Memory Monday

     One of the reasons my parents allowed me to go on this trip was that we had a place to stay, once we got to Florida! One of my pledge sisters, Joanie, had an aunt and uncle who had a home in Coral Gables, right behind a fraternity house by the University of Miami campus and right on a canal leading to Biscayne Bay!

A home in Coral Gables, Florida

     I don't remember all the events in chronological order (it has been over fifty years ago!) so I'll just give the high lights! The above picture is not Joanie's uncle's house, but a similar facsimile! The house was built probably in the 1920's; very tropical/beach style...open verandas, lush greenery every where. It reminds me of a decadent, old house that was very grand in its heyday, but now a fading dowager! But still pretty darn grand in this Illinois farm girl's eyes!

     One "adventure" we had going down was in St. Augustine. We stopped by the park that housed Ponce de Leon's "Fountain of Youth"! As we got to the gate and discovered the price of admission, we decided we did not want to spend our meager allowances on entry, saving what we had for Miami! So we were walking around the outside when we spyed  another, smaller gate that just happened to be open! Fate was leading the way!  We slipped inside and, as luck would have it, a touring party with a guide was passing by so we just blended right in with them!  Towards the end of the tour, our presence did become known and we had to explain our indiscretion to the management. He was so nice!  When we explained we were from U of Missouri on our way to the Orange Bowl and had limited funds, he let us stay without paying and wished us luck on our trip!

The Fountain of Youth-St. Augustine, Florida

Again this is not a real picture that I took...just a picture off the Internet of the entry. You must realize this was waaaay before cell phones and digital cameras. I don't even remember anyone having a camera with us. We just didn't constantly snap picture every few minutes....and there was no Facebook to post to. Heck!! There was no Internet back then!