We get up and have a great breakfast and then its into the car - off to Key West! Only problem is I forgot my contact lens container and tried to use something else -against the advice given on all labels. I stick my lens in and get an immediate reaction - a burning sensation. Have to take the lens out and flush my eye for a while which becomes VERY red - means I will be driving one eyed .
First stop Bahia Honda - apparently one of the nicest state park beaches in the Keys - today is not that good - it is windy and there is lots of weed and debris on the beach - there is evidence of the railroad bridges that were built to join Key West with the mainland - these worked for a while but over time with Hurricanes and storms and other transportation the rail died. Today there are 42 bridges for you to drive the Keys - the longest is 7 miles long (over 11km) which makes quite a sight - bridges spanning from island to island for as far as you can see.
Matt and I enjoyed some time in the water but it is not that nice unfortunately. The Keys despite my vision of long beautiful beaches seems to have issues with retaining sand - the beaches are more about rock.
We arrive at Key West - home and holiday hideaway for a number of famous people from the past including Zane Grey and Ernest Hemmingway - with many of the old buildings still existing where they wrote and lived in those times. We head to the supermarket to get some lunch and take it to the Southern Most point (we are 90 miles from Cuba)- get the obligatory photo and keep going. We found another State Park (paid as usual) and spend some time under the pines to escape the heat and again some time in the murky and rocky waters of the Atlantic.
A quick explore around town before having dinner in what looks like a nice enough bar overlooking the street so that we can watch the world go by. - Dad gets a cocktail - a Mojita - just not the same - everywhere in Florida we dine (granted not the flashest of restaurants) they serve drinks and meals on or in plastic. Now a cocktail normally feels a bit more fancy when it is in glass and made properly. Anyway a nice enough pizza - Anna is are starting to look like Pizza and Matt's case, a chicken nugget. The music is pumping - a bit loud for mum's liking and while some of the music she seems ok with she takes a dislike to some of the more techno beats!
Mallory square is where all the action happens next - a street market and buskers and food stalls - with everyone waiting for the sun to set. It's fun and we've had another good day but it's time for Hagan Daas ice cream, find the car and drive back to Marathon.
Dorothy (GPS) decides she's had enough and gets us very lost getting out of the town at Key West so it takes a while - the rest of the journey home is done with a quiet car and many of the inhabitants resting their eyes, apparently. My eye at the same time is burning and sore and I will be pleased to get back to the Holiday Inn and get to bed!
We do so only to find the walls of the hotel waifer thin and a snorer has checked in next door - oh dear.
No comments:
Post a Comment