Key West - Not Just Bars and Souvenir Shops

This past week, we undertook a five night cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West, Cozumel, and Coco Cay, Bahamas. First stop was a half day in Key West, Florida. I snapped these old homes with my wife's camera. I had managed to leave home with the lens cap and battery charger to my new Sony DSC-HX1 (that's a Digital Still Camera). However, I failed to take the camera itself. Duh! I also failed to take the Sun Pass out of my car and put it into my wife's small BMW, but that mistake only cost us $5.00 in cash tolls on Alligator Alley (I-75 across the Everglades).

We arrived at the ship in time for lunch, having pushed the speed limit after dropping off the dog off at Hagan's Pet Resort (I recommend it) in Sarasota. That began yet another week of sun, fun and food, starting off the next morning in Key West. This would be my fourth trip to Key West, my wife's third. No "shore excursions" as we pretty much had seen all the normal tourist haunts. Years ago we had stayed on "Marriott reward points" for a week at their premier resort, along with our children.

This time, the two of us decided to just walk Duval Street and see what was going on. We found the requisite chickens and roosters wandering about, and the meanderings of assorted homeless types as they came to where they passed out the night before and were now weaving toward what passed for home. The shops were opening at mid morning (this being a Sunday) and we actually heard church bells - apparently some locals still observe the Sabbath. Borrowing her camera, I snapped several shots of older buildings, two of which I have shown above.

We also did a bit of shopping, purchasing a nice Outer Banks sports shirt with the Margaritaville logo at Jimmy Buffet's store (the restaurant wasn't yet open). We also picked up a free stone necklace at Cariloha (a division of Del Sol), where they sell products made of bamboo. They make great sheets, towels, and sporting wear. My wife bought a very soft blue T-shirt, while I passed on a purchase there. End of day, our purchases were a shirt from Jimmy Buffet's, a T-shirt from Cariloha, and I picked up six cigars from a shop on Duval. I pronounced this a good day - we came, we saw, we avoided spending more than $100 dollars. Next stop would be Cozumel, Mexico. Goodbye Key West, goodbye Conch Republic!