straddling two continents. Right here is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are separating at a rate of about one inch per year.

That might not sound like much, but by geologic standards that’s moving like a Black Friday shopper late for the sale, meaning the island is continually growing.

This phenomenon of continued separation is the reason behind Iceland’s fascinating volcanic geography, and we were about to see a bunch more of it.

Our next stop, Gullfoss, or Golden Falls, gave us a good glimpse into the lava flows that have resulted from all of that volcanic activity.

The river has carved out a stair-step formation that the water tumbles down, clearly showing how each layer of lava was laid down during the myriads of eruptions that created Iceland.

A century ago, a man named Tómas Tómasson owned Gullfoss and was looking to sell the waterfall as a source for the country’s first hydropower plant. Fortunately Tómas’ daughter, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, would have none of that and fought to save the falls by threatening to throw herself into the tumbling torrent.

She was saved from such a sacrifice when the power plant idea fell through and Gullfoss was preserved as a protected site and her willingness to give her all earned her a memorial at the top of the falls. Way to go Sigríður!

Here in Iceland, the heat of the earth’s magma reaches very close to the surface. Because of this any water trapped underground begins to boil. If the pressure builds up enough, that liquid comes flying out through any crack in the surface it can find.

That’s not all that common, Yellowstone is probably the best known example, but Iceland is every bit as active, if not more so. With that in mind, the circle route certainly had to include a chance to see an eruption or two.

No, not volcanic, we aren’t that crazy (at least not since watching one in Hawaii), we were heading to the geothermal area in Haukadalur.

This is where Iceland’s largest, and most active geysers can be found. The big daddy of them, Geysir, is actually where the word geyser comes from. Geysa means to gush in the Old Norse language.

For thousands of years Geysir would blast super-heated water hundreds of feet into the air. We would have loved to see that, but earthquakes greatly impact the frequency of these eruptions, and lately the big guy has not been gushing.

But that didn’t mean we would miss out completely, because good ole Strokkur would not let us down. This ferocious fountain spews forth about every 5 to 10 minutes, usually about 50 feet high, but now and then lets go with a hundred plus foot plume of boiling brew.

We caught both of Strokker’s styles, so even though we didn’t get to see the namesake of all geysers, we felt pretty good about our luck.

Another historic milestone awaited us at our next destination. Considered Iceland’s first and one-time largest city, Skálholt now stands out as only a lonely church isolated on the tundra.

This is where county’s first bishop presided, and where the first school was founded, so it holds a special place in history. Yet, even though a church has stood here for nearly a thousand years, the current structure was relatively recently finished in 1963.

But that didn’t mean we didn’t get to see any old stuff, that’s kept in cellar. We even discovered a seemingly secret passage out of that basement that led to a fantastic view of the sea.

With time for one more waterfall before we finished, the bus pulled off at The Faxi, or Vatnsleysufoss, which was described by our guide as a miniature Niagara Falls.

It took some doing for us to imagine that, but the fantasy didn’t take away from the beauty of the falls, even if they are only about two stories tall.

As a final bonus on our way back through the city, our driver did a photo op run by Reykjavík’s best known landmark, the Hallgrímskirkja. This Lutheran church towers nearly two hundred and fifty feet above the buildings below. Nothing else even comes close in this relatively small city.

Small enough in fact, that we decided to set out on foot to explore and discovered a delightful town with some disconcerting, disturbing, dumbfounding, and sometimes downright disgusting peculiarities.

But that’s another story.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Taking Pain Medication After Surgery or an Injury? Know the Early Signs of Opioid Dependence

An injury or surgery can be especially challenging as we get older. A fall, broken bone, joint replacement, or other medical procedure may lead to significant pain and temporarily make everyday activities more difficult. Prescription pain medications, including opioids, can provide important relief and make it easier to rest, move around, and take part in physical therapy during recovery.

