First I would to thank all those who posted recommendations and advice.
for my first trip to Key west it was too short but it was fun
Starting from the beginning, after I finally found the rental car area in MIA, it was
about an hour later, and 2 rental places, before I finally got out of the Miami area
( should have brought my own GPS ) and my estimated time to get to KW was about
right. I Loved the drive down, after driving through the pouring rain in some parts
leaving Miami, the rest was sunny and clear!!!! wish I had my tablet out to record the
trip down , the scenery was so beautiful I thought I was in a dream
I got into Key West somewhere around 9 maybe, and drove around slightly confused
by the GPS : ( after a while driving around exploring I went back and found parking
around the corner from the Blue parrot inn,
nice little place, and after that long drive
I went to sleep, should have went out instead.
Next day, only full day in KW sadly , I
started out looking for the southernmost point and found southernmost on the beach
and then got in line to get my picture at the southernmost point, thus beginning my
photographic trip down duval, and stopping in various souvenir stores and shops
and (wishing I had planned better and not wasted $240 on a plane ticket for the
wrong day ,wed not Thurs. , and renting a GPS instead of bringing my own !!!!)
because of that I wasn't able to spend as much as I wanted : ( really wanted to get
some artwork and trop rock CDs at
Green World Gallery, definatly recommend going
here. but I did get a Conch republic flag!! and saw Mallory Square, I couldn't decide where I
wanted to eat lunch
but I had narrowed it down to 3 choices,
Conch Republic Seafood Company
B.O.'s Fishwagon
Smokin' Tuna Saloon.
Conch Republic Seafood Company and
B.O.'s were pretty busy so I went to Smokin' Tuna
and to my surprise there was
hardly a crowd, I thought the place was bigger, it looked bigger in youtube videos
had a very nice lunch of shrimp and iced tea after which I decided to find my way
back to the Blue Parrot to get ready to go to the beach, should have went to
southernmost beach instead of going to smathers beach, I was told that Salute was
on smathers beach, when actually its near Higgs Beach not nice!!!!
I didn't like smathers beach, I got out a little way and the sand was more like mud
and there was too much seaweed and I think something bit my foot so I was only
there for like an hour and then I went back and checked my facebook page, and I'm
glad I did because I found that one of my favorite musicians, Chris Rehm aka Key
West Chris was preforming at the Doubletree
so glad I caught the last hour
of his set. after he finished I introduced myself and he noticed my Kenny Chesney
shirt, and he sang another song for me : )
then I got the bartender to take a picture of
me with Chris and then we talked as I helped him pack up, and that was the
beginning of a night of 'firsts' , as I was helping him load his van, he told me about,
what I would later call 'an event ' at McConnell's Pub(THE LOVE LANE GANG AT
McConnell's - AND RADIO BROADCAST).
I left and headed to Mallory Square, to
see the sunset, driving - bad idea , you know how limited parking is !!
So I didn't get to see the sunset celebration, brought the car back to Blue parrot and
actually found a spot out front, and after changing my clothes I decided to head to
McConnell's Pub, I forgot to mention that as I was driving back I was listening to The
X 104.9 and they were broadcasting live from McConnell's - that will make sense later.
So I texted Chris and said that I decided to go down and hear the The Love Lane
Gang play, they were Good
- sound system ,not so good. and then I was talking
to Chris and somehow the subject turned to beer, and I told him that I had never had
a beer , and he's knows a lot about beer!!! and he finished the beer he
had, something dark and ordered a lighter beer , I think it was called ' Stella Artois '
and I tried it, and to my surprise it was actually good, my first impression was that it
tasted like hard cider, which I have had before.
As the band took a break, a very long break ,for a radio interview on The Key West
Rocks Show with Reverend Gweko(Gary Ek (Soundman from HELL) and "Captain B"
Bernard Rasch. Chris' friend Gary Ek (Soundman from HELL)of The Key West Rocks
Show, persuaded Chris, and me , to be on the radio and the next thing i know we are
on the radio, and pictures were taken, beer was drank, and Chris read the weather
,and we talked about music, about me ,the Southernmost Coconut Castaways brunch
sat at Schooner Wharf( I was really looking forward to it ) ,about the band , and
about the vacant building directly across the street being supposedly hunted, it did
look a little creepy all dark when all the buildings around had lights on.
we drank more , and before long the radio show was over. I should have not went back
to went back to my room it was only half past midnight, should have spent more time
out exploring the KW nightlife, but I said 'I think I'm going back to go to bed, good
thing Chris walked with me back , I found my way there myself but at that hour and
after 2 beers I wasn't sure of the way back
Sadly the next day (Sat) I had to leave that afternoon.
I had a lot to do on Saturday, after getting up at the early hour of 8, to pack and
checkout and stuff then, I found my way to Schooner Wharf
for the
Southernmost Coconut Castaways July Jump Up ,
and some breakfast(steak, eggs and potatoes) , and I met a lot of other club members
and I won a CD and some
other stuff, and last but not least I met BN members Wayne and Cathi
we talked and took pictures as we listened to Michael McCloud, I really liked his
music and stayed longer then I should have.
after I eventually left I went to meet Marc & Tammy Hollander at their house to pick
up my Meet me in the keys goodie bag, full of a lot of fun stuff and then I,
thought I might have time to go to Boondocks for a fundraiser for the Summerland
Key Fire Dept., I think.
But sadly ,by that time it was getting late and I thought my flight was at 8 but actually it was at 9 and I had to get back to Miami so I didn't go Boondocks, so I practically raced back to Miami at some points going 70 mph or more to get back and I got back in time.
I liked the check-in with Alamo ,they scan the barcode and give you a receipt and that's it. and as I was taking my stuff out out of the car thats when I found that my flight was actually at 9 and I finally found my way through the airport, and my way back to Pensacola but I didn't want to go !!!
Next time I'm not driving back to Miami, I may drive down but I'm flying out of KW
After I learn to fly ,I'm flying down to the Keys !!!
and that's my Key west trip
I can tell you about my Pensacola / gulf coast trip if anyone wants to know ,it was ok , but mostly a excuse to get away
Key west trip pictures
http://s1317.photobucket.com/user/Islan ... 0west%2013