Pambling Roads~~Key West
05 Aug, 2012
Meeting the Americans
Our dream to travel now
that my husband has retired is on its first leg. Goal -- Key West.
Normally we take the back
roads when we travel, wanting to see “America”, wanting to meet the “Americans.
We do not want to see a continuous line of highways with endless trees and
concrete. (Depending on where you are traveling) However, rare for us, the trip
to Key West was mostly highway.
Travel miles for me is
about 4 to 5 hours, anything more than that and my brain just doesn’t work
properly, my body starts to ache, and I am utterly useless. (And cranky as my
husband is saying to himself as he reads this) Our layovers tend to be more
relaxing and neither one of us have overextended ourselves, nor do we end up
with travel pains.
Living on the Central
Florida Coast our first stop was in the Homestead/Miami area. It was such a
relaxing trip until we arrived in the Miami area. **Fair warning to anyone who
is not a Florida resident or does not have a SunPass! You will be fined and/or
pulled over by police for traveling on the toll roads in the Miami area. They
have a no cash accepted/allowed toll system. So if you somehow manage
to end up on a toll road you are SOL. Miami toll highway systems are NOT
tourist friendly. Their signage is just as horrendous as their un-kept roads.
We stayed at
the Cutler Ridge LaQuinta Inn on Caribbean Blvd (a blink from US 1)
in Homestead. The hotel was comfortable and the employees were commendable. The
hotel was clean and fresh. If we were ever to return to the area, we would stay
there again. Their continental breakfast is awesome, one of the best we have
had. Although we did not bring a pet, pets are welcome at this branch.
Dinner was a “we’re
exhausted and hungry” event and Denny’s was chosen. As we were
pulling into the parking lot, a vehicle raced around us, cutting us off when he
pulled in front of us to get into the parking lot. Of course, my husband had to
slam on his brakes. We were not happy. As we pulled into a parking spot, the
gentleman who cut us off raced into the Denny’s. It was the manager. I do not
think it even fazed him. We almost left because of it.
I must tell you that it
has been countless years since I have eaten at a Denny’s Restaurant and the
last time was at 3:00 AM. I am already picky when it comes to restaurants,
considering that I worked in the restaurant business for almost 20 years and,
having specific expectations, I know what they are and are not supposed to be
doing. (One of them is not being obnoxious and rude by cutting off the
customers as they enter the parking lot) It was slow when we arrived. One young
couple (in their teens) was quietly conversing, another table with two ladies
(middle aged) who were not so quiet. We learned, without wanting to, that her
car had a problem and they could have “died” if it happened on US 1 but it’s
okay because it happened in the parking lot … She was quite outspoken and would
not get off her cell phone. She would tell her story, call someone else and
tell her story—repeatedly and very loudly, throughout our whole meal, and
theirs.
The service as this
Denny’s was superb. Nelson was a charmer, did his job exceptionally well, got
everything right, the food was prepared as asked and, we didn’t have to wait
for anything. Kudos to the cook and server! We were exhausted and cranky and we
left the Denny’s happy and satisfied.
On the road again:
A few miles down the road
on South Dixie Hwy (US 1), and the only reason why we stopped so
close to Miami, was the Coral Castle Museum. Coral Castle is in Homestead,
FL. Yes, the Homestead, FL where Hurricane Andrew made landfall and devastated
the area over
twenty years ago.
Originally called Rock
Gate Park, Coral Castle is a replica of an extravagant home (without a roof)
made of coral. The tour guide was friendly and was able to answer all of our
questions. Ed Leedskalnin, who weighed 100 lbs and stood 5 feet tall, built
this castle himself with simple tools, many of them homemade. What makes this
so unusual is how he did it. Coral is heavy, about 125 pounds per cubic foot.
Mr. Leedskalnin moved over 1100 tons of coral and no one knows/witnessed how he
did it. 
A few keynotes:
The 9-ton gate that until
recently (they need to get it repaired) you could move with one hand. It was
balanced so perfectly that a child could move it.
The Obelisk weighs over
28 tons and is larger than any of the stones at Stonehenge.
The Florida table is a
20-foot table carved in the shape of Florida surrounded by 10 chairs.
The Cooker has a pit, a
pipe for a down draft, a vent in the roof for smoke and the cooking pot is made
of the rear housing of an old Ford.
Their Gift shop is a
treasure. We picked up a few things and of course, a book. Coral Castle:
The Mystery of Ed Leedskalnin and his American Stonehenge by Rusty McClure
and Jack Heffron, an interesting read if you love to read about unusual true
stories.