However, opioids also carry a risk of dependence. This can develop gradually, sometimes before a person realizes there is a problem. As Community Outreach Coordinator at Virginia Recovery Centers (an alcohol and drug rehab in Virginia), I’ve seen firsthand how people can become dependent on prescription opioids without expecting it. Recognizing the early warning signs can help older adults and their loved ones seek help early.

Why Opioids Are Prescribed After Injuries and Surgery

Opioids are medications used to treat moderate to severe pain. Common examples include oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine. Doctors may prescribe them after surgery, a broken bone, a serious fall, or another painful medical condition. When used carefully and for the shortest appropriate amount of time, opioids can be an important part of recovery. They may help a person get enough rest, participate in physical therapy, and return to everyday activities.

At the same time, opioids affect the brain and nervous system. With continued use, the body can become accustomed to the medication. This can lead to tolerance or physical dependence.

Tolerance means the medication may not provide the same level of pain relief it once did. Physical dependence means the body has adapted to the medication and may experience withdrawal symptoms if the medication is suddenly reduced or stopped. Importantly, physical dependence can occur even when someone takes an opioid exactly as prescribed. Dependence is not necessarily the same thing as addiction or an opioid use disorder, but it is something that should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

Early Physical Signs of Opioid Dependence

One potential warning sign is noticing that the prescribed dose does not seem to provide relief for as long as it once did. A person may find that pain returns sooner between doses or may feel tempted to take medication more frequently or in larger amounts. Another sign can be withdrawal symptoms between doses or after reducing the medication. These may include sweating, chills, anxiety, muscle aches, restlessness, nausea, or difficulty sleeping.

Some older adults may also notice changes in their energy and daily routines. They may feel unusually tired, less alert, or unable to get through the day without their medication. These symptoms can have many possible causes, particularly in older adults, so they should not automatically be assumed to indicate dependence. However, they are worth discussing with a doctor or pharmacist.

Emotional and Psychological Warning Signs

Changes in thoughts, feelings, or behavior can also be important to recognize. For example, someone may begin thinking frequently about when they can take their next dose, counting pills carefully, or becoming increasingly worried about running out of medication. The medication may begin occupying more attention than it did earlier in the recovery process.

Another concern is using opioids for reasons other than physical pain. Someone may begin taking the medication primarily to relax, cope with stress, fall asleep, or feel emotionally better. This can be a sign that reliance on the medication is becoming more complicated. Changes in mood may also occur. A person may become more irritable, anxious, depressed, or withdrawn. Family members or close friends sometimes notice these changes before the person does.

It is important to remember that recovering from an injury can affect mood and independence, particularly for older adults. Spending more time at home or participating in fewer activities does not automatically mean there is a problem with opioid use. However, persistent isolation combined with increasing reliance on medication deserves attention.

Behavioral Changes to Watch For

Changes in how someone uses their medication may provide another important warning sign. These can include taking medication earlier or more frequently than prescribed, taking extra doses without consulting a doctor, or continuing to use opioids even after the original pain has significantly improved. Running out of medication earlier than expected can also be concerning. Someone may begin requesting refills sooner, asking for stronger medication, or visiting multiple healthcare providers to obtain additional prescriptions.

Secrecy is another potential red flag. A person may become uncomfortable discussing how much medication they are taking or become defensive when a loved one expresses concern. These behaviors do not necessarily mean someone has an opioid use disorder. There may be legitimate reasons for changing pain medication, especially when an injury or medical condition is complicated. The important thing is to discuss changes with a healthcare professional rather than making adjustments independently.

Why Opioid Dependence Can Be Difficult to Recognize

Opioid dependence can be particularly difficult to recognize when the medication was prescribed by a doctor. It is understandable to assume that a prescription medication must be safe as long as it is being used for a legitimate medical reason. However, even medications prescribed appropriately can carry risks. The likelihood of side effects and complications can also increase with age, particularly when opioids are taken along with other medications that cause drowsiness.

