Florida Keys

After a smooth flight I picked up my hire car and negotiated my way down south of Miami. My first 3 nights were at the top of the Keys. I visited the famous Key Largo with its National Park and reef reserve, was told by a local where THEY eat, only to discover its ‘lobster’ season and ordered a full lobster stuffed with crab with sweet potato fries and salad. This dish was sensational. Miss Piggy decided to complete the feast with a serve of homemade Key Lime pie. Can you believe ALL for less than $30. Doesn't that photo make your mouth drool?

For all you movie buffs, Key Largo also houses the original boat from the movie “African Queen” – she is old now and in a little disrepair but still great to see! Bogart was also in the film “Key Largo” and whilst they only made a few minutes of it on the key, the area is full of history. I also spent a day visiting the huge Florida everglades. The area is incredible with different terrain and miles of water ways filled with alligators. You can’t visit the everglades without taking a ride in an Airboat. It sensational, fast and refreshing – you definitely get wet! The guy spun the boat in 360’s and we all laughed so much. The birdlife and the alligators make for very interesting viewing!

I finally drove THAT bridge; that long famous awesome bridge which is 7 miles long! I have dreamt of doing this for years and you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I drove along it! I sung to the radio blaring in my big Dodge rental and had a ball! And awesome it really was, Flagler dreamt to connect all the keys and put a railway line right down to Key West. At the time they called it “Flagler’s folly!” They thought he was crazy but he did it and lived to ride the first train down. The old train track bridge is getting dilapidated now but its there, right next to the new one you drive on. I am told there are 40 bridges all the way down the keys.


Key West surprised me, I knew it was interesting but it’s far more than that. It’s historically unprecedented with stories. From pirates to Cuban tobacco merchants, the stories are endless. The houses are like out of movies, all of them. Quaint, cute, grand but all fascinating! There are museums and so many things to do and see. I ran out of time but will go back one day. At sunset half the town goes down to Mallory Square to watch it; you walk around with a drink from one of the famous old pubs and watch the shows of jugglers, artists, showmen and suchlike. Ernest Hemmingway fell in love with the place and wrote most of his books above the coach house on his old typewriter. You can visit his home as I did and hear the guide tell the story of his amazing life. The descendants of his cats are all there and many with the famous “extra” toe on their front paws. Another incredible visit was the museum from the discovery of a spanish galleon in the 80's by Mel Fisher. They found the mother load which is now valued at over 400 million. I walked around with my mouth open. CASES of gold coins, gold and silver bars, jewels, the list goes on.................

Being on the edge of the Bahamas the water is the most turquoise I have ever seen, also crystal clear, it stretches out for miles and takes your breath away. The sea stretches all the way to Cuba which is only 90 miles from the southern most point of Key West.

I'm not going to say anymore! Let my pictures tell the rest of the story! There are SO many good photos I don't know which to choose! You will have to look at the rest of them with me at home! Oh what a few days!!