Onward to Key West:
Cameras cannot do it
justice. Beautiful, breathtaking, crystal-clear waters started the moment we
were able to see the ocean and Gulf. It was a living postcard.
I would suggest (if your
hotel does not have a concierge) is to stop by the Key West Visitor
Center. You will receive coupons and multiple savings for the trip, a
huge selection of activities, and a schedule of events. We always stop by the
visitor centers when we travel even if the hotel has a concierge.
One of the first things
we did was to purchase tour tickets for the Old Town Trolley. We used
their service for the sightseeing tour in Washington, DC and were quite happy
to use their services again. We stayed at the Days Inn which had a
shuttle service making our stay that much more pleasant. (We stayed there 5
days) We did not have to drive anywhere unless we wanted to. Between the
trolley and the shuttle, we had the island covered. Good thing, too, because
the streets were horrible. I was joking with my husband and said that the
reason the streets are full of potholes is because they spent all those
millions of dollars trucking in sand for the beaches instead of keeping up the
roadways. (We were told that resurfacing of the roads was on the city’s agenda)
The Trolley Tour had a
special where the second day was free. They also offer military and senior
discounts, and kids 12 and under were free. The tour guides provide historical
and local, entertaining tidbits. There are other tour trains available.
As I mentioned earlier,
we stayed at the Days Inn on North Roosevelt Blvd. Considering that we were on
a main road it was a quiet stay. The employees were pleasant and the service
was quick and professional. The rooms were clean and the grounds kept with the
feel of island life. The pool area was well used, but we could tell that
someone was constantly keeping up with it. Days Inn does add an extra fee to
the room for the shuttle services. (With no opt-out) However, as I mentioned
before, it was worth it to use their shuttle services. No fighting the traffic,
getting lost, paying for parking, looking for parking…you get it.
Restaurants that we
recommend:
Dinner the first night
and breakfast thereafter was at the Waffle House, right there on the same
property. I cannot say enough good things about the food or service, everything
was absolutely wonderful. The food came out fast, the service was right-on and
considering that the place was packed, every day, it did not take any longer
than it would have if they had been slow.
Red Fish Blue
Fish was on the menu one night for dinner and we are glad we decided to
eat there. Ironically, the waiter was a transplant from Orlando. He was
pleasant and we received good solid service. He was one of those un-intrusive
servers who quietly replaced our iced teas when they were empty without us even
realizing he had done it. When we arrived it had not been that busy, however,
it was packed with a waiting list as we were leaving. As the server got busier,
the quality of the service did not change. Not an easy thing, be an
un-intrusive server and give the best service in a packed
restaurant.
In Kahoots is a
restaurant and bar near the Days Inn hotel and associated with the Lexington
Hotel. We were a bit surprised to see how slow it was so we had sat down,
wondering if we were making a mistake. No mistake, someone just hasn’t spread
the word that the place is a great place to eat.
It’s a great place to
eat!
Our meal was awesome and
the server was pleasant. The food came out quickly and she was right on top of
it, making sure we had everything we wanted.
We did go to the In
Kahoots bar, twice, at the end of our long tour days. It was a friendly,
everybody-knows-your-name type bar. Even though most of the patrons were
visiting Key West, you walked in to an open, welcoming atmosphere. It was
because of that atmosphere that we returned the second time. I have to give
credit to the bartender, Todd. He was a pleasure. I am sure that at times, as a
bartender, he has to deal with some pretty obnoxious people, but it did not
seem to affect his personality or how he dealt with the patrons. He was funny,
entertaining, and an excellent conversationalist.
The second night we
tried Todd’s Key West Sunrise, a creation by Todd. It was delicious. After
my second one, he had asked if I had wanted another one. My response, “no thank
you, I have to walk.” He got a chuckle out of that. I imagine he usually gets
“I have to drive”. We were having so much fun, we stayed a little longer than
planned and I did end up having another one. He gave me the recipe. You will
have to go there yourself, enjoy the Key West Sunrise and personally
ask him for the recipe. (If I can get his permission, I’ll post it later)
Several people, locals
and visitors, recommended Hurricane Hole. Unfortunately, we never made it
there, but I am recommending it if you get the chance. If we get back to the
Keys, we shall definitely try them.
There are well over 50
sites that you can visit on Key West and that does not include shopping, boat
tours, fishing, or scuba/snorkeling, etc.
The Sites We Enjoyed:
Martello Fort and Museum
The fort and museum is
filled with wonderful artifacts, stories, and antiques.