Dependence can also develop slowly. A person may simply feel that they still need the medication because they continue to experience pain. Over time, small changes in medication use can become a pattern. There is also no reason to feel ashamed about asking for help. Dependence is a medical concern, not a character flaw. Talking with a doctor early can help prevent a manageable problem from becoming more serious.

What to Do If You Notice These Signs

If you notice signs of possible opioid dependence in yourself or a loved one, start by talking with a healthcare provider. A doctor can review the medication, assess your pain, and determine whether changes to your treatment plan are appropriate.

Do not stop taking an opioid suddenly without medical guidance. Depending on how long you have been taking the medication and the dose, stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Your healthcare provider can determine whether the medication should be reduced gradually and can provide guidance on how to do so safely.

There may also be other ways to manage pain, depending on the cause. Physical therapy, appropriate exercise, non-opioid medications, behavioral approaches, and other pain-management strategies may help reduce reliance on opioids while supporting recovery. For people who develop an opioid use disorder, treatment is available. Medications such as buprenorphine and methadone can be used as part of treatment under appropriate medical supervision.

Protecting Your Health During Recovery

Recovery from a fall, injury, surgery, or other painful condition takes time. While opioids can provide short-term relief, pay attention to changes in your body, mood, and medication use. If you need more medication, think about it constantly, experience withdrawal symptoms, or use it for reasons beyond pain relief, talk with your healthcare provider. Recognizing a problem early can help protect your health, independence, and recovery.

Lauren Edwards is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Virginia Recovery Centers, a leading alcohol and drug rehab in Virginia. In her role, Lauren connects individuals and families with the center’s comprehensive addiction treatment programs, including outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment, and holistic therapies such as art and music therapy. She is dedicated to raising awareness about substance use disorders and providing compassionate support to those seeking lasting recovery, helping them navigate treatment options and access the resources they need to thrive. https://virginiarecoverycenters.com/

A Day of Reflection in Nagasaki, Japan

Our day of reflection takes us through cherry blossom-strewn, peaceful Nagasaki.

Join us as we stroll through The Peace Garden with its towering Prayer Monument, wonder at the surviving statues of a church at ground zero of the atomic bomb, visit the epicenter and the Atomic Bomb Museum.

We’ll take you back to the day when the clocks forever stopped at 11:02… CONTINUE READING >>

Right up until we stepped off the ship in Nagasaki, Japan, our feelings about visiting the site of the second atomic bomb attack were conflicted.

But the city has a quiet, peaceful atmosphere that put us at ease.

In spite of any misgivings we may have had, we knew that our primary destination was the area around the bombing.

The bomb missed its intended target by nearly two miles, sparing the center of town from destruction, so we hopped on the number one trolley and rode to the north end of town where the blast occurred.

Peaceful Reflection

Spring was in full bloom, so the path up the hill to The Peace Garden was brilliantly lined with flowers and the cherry blossoms were reaching their peak.

A remarkable sight anywhere, but made even more remarkable since many scientists predicted that no vegetation would grow on this ground for seventy-five years because of the radioactive fallout.

See more about the significance of the cherry blossoms in Japan

The garden is dedicated to peace, and the hope that an atomic weapon will never again be used against the people of the world. It was also an excellent spot to begin our visit to all of the memorials.

From here we could easily walk to the Urakami Cathedral, the epicenter, and the Atomic Bomb Museum before looping back to the tram at its next stop to the south.

Monuments, given from cities and countries all around the globe to demonstrate their commitment to world peace, line the walkways that lead to The Fountain of Peace.

The fountain’s spraying water forms dove’s wings as a symbol of peace. Water has an emotional attachment to this memorial because so many died due to the lack of any drinkable water.

This was most poignantly brought to our attention by the inscription on the fountain. Sachiko Yamaguchi, a girl only nine years old at time of the bombing, wrote “I was thirsty beyond endurance.

