Past Travel: Key West, September 2023, Part Three

For more about this series, see Part One; Part Two.

Day two in Key West started with me being grateful that I slept pretty well despite the rock-hard bed. Am I the only person who wants a soft bed? If I wanted to sleep on the floor, it's right there, no need to make the bed that way. Ahem. Anyway. I also resolved to rest/ride when possible, as I had already walked more than usual for me the day before, and I didn't want to make my joints too angry! Isn't arthritis fun?

I played with the coffee machine in the room, and was amused to find that they put the sweeteners, stirrers, and so on, in a package that was not labeled as I would expect.

To me, condiments are more like what you'd put on a hamburger: ketchup, mayo, relish, and so on. What do you think?

We met in the lobby and took the Duval Loop down to the southernmost point of the island, for photos. 

There, in the parking lot, look!

Rooster!

And as we walked on by, a mama and babies.

The official southernmost point marker:

When Mom and I went to Key West a few years ago, it was the weekend between Christmas and New Year's, which it turns out is one of the busiest weekends of the year, and the line to take pictures in front of it was down the block. Not so this time! I mean, in September it's hit, and you risk a hurricane, so there's a reason it isn't as busy, but there are good things about it.

More rooster photos. Because of course.

We had breakfast at Ana's Cuban Cafe, good food but already so hot out (it has tables outside, but there isn't an air-conditioned inside to sit). The others had talked of going over to a nearby nature preserve, which I already planned to opt out of due to it being more walking in the heat, but in the end the others decided not to as well. Instead, we went to the next planned stop, the closer Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory.

Turn at the giant flamingoes!

I was a bit squicked out by the butterflies on display.

But we were there to go into the part with the live butterflies: someone in the group had raved about this, having done it before. I found I was a little jumpy at them flitting about my head! Not that I thought they would hurt me, but apparently they sent off my motion sensor.

Neat to see, for sure!

They weren't shy about landing on people, either.

And, were you wondering about the flamingoes on the exterior? They had a couple of those, too! I was very surprised to learn that they honk; I had no idea.

If technology is feeling kind, here will be an 8-second video of the sound...if it isn't there, google "flamingoes honk"!

You can tell how much I liked seeing them. But also, butterflies!

Whoops, more flamingoes.

Flowers.

Turtles!

As you leave the area, there's a reminder sign.

If you decided to go, save a little time for the gift shop, which was full of good stuff.

Back outside, waiting for the bus, I was struck by this plant. Amazing how a still thing can look so full of motion.

When doing research for the trip, I of course had looked to see if Key West had a yarn store, and from what I read, a place called the Seam Shoppe carried yarn as well as sewing supplies, so I wanted to see what it was like. A few of the group came with me, and we had to walk from the Duval Loop route, what felt like a long walk in the heat. But it was pretty! 

Yarn ho!

They carried quite a wide range, really. I'm not sure I've been to a yarn store that carried both the basic stalwart Red Heart and the considerably fancier Noro! 

I enjoyed looking around, but didn't find anything I needed to have, so we headed back to the bus loop. Passing this sign, which amused me: that's a yard?

The bus, when it finally came, was an oasis of cool--they air condition them SO hard, and I loved it. In fact, I wasn't ready to get off when the others did, near the hotel, so I rode it around a little more and then decided to get off and walk over to a bookstore (what else? yarn and books).

More rooster.

And flowers.

The Key West Island Bookstore is a great store, and I wish we had one like it near me. I had a good time browsing and a nice chat with the owner as well.

She had a few volumes of Books in Print on a high shelf, which took me back to my post-college job at a bookstore, when that was a frequent reference.

Saw a fun bike on the way back to the bus, very colorful.

I got on the bus and wondered what to do about lunch. Another of the group got on a few stops later, and we decided to get sandwiches at Cuban Coffee Queen, which turned out to be messy but delicious. The chain is local to Key West, and there was one right by our hotel, very handy. Fun merch, too:

After lunch, I did a little shopping at that mall the Clinton Square Market*, which had a bunch of really fun and interesting shops.

*The google-map informs me that the Clinton Square Market is in The Shops at Mallory Square, but then that The Shops at Mallory Square is in the Clinton Square Market, which is a circular argument indeed.

Back to the room to unwind a little, and then down to the pool. Yum.

Looking down, I saw a flower.

So of course, I looked up. Yup!

I was joined at the pool by one of the two people in the group who, like me, had passed on the activity the others were doing, a rum and reggae snorkeling cruise that didn't appeal to me (or them, apparently). We made plans for dinner, and ended up walking over to Hank's Hair of the Dog Saloon, where we sat inside and listened to the live music from outside. It was cooler inside, plus the music wasn't as loud--the performer was good, but I prefer it a bit quieter than live music usually is.

We sat at this gorgeous-topped table.

And enjoyed the look of the bar.

And there was a food truck out back, Garbo's, when we were ready to eat. (As seen, apparently, on Food Network’s Diner’s Drive-In’s & Dives.)

Imagine how many people walked into that support strut before they put the pool noodle over it?

Korean BBQ tacos, messy but delicious.

I saw a cat on the walk back, but he was not encouraging me to get any closer, thank you, I don't care how much you miss your cat, madam, keep your distance.

We walked back to the hotel and were looking out over the water when the snorkeling group came along. 

The others started discussing dinner and dancing, but I was pretty tired out, so I went up to my room. Another good, but long, day!