I took a trip down to Key West this past weekend to get out and see more of Sunny Florida and just experience what it had to offer. Like most of my recent vacations the company was the downfall of the vacation but I didn't let that stop me from relaxing, enjoying myself, and turning off my mind to just take it all in!
The drive is about seven hours from where I live in Florida. Once you get to the "Keys" part of it, it is beautiful. It is so tropical and the water is so green/blue I fell in love with it. Key West is of course the last Key and the Southern Most Point in the US.
All I could do was say "It's SO Pretty" because it really is! There is a ton of fun to be had there. Duvall Street is where all of the bars, clubs & shops are. Key West is a very open place, very gay-lesbian friendly which I didn't mind, I am open to that (for others, not for myself) The biggest thing I noticed while walking Duvall Street is there is so much Love there. I know it is paradise, what's not to love there? People are in love, they are in vacation; they are all so friendly and laid back. You can talk to anyone with ease. The view from any part of the island is just breath taking.
We got in Saturday about 7, met up with a "friend" (hind side, should have skipped this part) went to dinner alongside the dock. I love sea food so I try to eat it as much as I can. I had a sea bass with a key lime sauce over it. It was excellent :) From there we hit up a few bars, everything from a strip-club to an Irish pub, which has to be my favorite. They had live music, and it was Irish, how do you not love that? On top of that I did a few key lime shots; they rocked & stumbled onto my new drink. Absolute Berryaci & 7-up it was delicious!
The bars close about 3, some seem to stay open later. I wanted to go to the beach, the company I was with didn't. So I left them, headed to the pier laid on the pier looking up at the stars with a warm wind breezing across the water & of course listening to the wave’s crash. It was beautiful, I got lost in the moment for some time. This is what life is about, taking a moment out to reflect and just enjoy the serenity of this. I made a phone call to someone back home and had a great conversation, I couldn't have asked for the night to end any better than it did <3
Sunday I needed to get out and be on the water, I am a water person anyways. I signed up for a Jet-ski tour. I was a little worried this was going to be slow and boring and in a tow-rope sort of fashion. WOW! I was wrong. I was the first one there for the tour, so I was ready to go; of course we waited on the rest of the people.
Leaving the dock you enter into a channel and you have to gun it or your ski will hit the bottom, its maybe two feet deep if that. As soon as I did I saw all of the water and some of the island, and fell in love I loved life that day, that feeling if "awe" is just amazing. We got to tour the island, 30 miles of it. It was great. I went full speed all the time, kept up, never fell off. We stopped by the Navy base in the sand bar to walk around, got back on the skis. Stopped again in the middle of the ocean and we all jumped off the skis and went for a swim. The water was amazing, so warm and beautiful.
The adventure continued on, we went to a cove they call Dolphin Cove and sure enough there were dolphins along side of us, right by my Jet ski, I could just about reach out and touch them, they were about a foot away, it was so amazing, our ski's were just on idle not to scare them, but they were beautiful. I've seen dolphins from a beach, but never that close.
We toured this bay that the military used to sink helicopters and submarines back in the 60's to hide them. They are now being used as reefs. It’s a local spot where people go to Jet Ski and have parties, it’s beautiful. About this time I was convinced I am moving to Key West!
The water got really rough between 3-4 foot waves, and it was fun as hell, slippery and rough but FUN! I was still full speed. The Tour guide called me Speedy the entire time. I can't help it, I like anything fast; cars, trucks, bikes, jet-skis, whatever it is!
The tour of course had to come to an end, and I was crushed, I will always do that tour when I come back, it was well worth the money and I had a blast.
Last night in Key West, I went out to the docks and was looking at Christmas Tree Island and Sunset Island. It was pretty, but cloudy. Nice to see regardless. From there I walked Duvall Street again, went shopping. They have the ORIGINAL Margaritaville there, I love original stuff! They had a few bars playing live music so I stopped into one called "Big Uns" haha! Met the bartender who was Irish and super nice & just enjoyed the evening solo.
Poured myself into bed about 6 am and was up at 10 to get ready to head out, stopped by the Southern Most Point & the AIDS Pier just to take one last look at the water. Key West I will miss you, but I promise I will return very very soon.
I fell in love with Key West, I can't wait to go back, I think it’s one of my favorite places, it’s a 7 hour drive, but well worth it! I can take a ferry there but I have to leave my car at the dock, which might be the option for the next trip. Aside from the drama that the company caused, I had a fantastic time. I've learned not to let others ruin a good thing for you, I did what I would have done anyways, enjoyed my time!