There was something oily on the surface of the water, but I wanted water so badly that I drank it just as it was.”

See more about The Peace Garden here

Opposite the fountain, the park is dominated by a huge statue known as The Prayer Monument for Peace. Towering thirty feet high, it was erected on August 9, 1955, the tenth anniversary of the explosion.

The mammoth figure has his right hand extended upwards toward where the bomb fell, and his left outstretched in a gesture of peace. His eyes are closed in prayer.

It’s hard to say how long we spent taking in the garden because there is a timeless, almost dreamlike quality to the memorial. After some time we still had difficulty sorting our emotions out.

One thing we can say for certain, the park was incredibly successful at conveying its message of peace.

See more about The Peace Garden here

Surviving Saints

Looking down from the garden we could see Urakami Cathedral a few blocks away. This was once the largest Catholic church in The Far East, but stood just a few hundred feet from the center of the blast.

However, a handful of statues survived the devastation and are now displayed in front of the rebuilt church.

See more of these eerie statues that survived the bomb at Urakami Cathedral

Before the rebuilding, one small section of an original wall that remained standing was moved and placed on display at ground zero.

So we walked along the Shimonokawa River down to the hypocenter, the point directly below the explosion which was exposed to the center of the bomb’s destructive force, to see.

The Hypocenter

The precise point is marked by a cenotaph, an empty tomb to honor those never found, in the center of concentric circles.

The Urakami Cathedral wall stands just off to the side. Just below the wall remnants, along the river, a window is cut into the bank.

We peered in and saw the ground as it was just after the explosion, strewn with crushed brick, scorched rock and melted glass.

See more photos of the memorial at the hypocenter

But again, despite the horrific history of this spot, our feelings were directed toward peace and remembrance. The site is incredibly solemn, yet very beautiful.

Want to see how she does it? Click for the video here

On our way out we came upon an elderly lady creating wonderful rose blossoms out of what we thought was ice cream. It turned out to be a subtle flavored ice made with rosewater.

See more photos of the memorial at the hypocenter

We sat and enjoyed our cones for a few minutes before heading up to what we knew would be an emotionally draining visit to The Atomic Bomb Museum.

The Clocks Forever Stopped at 11:02

Glass bottles fused together at the Atomic Bomb Museum, Nagasaki, Japan — Enormous heat: Glass bottles melted and merged.

The museum details Nagasaki before, during, and after the blast, as well as the history of the development and deployment of the bomb. We entered into a room depicting life in the city just before the attack.

It was a normal morning, and there was no warning whatsoever, no air raid sirens sounded, and no one made it into any of the numerous shelters.

We continued into a darkened room showing the aftermath of the explosion. As our eyes adjusted we began to see the items clearly, a twisted water tower, a replica of the collapsed cathedral, and photographs of the destruction.

Our attention was captured; it was almost like walking back in time through the ruins. We found it hard to breathe normally.

The main hall of the museum contained artifacts left from the devastation, stopped clocks, melted glass, charred human bone. Striking first-hand accounts from survivors.

An eerie photo entitled Silhouette of a Lookout and his Ladder Remain on a Wall was taken about three miles from the hypocenter after tar exposed directly to the flash of the bomb burned.

The tar disappeared, but the shadows remained on the Nagasaki Fortress Headquarters.

Coins fused together at the Atomic Bomb Museum, Nagasaki, Japan — Coins found fused together

A good deal of attention is given to the development of atomic weapons.

Displays cover the entire process, including a full size model of “Fat Man” as the bomb was known.

Numerous statements from scientists warn of the consequences of nuclear weapons, but the museum offers no opinions on the politics or reasons for the war, only facts about the bombing.

After considering it all, this struck us as a powerful method to convey the message of hope that these weapons are never used again.

