Things to do in Key West

We have spent time walking around the island and admiring the sunset.  We have lounged poolside and walked the beaches.  We have admired the houses - both cottages and larger homes.  There are still parts of Key West that are quaint, but the city is very built up and some of the shops on Duval St. are shops you would find anywhere - not exactly a taste of island flavor or the Conch Republic.

We have seen a community of homeless people who overnight on the beach about a half mile from the condo in which we are staying.  We saw them when we went out walking in the morning, before the town got busy.  It gives me a different perspective on life in "paradise."  I love the climate here - it is sunny and warm most of the time.  The overnight temperature falls to the mid seventies and the daytime temp rises to the mid eighties (just about perfect). 

Today we got up early and I talked Dennis into going for a walk with me.  I had to promise that it was not a four-mile power walk.  We walked to White Street where the homeless people overnight on the beach.  Then we turned toward town and walked past Flagler and turned right down a small street.  We loved many of the houses we saw.    We walked back toward the condo and completed the circle in about one hour.  It was a good walk. 

When Gary and Nancy got back from their walk we discussed the activities we wanted to do today and tomorrow.  Gary had asked a local man about purchasing fresh fish and the local (Clem) directed us to Stock Island (5 miles from Key West central) to a place called the Rusty Anchor.  We found it with after a few mis-steps.  It is obviously a place that sells fish wholesale to restaurants.  When we pulled in, one of the fish mongers was delivering a load.  A man who reminded us of Popeye came up and asked what we wanted.  We told him that Clem had recommended his place (he seemed unimpressed) and asked what he had.  After he described what was available, I asked him for two pounds of shrimp and 1- 1 1/2 pounds of grouper.  We brought it back and stopped at the grocery store for beer, wine, and the ingredients for tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. 

After we got back from our trip to the fish market, we all put on swimsuits and headed for the pool to lounge in the sun and shade.  I worked on my music for the Livingston County Chorale Spring Concert.  (I will send emails out about tickets because it is a really great concert with awesome big-band music.)  I sang silently so as not to disturb people in the pool.

When we came back to the condo, we decided on a dinner time and made a fabulous dinner of pan-fried grouper, beer steamed shrimp, roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts, and bread.  It was a wonderful meal and fairly colorful (see the photo).  Fresh caught fish has no equivalent.  We decided that a similar meal in a restaurant would cost at least twice as much - and that's if you cold get grouper at all!

Tomorrow we will do a walking tour of Key West and visit many places we want to see.  We'll post pictures.

Dinner tonight.  The grouper is in the center of the table and the awesome Florida shrimp in in the background.

Sunset from White Street Pier last night.  Very beautiful.