The next place on our list was the Pirate and Treasure Museum. This place was a mixture of actual artifacts from the 1700's and reproductions.

The sign claims this is one of only two surviving pirate flags. A Google search indicates that actually there are three, and this one has the sketchiest provenance -- like, none, really. Oh, well. As long as it brings in the tourists.

We took a short walk to Castillo de San Marcos, a fort that started construction in 1672 and is the oldest masonry struction in the USA. Its purpose was guard the coastline against invasion.

Unfortunately for us, the Trolley had just dropped off a load of tourists. When we walked up near the entrance and saw the long line to get in, we decided to go on to another destination.

Back on the Trolley for a short ride to the Lightner Museum. The museum occupies part of what was once the Alcazar Hotel, built by Henry Flagler in 1888. In 1947 the building was purchased by Chicago publisher Otto Lightner to house his eclectic collections.

The old hotel had many luxury facilities, including a casino, steam rooms, a bowling alley, and the largest indoor swimming pool at the time; the museum now occupies these spaces. To get to the displays, we passed a beautiful interior courtyard and a curiously empty hallway.

Otto Lightner was an avid collector and a zealous advocate for collecting as a hobby. In 1931 he launched Hobbies magazine, billed as "the magazine for collectors". During the Depression, hobbies were seen as a way to reinforce the work ethic when there literally was no work. Not sure how they were supposed to afford hobbies like collecting.

We started our tour of the varied goodies in the first-floor Music Room, home to a variety of mechanical musical instruments including tabletop music boxes, player pianos, and cabinet-sized nickelodeons.

After a cursory stroll thru the rest of the first floor (where we encountered the curious blown-glass "steam engine"), we made our way up to the third floor. The various exhibit rooms were a connecting rabbit warren off the main 3-story hallway, which looked down on the old swimming pool.

I was fascinated by some of the furniture, particularly the odd chairs. Mike was drawn to the various antique bicycles.

We continued down to the second floor, which housed a dizzying collection of glassware of every size, shape, and color.

We were well and truly pooped. We left the museum and boarded the Trolley for a welcome sit-down. On the way back, it stopped again at Castillo de San Marcos, but we decided we'd had enough for one day. Instead, we just enjoyed the marina views as we rode. And sat.

After the Trolley got us back to our starting point, we took a moment to admire the Old Senator, a live oak reputed to be over 600 years old. I observed that there are a lot of OLD things around here -- including us.

So these old folks gratefully returned to their car, anxious to get back to Behemoth for a good rest in the recliners.