countdown...

just a week to go before returning to the land of snow and ice...
Meanwhile we had the loveliest of New Year/Alan bday eve; taken for a meal by kids,
then the Beatles band was above all expectations, playing difficult songs real well,
and of course a few of the more well known ones. The atmosphere was good, lots of merry and good natured revellers. Before going to this, we managed to play a bit of table tennis in a pool hall, and I ended up playing with a bunch of youngsters and winning a round-the-table game, I earned some ovation and an offer of a drink... On New years Day we got ourselves together and were driven by Doris (the kid's comfy little toyota) to St Augustine, the oldest town in the US! It was a bit over-run with tourists, but it is a small city of beautiful buildings and a well preserved Spanish fort next to a pretty harbour and draw-bridge. We stayed at a beach hotel a few miles away from the town centre, so next morning had a chance to dip our toes into a rather cold but very impressive Atlantic Ocean.
Every day we had a bit of adventure here in Gainesville, travelling the city bus we visited the Natural Museum with it's butterfly collection, though we failed to find the well hidden entrance to the bit with the tropical forest where one can walk amongst the most exotic butterflies, but when we asked we were given tickets to redress the hitch.
So we are getting to the last bit of this incredible holiday packed with adventures and good times with the kids... I will have to sum up our impressions about the US... soon... before all becomes memory when one asks - has it really happened?? The weird picture which I failed to turn round is the meditation building of the University, lovely spot next to Lake Alice in the middle of the enormous campus.