Key West

 We drove to Key West this morning, departing about 7:00 a.m. to drop off Luniquan at the Wigglebutt Inn, stopping at MacDonalds for breakfast to go, and heading south on highway 41 -- the Tamiami Trail or "Alligator Alley," as it is known.

On Duval Street

Around Miami, we slipped onto US Highway 1 -- the old road that runs from Key West to Maine, the entire length of the United States East Coast.  The ride on the causeway was pretty, too.  Water on both sides of the road, and an ever changing view of old and new Florida.  We stopped briefly at the John Penneykamp Coral Reef State Park -- an underwater park -- but decided to return tomorrow for some snorkeling and glass bottom boat tours.

So, after checking in at the Marriott Beachside Hotel in Key West, we headed over to the Conch Republic for lunch.  A walk down Duval Street was enlivened by the tee shirt parlours, bars and the occasional "gypsy chicken."  

   

In the mid-1800's, chickens were big business in Cuba. Breeders had purchased several varieties of Filipino fowl in Spain and brought them to the island, where they were selectively bred for size and aggressiveness--and  named the Cubalaya. The handsome gentleman here is a black breasted red. By the 1860's, when Cubans began to move to Key West, they brought their love for cockfighting (and their chickens) with them.

The Hemingway House

We did the tour of the Hemingway house. The mansion is replete with its collection of six-toed cats, now under some kind of unnecessary protection from the Department of Agriculture. It is still one of the largest properties on Key West and is owned by a private owner. The tour guides know their stuff and weave the Hemingway story into the history of the period very nicely.  It's at least the fourth time Marcia and I have been there and heard it, and there is always something new.

Bob, Natalie, Marcia and Brian

Well, it was nearing dusk, and so time to wander down to Mallory Square by the water.  There is a famed Sunset Celebration, a nightly arts festival that occurs at Mallory Square Dock every night. We stopped to take a photo of the four of us as headed toward the square.

Get me a drink!

It seemed only appropriate to have a libation with which to celebrate sunset, so we lined up at one of the sidewalk bars that were doing a brisk business.  

Sunset from Mallory Square

Soon the cruise ships began to pull away from the dock and the sun began to sink lower in the western sky.  A number of sailboats criss crossed in front of us, sails silhouetted against the sun and the cloud streaked sky. Toasts were hoisted, while street performers did their acts on the dock -- one guy pretended to do a show with trained cats, but in fact the cats seemed to be doing whatever they liked and the guy made up a commentary to fit their random actions. 

Mallory Square trinkets

Duval Street at night

There was stuff for sale, and  lots of traffic on Key West's Duval Street, which was very much alive tonight.  We dined at the Grand Cafe Key West.  We walked back to the Margaritaville bar and caught the shuttle back to the Marriott.  (The shuttle is by the way aplus for the Marriott, because taxis and other transportation in Key West seem very expensive.)