Day 8 Wednesday Oct 19 Key Largo to Key West FL

The road to Key West from Key Largo is basic.... two lanes, one in each direction most of the way.   Some of the highway is four lane, but not much.  Speed limits are 45 mostly, some 55 mph so traffic is reasonable and not frenetic.  We cruised with our convertible tops down and window side-curtains removed.  Very nice way to travel. 

The highway was modernized some years ago, sorry I don't know when, but remnants of an old railroad bridge are still evident at a place called the 7-mile bridge.  Some of the old bridge still stands, though is not used except as a fishing spot. 

We arrived in Key West, a hundred miles from Key Largo, too early to check into our hotel, so we drove down into town despite being warned about traffic congestion there.  We wanted to find a photo opportunity to document our three cars... the Buckleys, Leos, and Kneisleys. 

A famous spot in town is the "Southernmost spot in the USA" at the end of Duval Street and South Street.  Alas, there was no place to park and a huge crowd there.   Therefore we drove back through town recalling the sea wall along the Straits of Florida (part of the Atlantic Ocean) and found a place to park for pictures.

A young chap rolling along on a bicycle offered to help take some photos.  We staged some pics with each of us standing by our cars and he deftly crossed traffic to take this nice picture:

As he was finishing up, along came this energetic lady, camera and notebook in hand explaining that she was Gena Parsons, a reporter from the Key West Citizen newspaper. Could she take our picture she asked.  Sure we said. 

And she took many.

She said, with editors approval, her story may be in tomorrows paper... if not then maybe next Monday. 

By this time it was getting quite hot out... perhaps 95 degrees and we needed to check in to the hotel and get some lunch.  After the check in process and moving our stuff into the rooms we went to the Tiki Bar, or as they call them in Florida, the Cheekie Bar.

Lunch was good, but more entertaining was the Iguana that waltzed through the pool area looking for handouts.

Considering the traffic congestion we opted to take a taxi to downtown Key West to do some touristy stuff and find out about this interesting place.

Duval Street.... the main street of Key West

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Hemmingway's hangout

After some shopping we decided it was time to go back to Sloppy Joes for some

light refreshment.

We almost by accident we tripped on the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden tucked in a corner on a downtown side street.

"The Wreckers"  sculpture depicting the spirit of Key West as a bold, boisterous and bustling sea town out on the frontier of a young America.   The early wreckers are depicted engaging in their work of saving lives and cargo from vessels who came into peril on the reefs.  Wrecking was the islands first economy and the reason for their early existence making it the richest city per capita in the U.S. during the mid-1800's due to salvage fees received by the wrecking crews and captains."

The garden featured sculptures and biographies of those people who,

by their actions, developed and prospered in Key West.

 Along about sunset people begin to gather at Mallory Square on the south western tip of Key West.  The purpose is to watch the sunset, reported to be the best sunsets anywhere. 

Even on this relatively off season night there were several hundred people gathered

along the rail watching the receding sun.

And like the sun, after sunset most were gone, off to hear the many musicians in the area.

But the suns beauty remained for several more minutes.

And our dinner on the patio of the Westin Hotel, right there at Mallory Park was outstanding.

Tomorrow, more fun at Key West.