Florida

January 2003 .........

Key West: Also known as the Conch Republic, born April 23rd, 1982 when the US Border Patrol, seeking to catch undocumented aliens and drug runners, blocked the overseas highway below Florida City. Motorists were asked to prove their US citizenship, their vehicles were searched and the resulting traffic jam was a public relations disaster, the Keys residents were outraged at being treated like criminals. After three days the mayor announced the island's succession from the Union. A raucous Mallory Square rally proclaimed Key West an independent nation. The Conch flag was raised, visas 41and border passes were issued, and the Conch currency was printed. The rebel nation then promptly "surrendered", requested US foreign aid, and partied for a week.

Duvall Street, the main street of KW stretches from the Gulf to the Atlantic. It's a one mile strip, funky with tacky T-shirt shops and bars, to chick galleries, great restaurants, jewelry stores, ice cream stores and a place to get your picture taken with a boa draped around your neck. Lots of the shops have open fronts and there is loud music everywhere.

In primordial times, coral reefs grew atop limestone ridges in the shallow seas. Between 120 to 100 thousand years ago, polar icecaps enlarged and the oceans receded, dropping sea levels from 20 to 30 feet, and exposing the top of the reef, which died and became a barren archipelago of fossilized coral or limestone rock. Over the millennia, waves, tides, and storms deposited seaweed, driftwood, and other organic debris, which decayed to form soil. Seeds drifted ashore or were brought by migrating birds. Those that sprouted eventually created the Keys' distinctive jungle like tropical hammocks. The Keys were founded by Juan Ponce de Leon on May 15, 1513. Three centuries passed before the first Anglo-American settlement was staked out at what is today Key West. Another half-century went by before settlers, attracted by the federal homestead programs, arrived in the Upper Keys and built houses of driftwood and flotsam heaped on the beaches by the never-ending succession of ships that gutted themselves on the submerged reefs. Before the advent of lighthouses, maritime mishaps were so frequent off the islands that many "wreckers" became rich from the salvage trade, an occupation discredited by a few unscrupulous entrepreneurs who set up false lighthouse beacons to lure unfortunate mariners off course. Henry Flaglers' railroad reached Key West in 1912. Today the 126 mile overseas highway links more than 40 inhabited isles, crosses 42 bridges, the longest being the 7 mile bridge. Roadside signs, known as mile markers (MM), provide a countdown from MM 126 to MM0 at Key West. The Keys actually end 70 miles out at sea on the lonely island of the Dry Tortugas.
Key West is a small place, 2 by 4 miles. It's three historic districts contain apr. 3,100 historic structures. Bicycles and motor scooters are two popular modes of travel. Some interesting places to visit in Key West.

Pictured above - The Little White House, where Harry S. Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and Jimmy Carter spent time. It was built in 1890 and has 8700 square feet.
The Curry Mansion, 22 rooms, 7500 sq ft. Colonial Revival residence, It is now an inn and has the only widows walk open to the public in Key West. The home is fun to tour.

Pictured Above - Earnest Hemingway house, the only house in KW with a basement, created when the coral bedrock for its walls was quarried there. It sits on a one acre, and is the largest private residence lot in KW. Hemingway had four wives, all very rich. He was known as a hard drinker, gambler and man about town. He only lived in KW for 12 years and most of his works were done in that period. The estate is famous for it's 6 toed cats.
KW historic 1824 cemetery is located in the "dead" center of town. The 1847 hurricane disinterred bodies from an earlier "bone yard" at the southernmost point. The grave yard was entirely washed away and the bodies were scattered throughout the forest. The tombs and statues are fascinating. It's a must visit place. "I told you I was Sick", Facing tablet on a large white crypt. Pearl Roberts was a local hypochondriac.

Pictured Above - The sunset celebration at Mallory Square is unique in America, the historic pier, where old steamships would tie up is transformed nightly into a stage for performers and acts that are ever-changing. One can see Dominique and his trained cats, jugglers, unicycle riders, guys that walk on broken glass and everything in between. There is a large homeless population in KW and they play drum's, guitars, or you can take a picture of their dog in sunglasses. Of course they all have a tip hat out.
Be sure and take a kayak tour with Robin from Mosquito Coast Wildlife Tours, sign up behind the snake and parrot place on Duvall St .Mosquito Coast has been been featured on the Discovery Channel. The trip goes through the bay back into the mangrove forests. Mangrove trees are very interesting, there are three types, red, black and white, plus a cousin, the buttonwood. All grow in the tidal swamps in costal florida..The red (pictured here) is supported by interlacing "prop roots" from the trunk or large branches. It grows out in the water or along the bank in the water. The "prop roots" excrete the salt that gets past the trees filtering system. Black and white trees grow behind the red on higher ground. Black has roots that grow up and look like straws so they can breathe. They secrete the salt through two tear ducts at the base of their leaves. The white secrete salt from the bottom side of their leaves. Just a matter of inches in the height of the soil will determine what type of trees and vegetation will grow. Robin picked sea grass and had us taste it. We stopped and waded around and she pointed out sea cucumbers, star fish, and many other neat things that grow in the swamps. We were lucky and saw a hammerhead shark while out in the bay.

The Florida Keys are an exciting, fun place to spend time. Our RV park was Boyd's at MM5 and we recommend it. Two best restaurants are Louie's Backyard, a non advertised wonderful old house at 700 Waddell and Mangis Mangia Pasts Cafe at 700 Southard. Best Key Lime Pie is at Mango Mama's at MM20.

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Key West
Cat Man

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