There is one story that
was so macabre that I ended up purchasing a book about it. Undying
Love by Ben Harrison tells of a true story about a man who was so obsessed
and passionately in love with a woman that he preserved her body....
Then of course, you
have Robert the Doll, great story behind that. Do not take a picture of
Robert without permission. Seriously, some really strange stuff has happened to
people who did not heed that warning. Robert the Doll has one unique story that
can perk everyone’s interest.
There was only one
glitch. The manager was just plain mean and snarky! It was upsetting and
disheartening to hear her be so demeaning toward her employee.
The Customs House Museum:
Key West Shipwreck
Treasure Museum (and Tower):
View from the Shipwreck
Museum Tower
Fun and fascinating
facts. Climbing the Tower was awesome. The museum is a living museum with
actors, video, and artifacts from the wrecked vessel Isaac Allerton. The
stories of how the wrecking industry helped the residents of Key West thrive.
Do not miss the 65 foot high tower, not only is it beautiful but it is an
excellent photo opportunity.
Harry S. Truman’s Little
Whitehouse:
Originally built for the
use of military headquarters, it became a winter escape for President Harry
Truman and future presidents. To this day, it is still used as a retreat for
dignitaries.
Key West Historic
Memorial Sculpture Garden:
Free to walk through, a
lot to see. It is a beautiful Sculpture Garden honoring the men and women from
Key West.
Oldest House Museum:
Very short tour but worth
it. Built in the early 1800's, the tour of the house is free. It is not
open every day so you need to check with them for days and time. The staff
members were friendly and open to answering any questions. On the grounds,
there is also a beautiful garden and the only surviving Cook House in South
Florida.
Ernest Hemingway Museum:
As an author and
veracious reader, I was so excited to see this museum. Ernest Hemingway wrote
there for many years. I wanted to hear everything I could about it. It was one
of the museums that was at the top of our ToDo list. They took the whole ticket
stub so we were not even able to write our comments about the tour for later
reference or to send in our comments. The guide rushed through the tour. I
could barely hear him. He didn’t wait for everyone to get into the rooms before
he started speaking and since we were at the end of the group, we missed most
of the information. The only thing I remember is something about 6-toed cats
and a penny near the swimming pool that he threw at his wife. The tour was very
disappointing.
Southernmost Point:
The concrete buoy marks
the southernmost point of the US. Definitely a must for a photo
opportunity, go either early in the morning or around dinnertime like we did.
(Less people in line)
0 Mile Marker:
The beginning of US 1.
Many people asked where we were from. Our response, “Oh, just drive a few miles
up US 1 turn right and there you are…” Perhaps in our travels, we will make it
to the other end of US 1 way up north.
San Carlos Institute:
Loved it! It is in my
opinion one of the most beautiful historic homes in the US. There is so much
Cuban and American history involving this building. I am thrilled that it was
saved from demolition and was restored to its finest glory. We couldn't absorb
enough information about this fascinating museum/school/theatre. We spent
almost an hour speaking with the volunteer (who is a 4th generation Conch),
asking questions and just loving the history he was teaching us.
It is free to the public
and survives on donations and the work of volunteers. If you were so inclined,
they would appreciate your generous donation to help keep this important part
of Key West history available to the public.
What We Missed on our
ToDo List:
Audubon House, Flagler
Station Museum, Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Shoppe, Lighthouse Museum, Key West
Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas National Park,
and a boat tour out to the Coral Reefs
In our travels in Key
West, we met a genuine 4th generation Conch, (pronounced Konk) local
transplants, and had conversations with people from Czechoslovakia, Germany,
France, Jamaica, Haiti, Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee,
Florida, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Missouri. What a great way to
meet the Americans.
The German couple
vacationed in all of Florida--their favorite spot --Cocoa Beach!
At one time, Key West was
the richest city in the US.
It used to thrive on the
Cigar industry.
People do nibble on
sponge cake and go to Margaritaville there. (And eat Key Lime pie) Yes, Jimmy
Buffett does have a home in Key West and a small recording studio.
When I left, I felt as if
I did not need to go back. Now I think, it would be nice to see it all
again.
Red Fish Blue Fish has a
facebook page but I couldn’t find their website.
From an e-mail
correspondence-- We were misinformed about the tolls in Miami. Thank you!
*...there is a small
error on the toll road in Miami. Sunpass is preferred, rental cars already have
them and the rest of our visitors a photo of the license plate is taken and you
usually get a bill in the mail a week or so later. I have never known the
police to stop anyone unless they were speeding or drive unsafely, but not for
toll violations.
Thank you for stopping by. Comments are welcome!
Have a good moments day,
Pam
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