Go Buggy and Driver make it to Key West...finally!

Tuesday

I was up bright and early Tuesday AM and on the road by 7:30.  It was a beautiful day.  I drove into Miami and was taken by how sunny it is and very scenic.  I got lost for two hours in Miami.  It is the most fabulous place to get lost!  No really, it is!  Just fabulous...there is so much to see.  There was a lot of highway construction so I was detoured and re-routed a lot and my GPS had a hard time keeping up with it...I finally turned it off...it got on my nerves. I wound up driving in a huge circle.  I looked ahead of me and thought, "Hey, I've seen this before."  And then it dawned on me.  Oh hell...I've driven in a huge circle!  That just isn't right!   I decided that the very least I could do was drive down the Historic Art Deco District.
I heard echos of the Miami Vice Theme music in my head as I drove along...too funny.

Cool, really cool!

All the palm trees are in Miami...well, there are few in California!

I expect to see Al Capone any minute!

A bunch of tourists!

Beautiful building!

I finally found my way to the highway that lead to Key West.  I'm thinking, "OK then...we are on it."  Ahhh, that feeling was short lived.  The scenic horizon...ahead of me is minimal at best.  You see, all the really great scenic shots are used on TV.  It seems 90% of the drive to Key West is road and shrubs and bushes.  The beautiful ocean view is on the other side of the shrubs and bushes and not viewable from the road.  I've been hood winked!  But I am not daunted!  My goal is Key West.  Onward, tally-hoe and all that rot!  I'm going to Key West and visit Ernest Hemingways house with the polydactyle pawed cats...6 toes. 

7 Mile Bridge

There are bridges connecting each island key and the scenic view from there is great.  One bridge, 7 Mile Bridge, is commonly scene on TV.  More on that later.

The attitude on the keys is "chill out".  I drove through Key Largo...looks a lot like any other seaside town along the coast of California.  Each island has a name and it's own claim to fame. I was anticipating cruzing along the highway...at a speed commisserate to my own lead foot.  Ah, that is a negative.  Nobody, and I mean NOBODY is in a hurry in the keys.  Never went over 45 mph.  So needless to say, I didn't make it to Key West until 6:30PM.  Ernest's place closed at 5PM...so my schedule was pushed back, again, for another 12 hours. 

I decided to make the best of the evening. 

It only takes about 45 minutes to drive around the island of Key West.  So I found a parking spot, payed for 2 1/2 hours of parking and started walking.  I really needed the walk.  I'd been driving all day and my ankles had started to collect water.  Man I really hate fat ankes.  I used to have an Aunt and she always had fat ankles.  I used to look at them and see my fate...ugh!  Anyway...I walked to the water and found the southern most part of the island.  Just 90 miles away from Cuba!  Of course I took a picture of the marker and bought a post card. 

Southern Most Point - Wave at Cuba - 90 miles away

I'm big on buying post cards.  Quick, easy, cheap...usually the pictures are much nicer than I take; they travel and store very well and are easy to mail.  I love post cards. 

I ate at the Southern Most Restaurant, drank at the Southern Most Bar and returned to my RV seven minutes before my time ran out.  I drove to the west side of the island and found another parking space. Paid for 3 hours and started walking...my ankles not withstanding!  The old part of Key West is filled with wonderfully old dated buildings and businesses to match.  Stores, bars, clubs and restaurants abound.  Lots of places to eat, drink, and be merry! Cute novelty shops.  It wasn't very crowded with tourists but I later heard from several shop keepers that the season is just beginning.  I found Hemingways place so I would know where it was the next morning.

Ernie!  I didn't think I'd ever get here!

 I was hoping to find a place to park for the night but all the RV parks are taken up with snowbirds.  I headed to several local hotels and the prices were well over $295.00 per night.  Ahhhh,  I'm thinking I'll head to the other end of the island and hopefully prices will be more reasonable.  I stopped in a local park where I saw about 7 Class B RVs and folks gathered around playing cards.  I pulled up and come to find out...they were retired from Canada...hanging out in the Park.  They all had very thick French accents.  At first I thought they were Cajun.  They told me most of the RV space was taken up with snowbirds and I would do well to get a hotel room.  Well, OK then...I'm off to get some sleep.  It was already 10PM and I was tired.  I wound up at the local Travel Lodge...$180.00 bucks...to sleep!  OUCH!  Well, what are ya gonna do?

I've got more stories to post tomorrow...stay tuned!  I finally get to tell you about the cats and touring the Hemingway home.

I hope your day is wonderful and your travels are blessed.
Just go!