If you’re wondering where all of my blog posts are, there hasn’t been very much to tell and I’m very much ready to go home. I’ve eaten some lackluster meals, took a long, traffic-filled road trip up the Keys, and witnessed an altercation at the pool. Read on for more details…
Tuesday: My hotel situation greatly improved on Tuesday, thanks to my new digs. Best of all, the room has functioning a/c. I went to Smathers Beach for sunrise again and got some pictures at the Southernmost Point before the crowds arrived. Breakfast was at Pepe’s, the oldest restaurant in Key West and a favorite of both Ernest Hemingway and Harry Truman. Then I hit the pool for a while before heading back into town for an enormous slice of Key Lime pie at Blue Heaven and a sunset “Wind and Wine” sunset sail with Danger Charters. The sunset was pretty and the wine, hors d’oeuvres, and conversation were freely flowing.
Wednesday: I watched the sunrise from White Street Pier and had a disappointing breakfast of Godiva white chocolate French toast (it sounds way better than it tasted) at Camille’s before setting off on my journey up the Keys to Islamorada. The water was a stunning Caribbean blue, but I didn’t find many spots to pull over and take pictures. I made a short stop at Sombrero Beach in Marathon and a pit stop at Publix in Islamorada, then turned around and drove all the way back to Key West. I envisioned myself enjoying a relaxing afternoon by the pool when I got back. That was not to be. Two guys decided it would be fun to grab a huge iguana by the tail and toss it into the pool. Twice. Because one of the guys didn’t get a picture the first time. Another guy decided it was his job to confront them and threaten to kill them if they did it again. A war of words ensued before other pool goers intercepted. Three managers had to come out and deal with the situation. It was hardly the relaxing afternoon I was hoping for. In fact, it was kind of the final straw and made me wish I a) had chosen a different vacation destination, and b) was heading home sooner than Friday. I did enjoy a lovely dinner of Gnocchi Gorgonzola at La Trattoria Oceanside.
Thursday: Since I was ready to pack my bags yesterday and head home, I determined to just make the best of today. Sunrise and breakfast were on the menu this morning, followed by a couple of hours at the beach. Don’t mistake Key West beaches for the Caribbean. The water may have the same color, but the beach is loaded with seaweed and the water is rocky, not at all sandy as you may expect. I enjoyed watching the pelicans diving for lunch and finished a book (no easy task with the wind turning the pages for me!) before heading back to the hotel. I went back into town and had the world’s soggiest pizza for dinner. I didn’t even bother staying for sunset. I can only hope that tomorrow’s final Key West breakfast is a good end to the vacation…
Traveling with Laura 