Steamed Buns in Chinatown

Our minds were certainly filled with plenty to think about, but by this time our bellies were pretty empty. We also felt we should lighten the mood a bit, so we grabbed a trolley back down to the old part of town to seek some grub in Japan’s oldest Chinatown.

Nagasaki’s four hundred year old Shinchi Chinatown holds that distinction because this was Japan‘s only port open to Chinese trade during the era of isolation, when the country restricted any contact with the outside world. Today it has become the center of the city’s food culture.

The first thing we encountered was kakuni-manju. These sandwiches of braised pork cutlet in a steamed bun were being sold everywhere. It seemed like every storefront had a counter, and every corner a cart offering these delicacies. They smelled great and tasted every bit as good. Sure we were hungry, but this might be the best street food ever!

After two or three, we figured we’d better stop and save some room, because we couldn’t possibly visit Japan without trying the sushi. We found a small place tucked in between all of the Chinese restaurants and kakuni-manju stands and ordered the chef’s choice plate.

We were mostly curious to see if the sushi we were used to getting back in The States was authentic. It looked the same, but the taste wasn’t even in the ballpark – this was the freshest, yummiest, melt-in-your-mouth stuff ever. We were so excited that we sampled the salmon before we thought to take a photo.

Eyeing the Spectacle Bridge, a more pleasant reflection

A few blocks from Chinatown is one of Japan’s most famous bridges dating back to 1634. So after our raw fish we walked along The Nakajima River, passing several of the ten old stone bridges that span the river, until we saw our destination.

With our first look it was clear why this is better known as The Spectacle Bridge than its real name, Meganebashi. The reflection in the water really does look like a pair of eyeglasses.

We didn’t need our glasses to see that it was getting late in the day and we needed to hustle back to the ship.

Once again Nagasaki’s cheap, convenient, and easy to use trolley system came in handy.

A Spectacular Send-off

This quiet, peaceful city had one last surprise in store for us, as we got back on board we were given a rousing send off with a Chinese dragon dance, complete with traditional instruments and firecrackers.

WATCH: Beautiful Dragon Dance

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Delve Deeper:
The Peace Garden
The Statues of the Urakami Cathedral
The Atomic Bomb Hypocenter
Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Video – How to make a rosewater ice bloom

Click here for our full live-blog as we traveled with Holland America aboard the ms Volendam – through Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan

St. Augustine Opulence

enlarge video
St. Augustine was the winter playground for the turn-of-the-century filthy rich! Unbelievable opulence! Good grief! Can you BELIEVE how cool… CONTINUE READING >>

St. Augustine was the winter playground for the turn-of-the-century filthy rich! Unbelievable opulence! Good grief! Can you BELIEVE how cool this resort-turned-college is? Look at the dining hall! For more on this Florida town – the oldest in the United States: https://www.gypsynester.com/sta.htm

Visit our GypsyNester YouTube Channel!

Getting Gilded in St. Augustine

Irony. Sometimes people say it is impossible to define, but we think this comes pretty close: The Fountain of Youth is in America’s oldest city.

Hmmm, on second thought, maybe that makes perfect sense, perhaps it is the secret to St. Augustine’s… CONTINUE READING >>

Irony.

Sometimes people say it is impossible to define, but we think this comes pretty close: The Fountain of Youth is in America’s oldest city.

Hmmm, on second thought, maybe that makes perfect sense, perhaps it is the secret to St. Augustine’s longevity.

Ponce de León roamed these parts way back in 1513 searching for the mythical spring of eternal vitality. We find it highly doubtful that he found it here, since he died eight years later at only forty-seven.

The fact that he wasn’t even said to have been looking for it at all – until years after his death – casts further doubt on the tall tale.

Neither of these facts stopped Luella Day McConnell from creating a tourist trap with a scientific sounding name, the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

Luella, known as Diamond Lil, was famous for fabricating fictitious accounts, but the legend stuck and people have come to St. Augustine to drink from Lil’s fountain since 1904.

