Saturday 2 August 2008

Fountain of Youth in St Augustine, Florida

Shortly after the discovery of the Americas, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León set out to find Bimini, an island to the north that he had heard about from the natives in Puerto Rico.
According to local legend, Bimini was home to a fountain that had magical restorative properties, and Ponce de León set off to track it down. He landed at what is now St Augustine in Florida, although it is never known whether any of his crew discovered what they were after.
The landing spot is now in the Fountain of Youth National Archaeological Park, and there can be queues to drink from the fountain there. These are largely formed of fat, ageing Americans in garish shirts, and there’s more than a hint of desperation about it.
It’s highly unlikely that it’s the Bimini of lore, but don’t spoil the fun by telling anyone that. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?

More information: Fountain of Youth National Archaeological Park, Florida, USA

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