A Day Touring Key West

Follow our progress using this link: Steve's Spot

Day 18: March 22, 2018

Man, was it windy last night.  I checked the records and there were gusts up to 28 mph.  It was great to be tied tightly to a dock.  The boat moved around a bit, but there were no significant waves inside of the breakwater that surrounds this marina. 

This little shore was cleaning the dock as we headed for the trolley

We started our day with sausage gravy on toast.  My thoughts were that here we are in Key West and haven’t really toured the area.  I have said for a number of years that the best way to scope out the interesting places is to hire on to a tour bus.  Key West has a hop-on-hop-off sight-seeing bus tour, a ride on which I purchased two tickets. We met our conductor, Stephen, just outside  the marina and before

One of the oldest and most popular bar for musical entertainment

the day was done had made two complete 1 ½ hour trips around the city. 

At the end of the first trip, Stephen, who by the way was an outstand tour guide, suggested that near the last stop was a fabulous Cuban restaurant that served a fine lunch.  We decided to take him up on his suggestion.  Janine ordered a café con leche which is a small amount of coffee, a large amount of steamed milk and sugar.  We agreed that it was good.  We both

Wonderful Cuban restaurant for lunch

had some conch chowder, Janine a bowl and I a cup and I had jamon y queso which is a ham and swiss with lettuce, tomato, mayo on Cuban Bread.  They were all very good.  The Cuban establishment was also very interestingly appointed.

We got back on the bus and traveled to the Ernest Hemmingway house.  He bought it for a song at an

The Cats.  Waiting for next tour group and the associated treats.

auction, restored it and lived in it with one of his several wives and numerous polydactyl cats.  To this day, they have about 60 cats, most all direct decedents of Hemmingway’s original herd. Our guide was good and we both really enjoyed the tour. 

From there, we crossed the street and went to the Key West Lighthouse museum.  There we toured the light-keepers dwelling and climbed the 88 steps to the top of the beautifully maintained light. 

View of the garden from the Hemmingway balcony

It was getting late and so we decided to head back to the boat. We got back onto the bus and enjoyed hearing all sorts of tidbits of information ranging from the history, culture, and customs of Key West.  One such place that the conductor on the trolley said was a have to stop is the beautiful old Episcopal Church.  Once the bus stopped, we walked the three blocks back to the church.  The stained glass was

The lighthouse from Hemmingway's

truly fabulous and the ceiling above the chancel is shaped like the hull of a boat. 

On way our back to the boat, we ran into Jane and Bryce along with another couple who had stopped by our boat to invite us to join them for a drink and dinner at some local establishment.  Jane offered that once they found a suitable place, she would email us the location so that we could join them.  She did, and we did! We met them at the Wharf Brewery where they had settled in with a third couple.  We spent the next hour or so in spirited conversation with fellow cruising sailors. 

While I was sitting I could see a large TV that displayed upcoming events and the most prominent event was to happen this evening.  The entertainment for the night was none other than Cliff Cody of New Lexington, Ohio, just 5 miles from where we live.  I had met him a time or two back in Ohio.  Coincidently, the last time we were in Key West, we had stopped at the Hog’s

Southernmost point in USA.  Long line of folks waiting to have their picture taken

Breath Saloon for dinner and he was also there.  I went up, gave him my boat card and we talked a bit.  Later, as we were leaving, he was telling a story about a song that he had written about a woman with a tractor tattoo.  He said that while he was playing it, a woman with a tattoo confronted him.  It may or may not have been the woman about whom he had made the composition, however, she was here again in this bar.  They got into a discussion about the fact both he and she were from Perry County.  As she was heading back to her seat, I confronted her and found

Ship's hull ceiling

that she was from Thornville, 10 miles north of Somerset where we live.

Back at the boat I told Janine that I hadn’t even asked the gal’s name, so I went back to the bar and the gal turned out to be a former student of Sheridan High School who graduated with our son, Trevor.  I knew her quite well over the past years but didn’t recognize her nor did she recognize me.   It was an amazing coincidence.

It was a long day and we were both ready for bed come 9:00.