Surprisingly, reports of miraculous longevity seem to be in short supply.

St. Augustine is the oldest non-native city in the United States, formally founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés.

For the next couple hundred years – give or take – the settlement was under near constant attack from the British colonies to the north.

To protect themselves from this onslaught, the Spanish settlers built wooden forts -ten of them – before finally deciding to go bold and use several-feet-thick stones to build the impressive Castillo de San Marcos.

The Castillo is a big old sucker – no figure of speech, it truly is large, covering over half a million square feet – and elderly, dating back to 1672. Wait, one figure of speech, it doesn’t suck.

Ambling along the sea walls and then down in the moats, we got a feel for the oldest stone fortress in America.

On the seaward side, we came upon the most interesting of artifacts, a furnace where cannonballs were superheated till they glowed red hot.

These molten missiles were then fired at ships, setting them ablaze. Ingenious. No wonder the Brits could never take Florida by force.

A bargain was finally struck in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris, the British relinquished control of Havana in exchange for Florida. By then the Spanish must have figured they were never going to find the Fountain of Youth.

We weren’t naive enough to believe that some font of magic elixir was hiding around St. Augustine either, so we went in search of some other source of sustenance.

Just a stone’s throw from the fort we found Casa Maya, a wonderful little cafe that features fresh local and organic ingredients and, what’s this… Hibiscus Flower Sangria?

Ohhhhhh. Delicious and satisfying – perhaps we found the fabled fountain of invigoration after all.

Speaking of invigorating, a dash of Casa Maya’s delicious homemade habanero sauce on the Aztec Pork and Ranch Eggs with Mole sauce really put a spring in our step.

Both dishes were prepared to perfection, presented with panache, and priced properly. We were fired up – literally – and ready to take in the landmarks of St. Augustine’s Gilded Age.

Henry Flagler had a big idea. St. Augustine should be the new winter playground for the filthy rich, a “Winter Newport.”

Flagler certainly had the connections to pull this off. He was John D. Rockefeller’s partner in, and by most accounts (including Rockefeller’s) the brains behind, Standard Oil. So Flagler came down to Florida in the 1880s and started buying up everything in sight.

No other person had anywhere near the influence on making the state the tourist destination it is today as Henry Flagler. He was truly visionary in that manner.

His conquest began here in St. Augustine, with The Ponce de León Hotel and The Hotel Alcazar, that stand right across the street from each other in the center of town.

Neither serves as a hotel anymore, The Ponce de León is now Flagler College and The Hotel Alcazar is The Lightner Museum, but they can be viewed by the public. Seeing as how we are part of the public, we headed in, beginning with the good ol’ Ponce.

The Spanish Renaissance style of the former Ponce de León Hotel harkens back to the beginnings of St. Augustine and blends in beautifully with the semi-tropical surroundings.

An impressive structure both inside and out, the construction is entirely poured concrete – quite an experiment for those days – and, thanks to Flagler’s friend Thomas Edison (apparently this guy knew EVERYONE), one of the first buildings ever to be wired for electricity.

The interior has been restored from floor to ceiling, and we must say, the ceilings are works of art in their own right.

The Ponce de León Hotel made it through the depression, then served as a Coast Guard training center during World War II and ended up playing a role during the civil rights movement of the early sixties as the site of a student sit in when Dr. Martin Luther King came to town.

In 1968, the hotel had become the centerpiece of the newly-established Flagler College. We have to say, as college facilities go, it’s pretty amazing. The ornate ballroom now serves as a cafeteria and the old guest rooms as dorms. We spoke to one of the students about her housing and she gushed over how great her digs are.

Good to see she understood just how cool her rooming situation is – you never know with the young whippersnappers these days!

Wandering across the street and through the gardens of The Lightner Museum we entered the huge courtyard of what once was The Hotel Alcazar.

