TRAVELING SOUTH

Paul took this Friday off so he could treat me to the scenery of Key West! Guess it takes awhile just for the travel; so we packed our little overnight bags and decided to leave early. The neighbor, who has a great dane, said they would look after the beasties; so, off we went. Of course, we hit a small snafu not too far into our journey - construction - one lane driving. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, but did throw water on our enthusiasm.

I found it kind of fascinating crossing the expansive bridges taking us into Key West. We traveled the newer bridge & the old one was still in sight. They are used by joggers, bicyclists, and (Laddies, you would love this) many fishermen & women. They pack along the railings more so in some spots than others. Guess they know where the best fishing of the day is.

We commented on the fact that if you didn't fish, have a boat, own a trailer, fix machinery, sell surf boards or tiki products, you were just out of luck for a living. Many road side diners & eateries were either closed or for sale. Lots of touristy roadside places that used to sell souvenirs, etc. were closed. This is supposed to be part of the "high" tourist season but I guess people just aren't going South of Miami to look around...at least from outer appearances.

Beautiful day - bright blue skies; calm, shades-of-blue ocean; sun that was getting warmer by the hour- made our car ride very pleasant. Every few miles (or so it seemed), there were "Key" Signs - Marathon, Pine, Glades - and, naturally, Key Largo. Just seemed as if every little area that had a service station was a Key of some sort!

We entered Key West and went to check into our Fairfield Inn. Paul had been here before but said they had enlarged it, put in a nice outdoor pool, redecorated, etc. He also said the area had developed so much he didn't recognize it Other Inns, more eateries. We headed for downtown Key West - Duval Street.

Duval Street - to me - was alot like Bourbon street in New Orleans; not so much in looks but in activity. Now the tourists appeared and there were shops upon shops, bars, music from saloons.

kids holding parents hands and "kids" holding their beers & drinks. Took us a long time walking around because we went into lots of shops, just checking things out. (Lots of nasty signs & tee shirts, if anyone is interested). One shop had about eight or nine different pairs of Dame Edna glasses. Almost bought a pair, but what the heck! How many times am I going to appear as Dame Edna?

Stopped for lunch at Mangoes - we sat in the outdoor patio area and it was so chilly they had

those overhead heaters on. Paul had been catching a terrible cold and went out to wait in the sun after we were almost finished...food was excellent - large portions - Paul & I had frozen daquiris and since he was really frozen, we walked further up Duval Street to the town part of Key West - where the mall-type shops are. Paul purchased a neat light-weight gray top, put it on (after paying, of course) and we started our journey back to our car. Decided to take a rest at the inn before going out again, but Paul could barely breathe and he fell asleep. We were going on a ghost tour but when Paul called about it to see where to meet, he found out it was a walking tour so we opted out. Tomorrow is another day...

Paul, feeling much better but still not breathing too well, went to work out a little with Larry. Larry checked out the "free" breakfast and we decided to eat "in" because it was pretty good. We wanted to go to the Hemingway House and other places, so we checked out; getting warmer but still too cool for swimming.

Were among the first to arrive at Hemingway's House. Grounds are beautiful - the house itself is just that, not a mansion. Many, many five-toed cats roam the grounds - descendants of Hemingway's original cat, and are named for movie stars. We met Spencer Tracy, Charlie Chaplin (with a very distinct black mustache under his little nose), Rita Hayworth, etc. The guide told interesting stories about Hemingway and, of course, his favorite watering holes are still in business. White tents were being set up outside on the grounds. The guide said the location was very much in demand for weddings & banquets. Said this day's wedding was for 250 guests and showed us the other side where the ceremony was to be held - out under many big trees.

We were going to Truman's Key West White House, but decided against it and went to take pictures at the "Southernmost Point in the U.S." We kind of laughed though, because the original big hotel, nice restaurant, etc, which had "Southernmost" in their names had been replaced with an entire block of sites which had become "southernmost." Ate at an outdoor restaurant on the beach - conch appetizers (I had never had conch) very tasty, kind of like seafood hushpuppies. And, the BEST Key Lime pie I have ever tasted. We wondered at first because the menu said it had an Oreo crust - but very thin; pie was extremely light & tart; it was drizzled with chocolate. (Wish I had a piece right now, but I also remembered Lent started yesterday). Much warmer today - didn't need our jackets - walked around a little more. Started home.

Saw a sign near Key Largo that Paul & I got excited about. The African Queen was somewhere near the "100 Marker" and we wanted to see it. It was the boat used in the movie "African Queen" starring Humphrey Bogart & Katharine Hepburn. It was moored by the docks - very interesting - pictures taken - onward.

This Blog is turning into a travelog, so I'd best tell you all about Sunday and be off! The neghbors, Evan, Claudio and Amp, invited us over to watch the Oscars on TV. Lots of wine, good appetizers, excellent filet mignons roasted on the grill (with mashed potatoes, shredded veggies, half avocado atop tomatoes). We were so-o full, but managed to test more wine!! Checked ballots for Oscar winners - watched - ohhed and darn ited - as our predictions fell by the wayside. Evan checked my ballot - gave me a hug - announced that I was winner. (Paul brought our ballots home...thinks Evan gave me a couple of "passes"...poor loser!!)

Well, everyone, I see your Chicago weather is improving. Certainly hope Spring is nearing...it's almost time for my exit from the Sunshine State and I don't want snow around when I return. See what you can do about that, okay???

Love to you all,

Marma