Day Five: Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Leaving the Keys brought on a sense of loss, only because I did not feel I spent nearly enough time there.

But seriously, snorkeling and kayaking aside, no trip to Key West is complete without the Sunset Festival AND a trip to Ernest Hemingway's house. Even if you're not a fan of Papa's literary masterpieces visiting his humble abode is like stepping back into time; the long galley porches, his ‘man-cave’ where all the writing took place and of course, the cats.

Warning: Do not come here if you are allergic to cats. You will most certainly run into a few. 40 descendants of Papa's original six-toed kitty 'SnowBall' freely wander the grounds. They are used to people for the most part and will tolerate a pat on the head. Off the porch was a large cage with several rambunctious kittens bouncing about. Their quarantine was to adjust them to the constant crowds and the tenuous pecking order of the other 40 cats. Most of them are spayed/neutered but a few have litters each year to keep the polydactyl blood line alive.

Too many stories adorn Hemingway's home to recount in my mere 500 words. The tales are as numerous as the felines. The pool, for instance, was constructed at the request of by one of Papa's wives during the Great Depression. Although the beach is a mere walking distance she went behind Hemingway's back and had it built for $30,000. Ernest was so pissed he took a penny and threw it down into some still wet cement saying that she managed to spend the last cent he had. The penny lies under a square of Plexiglas for all to see. Years after their marriage ended the wife remained in the home where she threw galas and gathered her party goers around the coin, proudly declaring that it was Hemingway's last cent.

The lush backyard thrives in the Caribbean dampness, where fleshy flowers bloom and green lichen laces stone. This fountain I am proudly standing next to was actually a urinal from Sloppy Joe's that Papa was able to salvage.

On northward to Miami for a flight in the early morning. The trek back north was not as fun as the drive down to Key West. It almost made me wish we had spent $500 to fly out of there instead.

Our last night of vacation sadness was soothed with some vegan cuisine at a tiny cafe in Miami’s Little Havana. Vegan sushi was the star of the meal as well as tofu and quinoa salad. The storms we were spared from during our entire stay gave a bon voyage party in South Beach. Barely 5 pm the sky went pitch black and a deluge began. That does not stop the traffic on Ocean Drive.

The pictures speak better than I. It’s back home to LA for me so until the next blog, adios!

Key West: Day 4 - The Sunset Festival!

I’ll admit it. I’m kind of a loner. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the lust and vigor of a crowded night on Duval Street. There’s something about the early morning quiet of places normally so loud. Duval Street before 9 a.m. played well into my need to go exploring before the heat and sun tainted the day.

Not being a drinker I find Sloppy Joe’s joyously vacant and slid in to channel old Ernest’s soul. This was Hemingway’s favorite watering holes and I absorbed the place with a Virgin Mary for company. But I never linger long. More t-shirts and a couple of coasters later I’m off again.

I meandered down to Mallory Square, the stage for every evening’s Sunset Festival. Blank as a white canvas, the bricked plaza was toggled with Victorian era light posts. A slew of shops beckoned from the peripheries of the Square, some being open for early business. Granted they were tourist traps but their trinkets were fairly priced and the quality good. More souvenir shopping completed. Key Lime Soap and Mile 0 shot glasses for all!

Leaving Mallory Square I ended up at the Little White House, Harry S. Truman’s summer home. The house is now a museum and boasts a proud history of former presidential guests. A host of other dignitaries varying from other former presidents and staff also stayed here (Colin Powell utilized the house during the first gulf war) but I didn’t opt for the tour. The walk up and down Duval to Mallory Square even in the quiet a.m. drained me and another shower was needed. Humidity is a killer and the sun only enables it.

The sun. Bold, bright, and brutal. No wonder Key West celebrates its descent with the daily Sunset Festival.

The action takes place in Mallory Square, the back drop is the harbor and that insistent sun making its slow dawdle back to the sea.

Street vendors set up shop wheedling wares of all kind. That’s not to say all are merry. A few assumed if we were perusing their product we were going to buy something. Their sunny dispositions disappeared when we didn’t. It kind of put me off; a lot of window shopping was being done. But these folks were few and far between.

Then the bazaar segues into a circus atmosphere. Suddenly there are tight rope walkers, fire-wielding jugglers and drum beaters. Men hoist themselves on tenuous ladders, hooting and hollering for attention and dimes. With 50 or more spectators who can kick in a buck or two, a 20 minute performance can be quite profitable. They make a bit of a living and my stay becomes more memorable... click here for more pics from Day 4...
Us girls sipped some daiquiris on the deck of a floating bar and wished the sun a good night…our time was coming to a close but there was still much more to do here in Key West!

Key West Day Three (and night!)

Cheesy at it may seem, no visit to Key West is complete without a photo op at the marker of the Southernmost Point. It is a mere 90 miles to Cuba and although I was schooled with a little known fact that the true southernmost point in the US is a military base, this yellow, red and black marker was easier to visit. There is also a long wait in the direct sun to take your picture with the marker but it is proof positive to everyone that you made it. My morning maunderings led me here and neither Kamal nor Shipra were around. I took the pic of the point all by its lonesome. Which was fine. I was sweaty, sunburnt and badly bug bitten.

To really experience Key West it must be explored on foot. Yes, rent a car to travel to the other islands but in town you don’t need wheels. Parking is impossible and near the harbor will cost at least $15, minimum. Bike taxis pulled by college-aged boys scour Duval for passengers and mopeds are available for rent to putter around. But walking is my main source of exercise and I proceeded to get lost in the charming tiny neighborhoods. But to enjoy the full beauty of your route, water, sneakers and sunblock are a must. The humidity, if you are not accustomed, is like being in a higher altitude. It will kick you in the butt.