A truly a grand resort in its day, Captains of Industry could throw a bash in the three-story high ballroom or enjoy the spa, complete with a steam room, massage parlor, gymnasium, Turkish bath and the world’s largest indoor swimming pool.

Sadly the pool is no more, the space has been transformed into an exhibition area and a restaurant. But we did find the very spot where a turn of the century post card captured the record holding cement pond and snapped our own modern, less liquid version.

St. Augustine’s third hotel jewel from that era is the only one still operating as an inn. The Casa Monica Hotel was opened by Franklin W. Smith in 1888 to compete with Flagler’s twins next door.

Smith’s plan failed rather miserably and Casa Monica was bought and renamed The Cordova Hotel by Flagler the following year.

Still, Smith was instrumental in Flagler’s reconstruction of St. Augustine. It was Smith who first brought St. Augustine to Flagler’s attention and also Smith who championed the poured concrete architectural style that became Flagler’s trademark building method.

Smith had experimented with the construction when he built his home, the quirky Villa Zorayda, a few years earlier. Even with the grandiose hotels surrounding it, this was the first building we noticed when coming into town.

The eccentric mansion, based on the 12th-century Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, is impossible to miss. A sore thumb blends in quite nicely by comparison.

Flagler also employed Smith’s poured concrete style in several stunning churches that he built throughout the city, perhaps the most impressive being the Memorial Presbyterian Church.

With a dome inspired by St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, this church is so rockin’ that Flagler chose it as his final resting place.

As sensational as all of Flagler’s creations in St. Augustine are, he had even bigger fish to fry. To see his most opulent efforts we’d have to go further south, all the way to Palm Beach.

We know where we’ll be headed.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Funny and Inspirational Quotes – GypsyNester Style

Our favorite funny and inspirational quotes – GypsyNester style!

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Our favorite funny and inspirational quotes – GypsyNester style!
Share, tweet or pin them to your friends!

I'd rather regret the things I've done than the things I haven't done -Lucille Ball -
I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than the things I haven’t done -Lucille Ball

Those who dance are considered insane by those who can’t hear the music. George Carlin

The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. Sonya Friedman

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. - Chinese proverb

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. – Chinese proverb

You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you. Mary Tyler Moore
You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. Mary Tyler Moore

If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it. Jonathan Winters
If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it. Jonathan Winters

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou

The kindest thing you can do for the people you care about is to become a happy, joyous person -Brian Tracy

If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one -Dolly Parton
If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one -Dolly Parton

Do something wonderful, people may imitate it. -Albert Schweitzer

“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” -Albert Schweitzer

You can only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough -Mae West

Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused

I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Live was meant to be lived. Eleanor Roosevelt

Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine. -Whoopi Goldberg

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. -Robert Bault

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. Then quit. There's no use in being a damn fool about it. W.C. Fields
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. Then quit. There’s no use in being a damn fool about it. W.C. Fields

When people are laughing, they’re generally not killing each other. Alan Alda

Old age is fifteen years older than I am. Oliver Wendell Holmes

The only time to eat diet food is while you are waiting for the steak to cook -Julia Child

Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician!

A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. Muhammad Ali

You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen. But if you are beautiful at 60, it will be your soul’s own doing. -Marie Stopes

It is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them. Agatha Christie

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Mark Twain

I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them -Phyllis Diller

To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee. -William H Walton

I'm old enough and cranky enough now that if someone tried to tell me what to do, I'd tell them where to put it. -Dolly Parton
I’m old enough and cranky enough now that if someone tried to tell me what to do, I’d tell them where to put it. -Dolly Parton

Worry is as useless as a handle on a snowball. -Mitzi Chandler

Inside every 70-year-old is a 35-year-old asking, “What happened?” -Ann Landers

Don't let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out!
Don’t let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out!

