While we were at our apartment in Key Largo, a lot of the Americans were doing day trips to Key West and saying how busy it was. One of our favourite American expressions so far, (apart from the usual 'awesome' which everything is, even when it really isn't, and everything is a 'good job' even if its an unmitigated disaster) was from a guy who had just come back from a day in Key West and clearly finding it a little too much said (in a good American drawl " this ole dawg, just wana sit on the porch"
So we did wonder what we were driving into as we headed to the southern most point of the continental USA. The drive down was quite special going over the bridges that connect the keys, and thin strips of land with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic on the other. We arrived at our hotel in the old town of Key West, an old Victorian wooden house, veranda and all - so this old dog had a porch to sit on! The hotel was beautiful, and the majority of the buildings in the old town were of this type, some really lovely colourful houses.
We went for a walk to explore, the heat and humidity were really high and sweat just pored out of you - well me, the ladies just had a mild perspiration. By chance we managed to find a bar that had 60 craft beers on so fluid levels were able to be replenished!
I've had some good and bad beers out here, one of the local favourites is like a tropical beer that comes served with a segment of orange, you wouldn't get that down the local back home, its just not right! At the other extreme I've had a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, lovely, a really complex beer with lots of flavour. Craft beers pop up in most bars and supermarkets, making a change from the standard Bud, and Bud Light.
We did a tour of the old town by trolley bus on Tuesday and just hopped on and off as various points throughout the day. There wasn't much at the southern most point, apart from a marker, saying 90 miles to Cuba and a bloke selling frozen coconuts. It was a bit like Lands End really - apart from the coconuts. We really enjoyed Key West, busy and hot but very picturesque.
On Wednesday we drove to Miami, South Beach. It was a long drive, I find driving here quite frustrating you have these massive cars with so much power under your right foot, but you have to pootle along at 40, 45 or if you are lucky 55, to get anywhere just takes forever.
Miama was a different world to Key Largo and Key West, big city and lots of traffic. We've done it all - Miami beach, South beach, Ocean Drive the Art Deco district and oh yes, Dash, the Kardashians shop. Well when I say 'we' the girls did while I stood outside with all the bags and beach towels - if I'd have put a cap on the floor I might have got a few donations.
South Beach is good for people watching. We saw a few pensioners on roller blades (I'm going to get my dad on that when I get home), a few guys working out on the beach, but unfortunately no female beach volley ball!
After a couple of days of big city life in Miami we packed up and headed to Orlando and MGM, Disney and water parks!
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