On the outskirts of main drags I found the NOAA branch on White Street. Being a Cali girl I was miffed hearing forecaster say there were no tropical occurrences predicted for the next 48 hours, (kind of the same way I was miffed at the tsunami signs in Crescent City, California!) Nonetheless whenit is the heart of hurricane season and there's only one way out of town you want to know if something wicked is brewing in the Atlantic.

When the sun goes down a stroll down Duval every night of your Key West stay is a must. Weekends are rowdier than weekdays and bars galore light up the night. This is the place to party, with or without your clothes, thanks to the CLOTHING OPTIONAL BAR (sorry, no pics).

The locals do have one pet peeve with tourists. There are those who believe its okay to walk in the middle of Duval Street, kind of like Disney World in Orlando. Unlike New Orleans French quarter, where the streets are safely cordoned off, Duval is an open thoroughfare and cars zoom freely so use common sense. Click here to catch some more views...

And don’t forget the Sunset Festival, the daily celebration of, well, the sunset so please stay tuned. I'm taking tiny break from this 'vacation' and will be back with a post on Tuesday...happy trails!

Key West: Day Two

I tend to be an early riser, especially on vacation; I hate to think I’m missing out on anything. But the deep sleep I sorely needed was disturbed by a grouchy rooster strutting near our hotel around six in the morning. It brought back memories of a Kauai trip where the Rooster is pretty much the de facto island bird. I marveled how his wattle looked just like the blooming red jacaranda that canopied an sunrise walk to the beach and beyond.

Key West is small so walking anywhere is possible. Before the heat grew too blistering I trekked over to the bone yard for a bit of history. Lovely marble angels gazed on the cemetery denizens below the jacaranda trees, one of which was a member of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. I also learned the trees only bloom in June, a definite perk to venturing here in the off-season.

In need of a cool dip after the sweaty walk me and Kamal hopped back into the rental and took off for Bahai Honda, one of the northern Key beaches for some snorkeling. The ancient railway that use to ferry folks from points north to the Keys still stands, with a big chunk of track missing over the Bahai Honda Beach. It made a great photo op.

The water is hotter than the air in Keys allowing us to linger in it a looong time. Although I couldn’t shake the feeling I was swimming in a tub of hot Gatorade it was great to float on the briny water and watch the world go by above and below. There wasn’t very much coral near the shoreline but there were some spirited fish and a small devil ray burrowing in the sand. We thought we were privileged to meet a basking iguana on the beach, incorrectly believing he was indigenous to the Keys. Unfortunately the animals are too often dropped off in the bit of wilderness to fend for themselves when they get too big to be pets. Their presence disrupts an already stressed ecosystem.

Off the coast of Bahai Honda was a very small key, beckoning us to swim out to it. While it didn’t look terribly far Kamal and I decided against it. Hitting up some locals confirmed our cautiousness…a few college kids attempted the swim and were fortunate to be rescued by the coast guard. Still, in a paradise like this you feel relaxed and sort of invincible.

Sunburnt and happy we returned to Key West for a night on Duval Street…stay tuned and check out the pics from day two!

KEY WEST: DAY ONE

I checked off a major ‘to do’ off of my ever-growing bucket list: KEY WEST!!! I was gonna drink in the Sloppy Joes with Hemingway’s spirit! I was gonna snorkel in crystal green waters with dolphins! I was gonna juggle fiery torches at the Sunset Festival! Whooo Hooo!

It all started a few months back. Shipra mentioned a dermatology conference she was attending for work and we both chuckled when she said it was being held in Key West. Totally appropriate. That most southern of points in the continental United States basking in the glory of the Gulf and an endless Caribbean sun. I quickly invited myself and our mutual friend Kamal—after all only good friends would insist on accompanying another to such a remote place. The lure of free lodging didn’t hurt either. Staying in Key West can be expensive, the closer you are to the water the pricier your hotel will be and the entire island is only 2 miles by 4 miles so do the math. I highly recommend the Blue Marlin Motel. It’s not 5-star but it is clean, quiet and accessible to all things Key West. It is a very easy walking distance to Duval Street and Mallory Square where the famous Sunset Festivals takes place every day at, er, sunset. But be warned; June is the beginning of the hurricane season and while we got good rates at the hotel the weather is sticky and hot making longer walks a bit more treacherous for those who are not in fairly decent shape.

Red eye out of Los Angeles to Miami seemed like a good idea if we had slept on the flight. Nonetheless we jumped into the rental and tore down the archipelagos towards our destination. Rain was predicted for our entire stay but if I could withstand tornado warnings in Louisiana and lighting storms while touring cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde then this was nuthin’! A deluge welcomed us speeding through the Everglades but by the time we reached Key Largo, the sun and sky was postcard intense. The only instructions my abandoned boyfriend gave me was to buy a shirt from Key Largo, an easy task given the large sandal outlet we shopped at.

By the time we reached Key West we were hot and exhausted but not so much that we couldn't venture out onto Duval Street. Duval is the equivalent to Bourbon Street in New Orleans or Front Street in Maui, lots of fun all the time. At 10 p.m. I realized I’d been up for over 36 hours and we returned to the room for the deepest sleep of our lives…only to find that I’d been feasted upon by some insatiable mosquitos…

I couldn't think of a more appropriate welcome to the Keys!
Check out some of the pics from day one!