All right, it's time for trip recap part two, aka the part actually spent in Key West. Most of the group met up in a bar at the hotel for a drink before going out to dinner Tuesday night, and I was amused by this sign on the wall:
We walked to Bagatelle, which was near the hotel, for dinner. It's a nice place, good food and service. I had a delicious steak, and took the leftovers back to the hotel for tomorrow's lunch.
When a party left the table next to us, I was struck by the light through the glassware.
Our group was celebrating a birthday, and they brought us all out slices of lemon meringue pie with sparklers on top! A fun surprise. After they were all put out, I heard one of the servers say he was surprised it hadn't set off the smoke alarm (there were eight of us). Glad that didn't happen.
As I didn't want to go on to a bar with most of the others, I walked back to the hotel (with one other person) and had a relaxed early night of it.
The next morning, roosters crowing woke me a bit on the early side for vacation, which is a thing that happens in Key West: roosters are everywhere, and not quiet about it. I pulled myself together and went out.
A building near the hotel had this fun art on the side:
Shortly after that, I happened to pass a park filled with busts of people from the early history of Key West, and wandered through looking at them.
I didn't read them all, but as there were more men than women, I did take the time to read about Lena Johnson. Doesn't she look alive?
I like that "she was able to support herself" but am less fond of the idea that she founded a group "to help introverts get over their bashfulness"!
The ship's going down!
On to the real point of my outing, Cuban Coffee Queen:
That's a delicious Cuban caramel coffee, and a pina smoothie for breakfast. Yum!
After a bit of wandering, and a stop at CVS to pick up chips and a Coke, I went back to my room and had those with my leftover steak for lunch. Hotels with mini fridges for the win! Then I got a swimsuit on and went down to the beach area.
Bonus points that you get not only towels, but chair covers for the lounge chairs.
However, I was a bit turned off by the sea grass, which was visible in the water as well as piled along the waterline.
It didn't tempt me in, so I moved to the pool instead. Passing this nice hammock: it was too hot and not breezy enough to tempt me in, but I love that it was there.
I found some of the others by the pool, and settled in to alternately read and knit.
And watch the iguanas.
And yes, I did get in the water as well! It was a nice peaceful afternoon.
For dinner, we ate at Nine One Five (which is unsurprisingly at 915 Duval St). The service was ... not the best I've ever had, but not awful, and the food was good. I had what they called airline chicken, which had a yummy glaze on it, and was served in a funny stack over the zucchini and potatoes:
On Thursday, I went for a wander around the area, though I was a bit thwarted by the heat.
Funny name for a place, but I bet the employees get tired of hearing the horseplay and tomfoolery jokes.
I enjoyed a nice long wander around Key West Island Books, and a nice chat with the woman working there. I then walked over to Books & Books, but I was hot and it was not cool inside, so I moved on. I did have a good wander through it last time I was there, and I encourage you to try it if you go!
I chose my lunch spot by walking in a place I was passing and asking, do you have air conditioning? (There are a lot of places there that have both inside and outside seating, but some are only outside, and I couldn't take it at that point.) She said yes, and First Flight it was. A/C, a cold drink, and a flatbread, that's better!
The tabletop was old wood, so cool:
Not only could you get beer-battered fish, but they specify which beer!
Back to the hotel and back to the pool. Here's how to cool down!
I did a lot of floating in the pool as well. Delightful.
Most of the group went to a local bar to watch the first round of the Hemingway look-alike contest (part of Hemingway Days), but I was overwhelmed by the crowd, and had dinner at a quiet Thai restaurant around the corner. Then, instead of going straight back to the hotel, I walked over to the water to watch the sun set.
Some very localized rain there! By the time we got closer, it had dispersed.
A different "old bridge falling apart near the new bridge" view.
Little islands, or I suppose keys, everywhere.
For once, a car with more bumper stickers than mine, but all on the bumper, none on the back! Curious.
I like the colors on these buildings. So much more fun than all the same.
The drive home, being done in one day, is longer than I've been in a car for a trip in a while, and ow! We did get out for lunch (Pinecrest Bakery), but the drive is 5-6 hours, and that's just a lot of sitting. I had some soreness and stiffness after. But it was a fun trip, I got to really relax, and it was worth it.
Then back to the hotel! To cool off, and start to get my things organized, as we were leaving in the morning. All vacation must come to an end!
There was some strong rain passing through Friday morning: it was mostly done by the time we left, but there was street flooding to show it had happened. Splash!
And that's it, other than some odds and ends of photos that didn't fit in but I'll get to at some point. What did I miss? Any questions?
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