To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer. – Paul Ehrlich

It's my belief we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain. Lily Tomlin
It’s my belief we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain. Lily Tomlin

There are only two things a child will share willingly; communicable diseases and its mother’s age. -Dr. Benjamin Spock

The day a child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise. Alden Nowlan

Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. -Marilyn Monroe

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong. -Charles Wadsworth

I still feel thirty, except when I try to run. -Bob Newhart

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. -Katharine Hepburn

I take a very practical view of raising children. I put a sign in each of their rooms: Checkout time is eighteen years – Erma Bombeck

As a child my family’s menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it -Buddy Hackett

The purpose of life is not to arrive safely at death

My theory on housework is, if the item doesn’t multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. Erma Bombeck

If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it to dance. George Bernard Shaw
If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance. George Bernard Shaw

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? Milton Berle

If I had my life to live over again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner. Tallulah Bankhead

Retirement must be wonderful. I mean, you can suck in your stomach for only so long. -Burt Reynolds

Middle age is having a choice between two temptations and choosing the one that’ll get you home earlier -Dan Bennett

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around… -Mark Twain

You shouldn't compare yourself to others -they are more screwed up than you think!
You shouldn’t compare yourself to others -they are more screwed up than you think!

Life literally abounds in comedy if you just look around you. – Mel Brooks

Leap and the net will appear -John Burroughs

I have everything I had twenty years ago, only it’s all a little bit lower. -Gypsy Rose Lee

Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere -Erma Bombeck

"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway." -John Wayne
Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. -John Wayne

The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you. John E. Southard

Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight -Phyllis Diller

Age is not important unless you are a cheese. -Helen Hayes

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers -Socrates

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? -Satchel Paige

We are like tea bags -we don't know our own strength until we're in hot water -Sister Busche
We are like tea bags -we don’t know our own strength until we’re in hot water -Sister Busche

Families are like fudge. Mostly sweet with a few nuts

Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body -George Carlin

True? Those who boast about being "brutally honest" are usually more brutal than honest. -Lori Palatnik
Those who boast about being “brutally honest” are usually more brutal than honest. -Lori Palatnik

All women have an hour glass figure – it’s just that we all tote around different amounts of sand

Never say anything about yourself you do not want to come true – Brian Tracy

You know you're getting old when all the names in your black book have M.D, after them. Arnold Palmer
You know you’re getting old when all the names in your black book have M.D, after them. Arnold Palmer

Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life -Kitty O’Neill Collins

Love is a game that two can play and both win. -Eva Gabor

If we threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back. -Regina Brett

No one can make you feel inferior without you consent -Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” – Mr. Rogers

The future ain't what it used to be -Yogi Berra
The future ain’t what it used to be -Yogi Berra

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God, do you learn. -C.S. Lewis

The Holidays!

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. -Oren Arnold

A grandmother pretends she doesn’t know who you are on Halloween. Erma Bombeck

On Halloween, the parents sent their kids out looking like me. Rodney Dangerfield

I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween!
I’ll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween!

My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor -Phyllis Diller

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves -Bill Vaughan

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you’re going, and the insight to know when you’re going too far.

What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a new job the next day. -Phyllis Diller
What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a new job the next day. -Phyllis Diller

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnices where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies dies of happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. -Erma Bombeck

There, I guess King George will be able to read that. – John Hancock (after signing the Declaration of Independence)

Spring is Nature's way of saying, "Let's Party!" -Robin Williams
Spring is Nature’s way of saying, “Let’s Party!” -Robin Williams

Enjoy!
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

Going Gypsy
One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at AllGoingGypsyBook.com#1 Amazon Best Seller“If you are tempted by the awakening of your own long-dormant wanderlust, Going Gypsy can serve as a primer. . . . The questions [Veronica] poses about ‘what next’ are relatable ones for all empty nesters.” —PBS’s Next Avenue

Celebrating Life After Kids ™
David & Veronica are experiencing the collision of Baby Boomer and
Empty Nester. We decided to grab life by the horns, sell the nest and become GypsyNesters!