Winter Blahs

by Jeff · April 17, 2020

So, we decided that we needed to have a vacation in the middle of the rain season and get away from Wetstern Washington for some sun and surf.

Florida sounds good, let’s go!!!

E and I have had Key West on our bucket list of travel destinations so a frenzy of research and dreaming went on last fall to develop a travel itinerary. Early March is about as long as we go without getting out of the rain so we decided to schedule our trip for then. For all the background info on the planning go see flynnandollie.com.

I have been to Florida once. Three years ago we went to see the mouse in Orlando (search the stories on here). This trip was not to be the semi frenzy that a trip to Disney is but a more relaxing soak in the sun and island attitude that is the Florida Keys.

We left Washington in a light rain and 40 degree weather. We landed in fort Lauderdale in full sunshine and 80 degrees. After the hectic run of airports, transfer buses and getting the rental car, we finally got out of the airport and headed south on US HWY 1 and all those demands seem to start to slip away. A search in the Hollywood area and a great family run Cuban restaurant provides us with our first taste of the area, a Cubano sandwich and Mojitos. With the trip starting right we again head south on Hwy 1.

As you get past the sprawl that is Miami, we are struck by the flat terrain and the change in vegetation to low trees and brush. As you head south on 1 and enter the keys the Atlantic appears on your left and the gulf/everglades encroach on the right.

For those of you who read the novels, you realise that you have entered into the world of Travis McGee and Jimmy Buffet. We entered onto Key Largo with the song by Bertie Higgins running through my mind. A quick stop at the visitors center for some local color and a souvenir and then another stop for some of the islands coffee to fuel our physical journey.

The drive down island is beautiful, especially for those of us involved in living on the water at home. The enticing blues and greens of the Atlantic and gulf looming on both sides of the road make me want to stop and stay but our time is short so we continue southward. Every bridge has people fishing the pilings with pelicans and gulls hanging out watching. We are late in the day and evening comes quick at this latitude. On the 7 mile bridge, we witness our first keys sunset…breathtaking even from the car! As we enter onto Big Pine Key we are reminded by signs everywhere to slow down and watch for the small Key Deer as they are a fragile sub-species. We don’t see any deer and continue on to Key West where we get a true feeling for small streets and limited parking.

Our home for the next few days was the Duval house on Duval Street. This oasis is easily found and they have guest parking around back. The parking is an additional fee as any parking in the old town area is at a premium. We are met in the office by Jennifer “just call me J” and offered adult beverages while we get registered and shown to our room with an actual set of metal keys. The keys have stretchy wrist bands so you can wear them in the pool or ocean for swimming. The house is actually a set of four houses with a relaxing oasis, complete with pool, in the courtyard. The houses used to be a cigar rolling “factory” back in the heyday of that industry in Key West. The island was originally named Cayo Hueso (bone island) by the spanish but the english settlers thought it sounded like key west, so changed the name. This is also known as the “Conch Republic”! In 1982 The U.S. Border Patrol established blockades in response to the Mariel Boatlift from Cuba and the city of Key West seceded from the United States briefly in protest over the car by car searches that the agents were performing. This republic has now morphed into the local attitude toward freedom and fun that pervades the locals and visitors equally. You can’t help but slow down and “smell the roses” while here.

We went out that evening despite being totally smashed from travelling for 20 hours and had our first taste of the island at DJ’s Clam Bar…Conch Fritters, a lobster roll and local beer. Yummmm! We made our way back to the house and totally passed out in our plantation room.

For the next 4 days we did the tourist snowbird thing… We visited all the sights and sounds of a Key West Holiday, walking around town, going to all the famous haunts and enjoying the warmth and hospitality that is the local stock in trade.Our evenings were spent in Mallory Square with all the locals and tourists looking for the green flash at sunset and joined in the applause that accompanies the last light as the sun sinks below the horizon. There is a party atmosphere here after the sun goes down and there are street vendors and performers all over the square. There is Cuban coffee at the cafes, dinner noshing at the restaurants and general people watching of all sorts. A line from Jimmy Buffet comes to mind “dancing in the heat to the beat that makes your clothing clammy”. The after dark orgy that is the crowd living up the nightlife is a press of bodies walking, dancing, eating and drinking the night away.

We thoroughly soaked up the local lifestyle, having breakfast in our courtyard with the other guests, lounging by the pool in the shade of the Banyan trees, making our office under the spreading canopy of the trees and then venturing out for the day. We didn’t experience any mosquitoes and the heat was a little oppressive in the mid 80’s but not overly humid this time of year. The beaches are beautiful and warm even if the ocean is a little disturbed by offshore weather somewhere and we spend time in the ocean. Souvenirs were bought and worn, boat drinks were consumed by the boatload. I have to mention Key Lime Pie which is one of my all time favorite desserts in the world. I tried every one I could get my hands on in every restaurant in town to only discover that they are almost all made by one of two bakeries in town. Doesn’t matter, they were all great and there are a ton of variations on the theme, including cake pops and even shakes and key lime floats.

All too soon, our time in the keys was up and we had to head north. We had scheduled some time to visit friends in the Saint Augustine area in northern Florida for some much needed catching up and adventures there. and possibly some real estate investigation.

As we headed north on highway 1 we both hated to leave, delaying our final departure by stopping a couple times to grab a drink or lunch on our way to Homestead where we were scheduled to go tour the everglades which will be it’s own installment here.