I sleep until around eight this morning, well refreshed for a day on the town. Turns out I am going to need it.
After breakfast we wait for the ship to arrive (it doesn’t get to Key West until around ten) and dock. We are escorted by two small coast guard ships all the way in; I guess because there is a large coast guard base in Key West (actually, we docked at the base) but maybe they just liked getting the exercise.
When it is finally time for us to disembark, we are taken through the coast guard base to town by a shuttle (no photos allowed), and then we are left on our own. We go to CVS for a moment to buy toothpaste (it looks like I may have left our own tooth paste at the AirBnB), insect repellant, postcards and a cord for under my hat (to prevent it from blowing off at sea).
From there we start walking down Duval street, until we get to a side street with a bus stop, which includes a convenient bench to sit down and write the postcards. We did bring stamps with us, so we don’t have to find a post office, but it does mean we have to get our post cards send off at our last stop in the U.S.
Next stop: the Truman “Little White House” where president Truman liked to spend his working vacations. From there we continue towards the “southernmost point” of the United States, also passing the “mile marker zero”, the start of US-1. Having been to the other end of the US-1 in Maine, this is one of our must-do stops.
There is a Kapok Tree here... I know the term “kapok” from my childhood as something that was used to make pillows with, and I always thought it was something that came from Indonesia. Although, as the sign says, most commercial kapok does come from Indonesia, the tree actually originates in Central America.
We pass the Hemmingway House but only look at all the tourists trying to get in, and walk quickly past it. We also don’t go to the top of the lighthouse, although you probably have a good view of the whole key from there. We do take note, however, of the regular houses, many of which have a friendly and colorful look.
The tip of Key West is marked by an iconic marker. People are standing in a long line to get a chance to take their picture with the marker; we just have Marching Monkey pose in front of all of that, and take a quick snap between two parties. Also, Marching Monkey poses at the southernmost southernmost house in the U.S.
On our way back, we pass a group of brown pelicans, which are native to the Florida Keys. Also, a highly decorated car that is cruising up and down Duval Street.
We walk back over Duval Street, getting ourselves an icecream, and getting a bandana that Nicoline will try to make into swiming pants for Marching Monkey. Poor Marching Monkey is still wearing his “sweater.”
We stop briefly to look around the San Carlos museum, showing the connection of Key West to Cuba, which is only 90 miles away.
By this time, we’re tired of walking around and head back to the shuttle which brings us back to the ship. Not without passing a couple more touristy displays, of course!
Later in the afternoon we get our swim gear out and go to the hot tub on the rear deck, which actualy does a lot to relax my shoulder muscles, which were hurting from carrying the camera and backback. We have dinner in the Lido (buffet) restaurant and find a spot in the library where Nicoline is comfortable reading her book and I’m on my laptop.
