Starting mileage: 1885 Starting time: 9:000 pm
Ending mileage: 2017 Ending time: 12:30 pm
Travel mileage: 132 Travel time: 3:30 hours
It is quite a spectacular drive out the chain of Florida Keys. The Keys are linked together by a series of 42 bridges and causeways, some of them several miles long. The longest runs for 7 miles along the remains of an ill-fated railroad track from the early 1900s which was destroyed by a hurricane in 1933.
The shallow water is a brilliant aqua color, dotted with small islands (keys) and mangroves. Many of the causeways are lined with mangroves.
Many of the keys are famous for the scuba diving and fishing. Key Largo is said to be the world capital for skin diving. Surprisingly there aren't many beaches along the keys.
Wandering into Key West, we found a small park near the shore where we had a picnic lunch. There are chickens running wild all over the island, the descendents of chickens that were brought here in the late 1800s from Cuba for cockfighting. When the authorities decided to tax cockfighting, many chickens were let go and when cockfighting was made illegal, even more were given their freedom. One rooster crowed at us regularly and begged for treats - he enjoyed the bits of apple and Triscuit but not the pita chips!
While we were eating lunch Carmen saw a large (!) iguana walking across the bocce court next to us so I rushed to take a photo. Iguanas are very common in Key West and we saw many more of different sizes.
We took a trolley ride around town as the easiest way to discover the important features of Key West. This took us by the southern-most point of the US (many people lining up to take photos next to it), Hemmingway's house, Truman's little white house and many historic buildings. Key West was originally purchased for $2000 (this would only buy a few square feet today - prices are the same as Manhattan). At one point Key West was the biggest city in Florida and and one of the richest in the US - the main economy in the late 1800s was salvaging valuables from the many ships that were wrecked in the shallow water off Key West.
We later drove back downtown for dinner and to watch the famous sunset in Key West with thousands of our new friends. There were many vendors, fortune tellers and street performers to entertain a significantly inebriated crowd.
It is quite a spectacular drive out the chain of Florida Keys. The Keys are linked together by a series of 42 bridges and causeways, some of them several miles long. The longest runs for 7 miles along the remains of an ill-fated railroad track from the early 1900s which was destroyed by a hurricane in 1933.
The shallow water is a brilliant aqua color, dotted with small islands (keys) and mangroves. Many of the causeways are lined with mangroves.
Many of the keys are famous for the scuba diving and fishing. Key Largo is said to be the world capital for skin diving. Surprisingly there aren't many beaches along the keys.
Wandering into Key West, we found a small park near the shore where we had a picnic lunch. There are chickens running wild all over the island, the descendents of chickens that were brought here in the late 1800s from Cuba for cockfighting. When the authorities decided to tax cockfighting, many chickens were let go and when cockfighting was made illegal, even more were given their freedom. One rooster crowed at us regularly and begged for treats - he enjoyed the bits of apple and Triscuit but not the pita chips!
While we were eating lunch Carmen saw a large (!) iguana walking across the bocce court next to us so I rushed to take a photo. Iguanas are very common in Key West and we saw many more of different sizes.
We took a trolley ride around town as the easiest way to discover the important features of Key West. This took us by the southern-most point of the US (many people lining up to take photos next to it), Hemmingway's house, Truman's little white house and many historic buildings. Key West was originally purchased for $2000 (this would only buy a few square feet today - prices are the same as Manhattan). At one point Key West was the biggest city in Florida and and one of the richest in the US - the main economy in the late 1800s was salvaging valuables from the many ships that were wrecked in the shallow water off Key West.
We later drove back downtown for dinner and to watch the famous sunset in Key West with thousands of our new friends. There were many vendors, fortune tellers and street performers to entertain a significantly inebriated crowd.
Day 10 route
Postcard Carmen
Iguana, about 3' long
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